The Piano Room
Claire Helene Bevan's private piano teaching studio in Camden, Maine
offering experienced piano instruction and performance opportunities
to students of all abilities, ages 4 and up.
BIO
My French name, Claire Hélène, is pronounced, “Clarolyn”. I go by Claire in the U.S.
Claire has been a piano instructor for 12+ years. She teaches in her own studio and is on the faculty at Bay Chamber School of Music.
She holds a BM Piano Performance with pedagogy emphasis from the University of Southern Maine, where she studied piano with Dr. Laura Kargul and Dr. Annie Antonacos, and pedagogy with Christine Kissack. The USM faculty awarded her a talent scholarship for the duration of her studies and she received a student achievement teaching recognition award from the Music Teachers National Association. In Camden, she studied with Leitha Christie and Glenn Jenks. While at Principia College in Elsah, IL, she studied with Dr. Marie Jureit-Beamish. She has also been coached by Cheryl Tschanz Newkirk of Waterville, Virginia Eskin of Boston, and George S. Lopez (Bowdoin Beckwith artist-in-residence).
She taught in the Portland area and in several schools before moving back to mid-coast Maine in 2016 when she took over The Piano Room in Camden from her Mom, Mary Bevan.
As an active church musician since 2016, Claire loves ministering to hearts and minds in a wide variety of styles. She is Music Director at First Universalist in Rockland, where she also enjoys collaborating with other musicians. For over 15 years, she volunteered as a pianist at a spiritual retreat she attended annually in New York City.
She also holds a BA in English and Environmental Science from University of Chichester, United Kingdom. A job as a news reporter originally brought her to Maine.
My approach to teaching:
I teach piano, yes, but I view myself as an educator. I am highly influenced by the Suzuki philosophy of eliciting character growth through music. Helping students attain deeper levels of consciousness is also a central theme of mine. I am most passionate about the vital link between the cultivation of deeper conscious awareness and happiness, mental health, and finding a sense of wonder. I care about my students as individuals and look for inspired ways to bless and reach each one, in a unique way. It's also important to me that students like the music we select.
I marvel at the transferable life skills students learn from taking lessons besides encountering works in different genres. Let me unpack the substance of what students learn: how to be patient with themselves, how to be in the moment, devotion to a purpose (all art demands it), pattern recognition, problem-solving, analysis, grit, active awareness of their beautiful and expansive minds, depth of focus, relationship between thoughts/goals and outcomes, organization, self-validation, confident internal dialogue, imagination, emotional depth and nuance, strength of character, managing frustration (hard stuff!), overcoming perfectionism, discovering how to listen with mental ears, how to set priorities, self-discipline, accountability, vulnerability, independent thinking, how to enjoy every note, full-body listening, good posture, breath control, body awareness, etc. Oh yeah, and all the fun music stuff!
I get to watch THIS happen. What a privilege. My passion for teaching piano only grows.
What drew me to music and the piano?
I have such fond memories of lying under my mother's piano, enraptured and sometimes captivated by her feet on the pedals, listening to all the big pieces in the repertoire. My parents were good friends with American concert pianist Malcolm Frager, who would play the Turkish March for me, backstage, after one of his concerts. My childhood was so jam-packed with attending concerts that I apparently demanded lessons from my mother when I was 4. My mother was also a professional vocal soloist, whose regular concerts with a choir and collaborative pianist, we always attended. My experience growing up as a Third Culture Kid in Belgium exposed me to hearing wonderful concerts in big, cold cathedrals, and has given me a wide appreciation of music from different cultures and traditions.
Student Recitals
We were thrilled to present a live Spring studio recital on Sunday, June 12th
@ 2 PM at First Universalist, Rockland:
A virtual Spring recital was held on June 13, '21. It was not recorded.
In June 2020, students of The Piano Room collaborated to spread love and cheer
via recordings to Quarry Hill's extended care community residents
who were not able to receive visitors during the long quarantine.
Listen to the pieces they shared below:
New Students
all ages and abilities welcome
The Piano Room students receive a solid musical foundation
upon which to build a lifetime of music-making.
Students at The Piano Room benefit from a well-balanced program of musical activities designed to strengthen theory and keyboard knowledge while developing creative and performance skills. Lessons are customized to each student’s strengths, goals, and learning style. A recital is offered each spring and students are invited to play anytime at the church where I am Music Director.
I strongly believe my work is only successful if you are enjoying what you are learning. While structure is beneficial, please never hesitate to let me know if there are other topics you want to explore. This is your work — I consider myself to be your resource. Your time commitment outside of lessons is imperative to your success/ progress, which directly impacts your enjoyment. We all reap what we sow, and musical appetite comes with “eating”. Most learning takes place in a student’s application of what is learned at lessons. It’s my job, then, to equip you to be an independent learner and to guide your practice time so it’s most efficient and effective (and fun!).
Contact me today to schedule a complimentary meet-and-greet session, whether in-person or online.
COVID 19 Safety Plan & general hygiene protocol:
Masking is optional. I will wear a well-fitting mask upon a student's request, and if I am sick.
Students who opt for in-person lessons would need to agree to the following Safety Policy:
1. Students must wash or sanitize hands before entering the studio. Bottles of hand sanitizer are in the front entry hall, as well as beside the piano. The hand sanitizer I provide will be CDC approved with at least 60% alcohol. In addition, the bathroom fan vents to the outside, so we will keep the bathroom fan running at all times, and when students are done using the bathroom, we will leave the bathroom door open so the fan will keep conducting air outside.
2. Students who exhibit symptoms of fever, coughing and shortness of breath need to stay home & arrange for an online lesson/ or video instead.
3. Students exposed to Covid can come to lessons providing they wear a tight-fitting mask.
4. Students who test positive for Covid should arrange for an online lesson until they test negative.
5. AIR QUALITY: I keep the studio well ventilated with fresh air and I also have a Eureka Air Purifier NEA120 with a true HEPA filter right beside the upright piano where students will be seated — it was recommended by a medical nurse. The true HEPA filter captures 99. 7% of dust and airborne allergens as small as 0.3 microns such as household dust, model, pet dander, and pollen. It has a UV LED with TiO2 that is supposed to effectively reduce bacteria, virus and mold spores.
6. Students will be seated at the upright piano, and I will be seated at the grand which is at least 12 feet away.
7. SANITIZATION: There will be a plexiglass covering on the music rack to facilitate sanitizing between students. I will also sanitize the keyboard and chair between each student. I will completely sanitize the bathroom and door knobs at the end of each day.
8. BUFFER TIME: a 15-minute buffer time is added in between students, when possible, to allow for proper air exchange.
Excerpts
Calendar
Fall 2022
Begins Wednesday, September 7th through Thursday, November 17th, 2021 (11 weeks)
Wednesday, September 7th
First day of Fall Term 2022
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Studio closed: Nov. 23 - 24 — no lessons
Winter 2022-23
Begins Wednesday, November 30th through Thursday, February 16th (11 weeks)
Wednesday, November 30th
First day of Winter Term 2022-23
HOLIDAY BREAK
Studio closed: December 28 - 29th — no lessons
Wednesday, January 4th, 2023
Lessons resume
FEBRUARY BREAK
Studio closed: February 22 - 23, 2023 — no lessons
Spring 2023
Begins Wednesday, March 1st through Sunday, June 11th (13 weeks)
Wednesday, March 1st
First day of Spring Term 2023
APRIL BREAK (school vacation plus an extra week)
Studio closed: April 19-20, and April 26-27th, 2023 — no lessons during these two weeks
Friday, June 2nd from 4 to 6:30 PM
Mandatory recital dress rehearsal
Thursday, June 8th
Last day of Spring Term 2023
Sunday, June 11th at 2 PM
Spring recital at First Universalist in Rockland, ME
Need to Miss?
Missed Lessons
No make-up lessons are offered, but here are a number of creative options.
Please keep in mind that signing up for a lesson slot is committing to be present at the scheduled slot each week. Other activities should be planned/scheduled with piano lessons in mind.
Lessons cancelled by you for planned absences: If you know you will be unable to attend a
lesson in person, you can arrange a lesson swap by consulting the *SWAP LIST (please see
below). Or, with sufficient notice, we can arrange to have a virtual lesson. If you cannot do a
virtual lesson, and you have informed me of your planned absence, I will use your lesson time
to make a video lesson for you. No make-ups are given: your lesson slot is reserved for you.
Lessons cancelled by you for un-planned absences (i.e. sudden illness, activity conflict,
travel, etc.): if applicable, you may use the SWAP list or we can arrange for a virtual lesson;
no make-ups are given as your lesson slot is reserved for you; with sufficient advance notice,
and at the instructor’s discretion, I prepare a video lesson in place of the missed lesson.
*SWAP LIST: The Swap List is a copy of the teacher’s schedule with names of students/ and parents, and parents’ email addresses. Inclusion on the swap list is optional; if you prefer that your contact info not be made available, I will not include it on the swap list. You can use the list to try to arrange a swap with another student if you discover a conflict with your lesson time. The instructor is not responsible for arranging swaps for students. If a swap is successfully arranged, the teacher must be notified!
Lessons cancelled by me: When lessons are cancelled by me, I will notify you via text message and email as soon as possible. You will be given a lesson credit. I will keep track of any lessons cancelled by me, and contact you with available make-up lesson options. If there is no opportunity to schedule and use the lesson credit by the end of the studio year, you can choose to pro-rate tuition for the last month of lessons, or use it towards summer lessons. If you do not reply to my attempts to schedule a credited lesson, the credit will be forfeited at the end of the studio year.
Weather
I am always available to teach regardless of the weather. Regardless of school cancellations, I will assume you are coming. However, if you are not confident about the travel conditions, please send me a text or call my cell, so we can arrange for a Zoom lesson instead during your same lesson time. The lesson is forfeited if you decide not to come for other reasons (i.e. you want to go skiing instead).
Click on Swap List button to view current Swap List. You cannot edit this list. Please contact me with any arranged changes. Thank you!
Testimonials
"I have had such an amazing experience working with Claire. Not only is she a highly skilled instructor and musician, she is also an incredibly thoughtful and compassionate human being. I began taking lessons this past December as an adult learner. I learned from Claire the foundations of strong musicianship, how to elevate my playing and refine my skills, and (perhaps most importantly) how to approach my playing with mindfulness and intention. There are many talented pianists in this world, there are fewer that are also highly gifted teachers, and even fewer that are also mentors. Claire is all three, a uniquely talented, intelligent and intuitive guide. I feel extremely grateful to be her student!"
~ Tara Morin, adult student
"You are an amazing teacher, and we are so grateful Amelia and Soren are under your tutelage."
~ Lynn Kenoyer Johnson
"Claire Helene Bevan is an exceptional teacher. She pays close attention to detail, is patient and courteous with her students, and she's also an amazing pianist. The first lesson I took with her, she listened to my playing, watching my hand positions, and then kindly and compassionately shared some ideas that would help me improve. I highly recommend her!"
~ Rebecca Fiarman, music teacher
"Claire Helene is a wonderfully creative piano teacher: the perfect blend of structure, fun and individualized support for our son. High expectations, but achievable bite sized pieces to feel good about his accomplishments with rewards of learning to play music he loves like Star Wars, etc."
~ Dr. Barbara MacDonald, ND, LAc
"Thanks so much for all you do! Shawn and I appreciate your gentle way with Mara and your patience with all of our lesson switches!"
~ Dana Fittante
Contact
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