About Heather Baldwin

“Heather is a wonderful teacher and our granddaughter loves going to her lesson so much that she asks me to schedule more lessons. Heather is patient, kind and makes the lesson interesting. . . . I can’t imagine a better teacher!” – Judy B.

Heather has played the piano for about four decades. She began her study in England, where she sat several years of the Royal Schools of Music graded exams. In high school, she accompanied the school choir in order to avoid a fourth year of math, then went on to earn teaching certifications in music and English from Michigan State University.


Today, she keeps up with modern instructional methods through elementary and intermediate piano pedagogy classes at Mesa Community College, where she studies with Dr. Radmila Stojanovic-Kiriluk. She is an active member of the Arizona State Music Teachers Association and Music Teachers National Association, and she serves as director of administration for the Desert Hills Community School of Music in North Scottsdale.


Heather is a proud U.S. Army veteran and holds a very rusty commercial pilot’s license. When she’s not teaching piano, she can be found performing with the Fountain Hills Saxophone Quartet, which plays about 100 shows a year all over the Valley.


Through a balance of educational rigor and patient encouragement, Heather’s goal is to develop skilled lifelong musicians who enjoy playing the piano for themselves and others.

Heather’s Studio Policy

Heather has a unique ability to meet children where they are, to encourage them in what they have accomplished, and to push them to achieve what they didn’t realize was possible. I am so grateful for her strong, yet gentle leadership in the musical development of my children! —Kyndal H., parent

  • Lessons

    I specialize in teaching beginning and intermediate piano, offering private, one-on-one lessons once a week in 30-, 45-, and 60-minute blocks. For beginning students, lessons focus primarily on learning to read notes and rhythms, developing proper hand position and posture at the piano and beginning to develop musical expression. As students progress toward the intermediate level, lessons begin to focus more heavily on technique, musicianship and repertoire that includes a variety of genres. My goal is always to make lessons fun, educational, and highly encouraging, and to help each student achieve success at their own pace of learning.

  • Cost and Payment

    Our first meeting is free. After that, lessons taken at the FHP studio are billed at the following rates:


    • 30-minute lesson                      $35/lesson
    • 45-minute lesson                      $50/lesson
    • 60-minute lesson                      $60/lesson

    For families who would like me to come to their home, the rate is $10 more per lesson ($45/$60/$70 for 30/45/60 minutes), to include the first lesson.


    I provide a written invoice on the last day of every month. Each invoice will reflect the total number of lessons taken that month, plus any additional costs (i.e., new book). Payment by cash, check, Venmo or Zelle is due by the 10th of the following month.

  • Attendance/Make-Up Lessons

    Regular lesson attendance is very important for developing mastery of the instrument. When you commit to lessons, I reserve a block of my time for you for the school year and will bill for that time according to the fee schedule above. Please treat your reserved lesson time as a firm commitment and do not schedule dentist appointments, doctor’s appointments, play dates, etc., during that time.


    I do realize that sometimes there will be unavoidable conflicts with a scheduled lesson time. When that happens . . .


    1. Please notify me at least 24 hours in advance when a student will be unable to make their scheduled lesson time.


    2. If the student has a mild cold (or other non-serious illness) or simply can’t get to the studio, we can do the lesson via Zoom or FaceTime at their regularly scheduled time.


    3. If the student is not available for an online lesson at their normal time, the goal will be to reschedule the lesson for another day/time that week. 


    Please note: You will be charged for “no-shows” or for lessons missed with notification of less than 24 hours.


    Emergencies (to include true emergencies as well as unavoidable conflicts that arise less than 24 hours before a lesson) will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. 


  • Annual Teaching Schedule

    I teach year-round, with breaks at the following times of year:

    • Last week in May/first week in June
    • Last two weeks in December
    • First week in August (right before school starts)

    Due to having students in many different school districts, with varying fall and spring break schedules, I usually do not take a fall or spring break. If I do close the studio at these times, families will be notified well in advance.


    I offer lessons through the summer. Summer lessons are strongly encouraged as they prevent the deterioration in skills and knowledge that can come with taking off 10 weeks. Even if a student is traveling during the summer, any lessons he or she can fit in between travels will help skills stay sharp. I offer summer lessons on an ad-hoc and very flexible basis to make it easy for you to work around changing camp, activity and travel schedules.

  • Books

    Once we determine the right method book, I usually send Amazon links so students/families can purchase books directly and at lower cost than retail. 


    After an initial period of study, all students will begin work on music theory. I use the Arizona Study Program’s graded theory packets. Each packet (about 40-60 pages) is $15. Students work through them at their own pace, usually 6-12 months per packet.


    Students must provide a spiral-bound notebook, dedicated for piano use. I use these notebooks to record what I want students to practice during the week and they are the first thing I open during each lesson. Students should bring their notebook and piano books to every lesson. Fountain Hills Piano notebooks, which provide space for students to log their practice details, are available for $15.

  • Practice

    Regular practice at home is essential for student success. I cannot emphasize this enough. There is a direct correlation between practice time and progression/enjoyment in playing piano. 


    Ideally, students should aim for five (5) days of practice each week. The most important practice days are the three days following the weekly lesson as that’s when new concepts are fresh and best remembered. Research has shown that without reinforcement, retention of new knowledge drops to 60% after just 24 hours. I see this every week: Students who wait to practice until a day or two before their lesson figuring they will “cram” to get ready typically find they have forgotten what we covered in the previous lesson. Not surprisingly, this approach leads to frustration, slower-than-desired progress, and diminished enjoyment of learning the instrument. 


    Parent involvement in home practice is crucial for student success. Please help your student establish and stick to a practice routine and see that practice time is free of distractions. If you are the parent of an elementary-age student, plan to sit with your child for a least a portion of their daily practice time. 


    If you ever need help with structuring, establishing or enforcing practice time, please let me know. Having shepherded my own daughter through years of piano playing, I have “been there, done that” when it comes to parent-child practice struggles! ☺

  • Recitals and Performances

    FHP offers several performance opportunities a year for all FHP students. The studio always holds a traditional recital in December and May, and usually offers one or two other unique opportunities throughout the year. All performances are announced well in advance and are a critical part of a student’s musical development. 


    A recital fee, which covers the costs associated with putting on the performances, will be included on the invoice in the month during which the performance takes place. 


    While students will be nervous (and some may be reluctant) to perform, I consistently see a significant bump in development as a result of preparing pieces to performance standards, then playing them in front of an audience. Ultimately, recitals build confidence, pride, and motivation to continue improving. For these reasons, I consider them to be mandatory events.


    I will keep you informed via email of upcoming recital dates, procedures, expectations, etc. If you ever have any questions about these performances, please don’t hesitate to ask!

  • Availability

    Teaching beginning and intermediate piano is my passion. There is nothing I’d rather be doing than helping students develop the skills for a lifelong enjoyment of playing music. As a result, I welcome your student’s (or your!) musical questions any time. Seriously. If a student is struggling with a concept, wants to confirm they are playing something correctly or anything else, they or you are welcome to contact me (via text is ideal) and do not need to wait until their scheduled lesson time to address their question. If I don’t respond right away, I’ll get back with them/you as quickly as possible once I’m available.

Heather’s Teaching Philosophy

I specialize in teaching beginning and intermediate piano as I am passionate about the early years of learning piano. This is the time when long-term habits are developed and opinions about the instrument are formed. Students who have a positive experience with piano early in their musical training are more likely to stick with it over time and reap the many benefits that come from learning an instrument. This long-term perspective shapes my approach to teaching. My goal is to develop in every student both comprehensive musicianship and enjoyment in playing the piano. 


I develop musical skills by focusing on technique, rhythm, sight-reading, performance and theory in addition to polishing individual pieces of music. Throughout my teaching, I place emphasis on solid fundamentals, but ultimately, I strive to nurture confident, thoughtful musicians who go beyond reading the notes on the page to conveying imagery and emotion through their playing. From the earliest stages of piano study, I place emphasis on artistry and interpretation. To grow skills, I use method books supplemented by other repertoire in many genres. The curriculum is always tailored to a student’s interests, goals and ability, with encouragement to explore a range of musical styles. Bi-annual recitals offer an opportunity for students to hone their performance abilities, develop a stage presence, and provide and receive feedback. 

In every lesson, I strive to create a positive, encouraging environment in which students are unafraid to make mistakes, learn from them and grow to be better musicians. When students walk out of lessons, I always want them to feel better about themselves as musicians and as capable learners than when they walked in. 

I am a firm believer in the benefits of piano study for all individuals, regardless of age or ability. While the ultimate level of achievement will vary from person to person, it is my conviction that, with practice, every student can achieve personal satisfaction in playing and reap the many benefits that come from learning the piano, including creative expression, attention to detail, diligence, concentration, grit, and improved cognitive function. In an age of instant gratification and immediate results, piano study develops perseverance and a recognition of the rewards that come from steady, long-term building of a skill. This is valuable, no matter what a student’s age, ability or length of study.


I teach piano for all these reasons. But my ultimate satisfaction comes from student joy and success. Watching students grow musically; seeing them get excited at discovering a style or piece of music they love; seeing the thrill, pride and increased confidence that comes from performing a piece of music well – these are my greatest rewards as a teacher.

“My son and I have both taken lessons from Heather, and I marvel at her patience and enthusiasm, both for music and teaching. I’ve watched her work with my son for four years, gently pushing him when necessary to get him to try pieces of music he might not otherwise and then encouraging and helping him work through those pieces until he had mastered them, building his confidence in himself and his abilities along the way. Getting kids (and adults) to work hard and enjoy the process is a gift, and thankfully, it is one that Heather has and uses.” – Linda C.