Flex Lessons Curriculum Overview

Starting at $32/mo

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This affordable alternative to traditional piano lessons features a unique course-based curriculum, private community, and Zoom piano lessons as needed.

The Flex Lessons Curriculum

Syllabus & Scope of Program

The overall aim of Flex Lessons is to provide a direct path of study from the beginner level up to the late intermediate and early advanced level. This education is divided into a set of courses for beginners and a set of courses for intermediate students.

If you aren't sure which experience is most appropriate for you, check out my Piano Repertoire Placement Guide.

Here is the overall scope of the program (including the unreleased portion):

Tutorials for roughly 70 pieces of repertoire across 7 levels
Study of major and minor key-based exercises (including scales, arpeggios, chords, cadences, and so on)
Study of Mikrokosmos: Volume 1 and Czerny Op. 599
Lessons on a wide variety of topics and supporting skills including counting, sight reading, technique, as well as a range of music theory topics.
Feedback on student submissions for all courses

See below for more information.

Beginner Plan Syllabus

This experience is intended for all new pianists as well as those who are playing below the intermediate level.

Students who participate in this program will work towards the following goals:

Study of 30 piano pieces across 3 levels (up to pieces like Schumann's Wild Rider or Beethoven's Écossaise)
Study of 36 exercises from Mikrokosmos: Volume 1
Proficiency in pentascales and 32 pentascale variations (Schmitt exercises)
Proficiency in scales and arpeggios for all 24 keys (in one octave)
Familiarity with the circle of 5ths
Familiarity with commonly used articulation markings (slurs, ties, staccato, legato, etc.)
Basic sight reading proficiency (including pitch and interval recognition)

See course list below for more information.

Beginner Plan Courses

Piano Essentials: Level 1 (Start Here)

18 Lessons

This course is intended to provide you with the necessary musical skills to support piano study at the beginner level.

Piano Essentials: Level 2

43 Lessons

This course follows Piano Essentials: Level 1 and is intended to provide you with the necessary musical skills to support piano study at the beginner to late beginner level.

Piano Essentials: Level 3

36 Lessons

This course follows Piano Essentials: Level 2 and is intended to provide you with the necessary musical skills to support piano study at late beginner level.

Piano Repertoire: Level 1

31 Lessons

This course provides students with training on piano repertoire at the early beginner level. These pieces feature simple melodies using a limited range of the keyboard.

Piano Repertoire: Level 2

31 Lessons

This course provides students with training on piano repertoire at the beginner level. These pieces provide a great opportunity to practice subdivided counting and expanded hand positions.

Piano Repertoire: Level 3

31 Lessons

This course provides students with training on piano repertoire at the late beginner level. These pieces introduce students to more sophisticated rhythms, faster passagework, and frequent position changes.

Piano Studies: Level 1, 2, & 3

41 Lessons

This course supports piano students as they work through Mikrokosmos: Volume 1, a collection of short exercises composed by Béla Bartók. These exercises introduce students to a variety of important musical skills commonly encountered in piano repertoire.

Intermediate Plan Syllabus

This experience is intended for students who have completed the beginner phase and are looking for more challenging repertoire and a deeper study of music and piano technique.

PLEASE NOTE: This program is still actively being developed and only includes content for Level 4. Content for Level 5-7 will be added throughout the rest of 2025 and early 2026.

Students who participate in this program will work towards the following goals:

Study of 40 piano pieces across 4 levels (including pieces from Burgmuller Op. 100, Bach Little Preludes, Clementi Sonatinas, easier Bach Inventions, and easier music by Chopin)
Study of 89 exercises from Czerny Op. 599
Proficiency in scales and arpeggios for all 24 keys (in two octaves)
Proficiency in other key-based exercises such as scales in 3rds, 6ths, contrary motion, triads, cadence patterns, arpeggio inversions, dominant seventh arpeggios, and diminished seventh arpeggios (in all keys)
Continued development of sight reading proficiency

See course list below for more information.

Intermediate Plan Courses

Piano Essentials: Level 4 (Start Here)

27 Lessons

This course follows Piano Essentials: Level 3 and is intended to provide you with the necessary musical skills to support piano study at the early intermediate level.

Piano Essentials: Level 5

21 Lessons

This course follows Piano Essentials: Level 4 and is intended to provide you with the necessary musical skills to support piano study at the intermediate level.

Piano Repertoire: Level 4

31 Lessons

This course provides students with training on piano repertoire at the early intermediate level. These pieces are generally longer and more musically sophisticated compared to beginner repertoire. Some pieces also require the use of the damper pedal.

Piano Repertoire: Level 5

32 Lessons

This course provides students with training on piano repertoire at the intermediate level. These pieces are generally longer and more musically sophisticated compared to repertoire found in the lower levels. Some pieces also require the use of the damper pedal.

Piano Repertoire: Level 6

32 Lessons

This course provides students with training on piano repertoire at the intermediate level. These pieces are generally longer, faster, or more musically sophisticated compared to repertoire found in the lower levels. Many pieces also require the use of the damper pedal.

Piano Studies: Level 4

25 Lessons

This course supports students as they work through the first few sets of exercises from Czerny Op. 599. This includes exercise #11-31. These exercises will help students familiarize themselves with certain techniques and harmonic progressions commonly found throughout classical repertoire.

Piano Studies: Level 5

31 Lessons

This course supports students as they work through exercises #32-57 from Czerny Op. 599. These exercises will help students familiarize themselves with certain techniques and harmonic progressions commonly found throughout classical repertoire.

Piano Studies: Level 6

24 Lessons

This course supports students as they work through exercises #58-80 from Czerny Op. 599. These exercises will help students familiarize themselves with certain techniques and harmonic progressions commonly found throughout classical repertoire.

Meet Your Instructor

Hi! I'm Joseph.

I created Flex Lessons to bring classical piano education into the 21st century.

I am a classically-trained pianist and organist who has been teaching exclusively online since 2018. With over a decade of piano teaching experience, I am passionate about teaching adult piano students and believe it is never too late to get started.

You can read more about me here.