Piano lessons five minutes from Lawrence Park
“We don’t have a piano at home yet.” That’s the most common thing new families say when they call us. Here’s what we tell them: most of our students started on an inexpensive digital keyboard borrowed from a relative or found at a garage sale. The first six months of learning are about fingers and ears, not the instrument. A basic weighted-key keyboard is enough to get started, and we’re happy to talk you through what to look for.
ABC Academy of Music has been teaching piano at 2180 Bayview Ave since 2003. That’s five minutes from Lawrence Station and a short walk from Lawrence Park Collegiate. For families near Yonge & Lawrence, it’s often easier to pop in before picking up from school than it is to find a spot downtown.
Trevor Flemings, who completed his master’s in collaborative piano at U of T, teaches piano at our Lawrence Park studio. He works with beginners from age five and with adults who last played in high school. His lessons tend to move through real repertoire faster than a method book alone — most students are playing short pieces within the first month.
Lessons run 30 minutes. You can book weekly or bi-weekly — see current rates. If a sibling is already at Kennedy Dance, which shares the building at 2180 Bayview, you can often arrange the two lessons back to back on the same Saturday.
Piano gives students the clearest picture of how music is structured. What takes months to hear on other instruments is visible from the first lesson.
Frequently asked questions about piano lessons in Lawrence Park
- What age can children start piano lessons?
- Most children are ready around age five, when they can sit still for 30 minutes and follow simple directions. We’ve started students as young as four when attention is there. Adults can begin at any age — we have students in their 60s who started with us.
- Do we need a piano at home before the first lesson?
- No. A basic digital keyboard with weighted keys works fine for the first year or more. We can recommend affordable options that don’t take up much space. A proper upright piano matters more once a student is past beginner stage, roughly 18 months to two years in.
- How far is the studio from Lawrence Park Ravine?
- About a 10-minute walk along Bayview. Families sometimes walk over from the Ravine trails on weekend mornings and come straight to a lesson. Parking on Bayview is metered; the lot behind the building is usually free on weekends.
- What’s the difference between ABC and a music school that’s closer to Lawrence Station?
- We’ve been at the same address since 2003. Our teachers hold university degrees and pass a Toronto Police Vulnerable Sector Check before they teach here. We’re also an official Music Together licensee for ages 0–5, so younger siblings can take classes while an older child has piano — all at the same location.