Phong Le

Phong Le

Contact: phong@oclef.com

Teaching Philosophy

If learning feels hard, you're doing it wrong.
--Richard Feynman

I develop independent piano students.  My lessons are 15 minutes each, and students are required to attend Monday to Friday.   Each lesson focuses on one or two layers of musicality.  The goal of my projects is to show how students are able to synthesize complexity by cognitive compression.  
I like coming up with new techniques to accelerate student learning.  Teaching students how to think analytically and how to memorize piano music without rote practice are two areas of special interest to me.  You will never see me play the piano in lessons.  I believe mimicking is the worst strategy for students to learn anything creative.
7
Projects
11
Presentations
0
Learning Journals

Projects

Introduction to Melodic Idea
Learn To Be Self Critical
Stage 2 Student
Analyze Bach Prelude
Melodic Ideas
Assign Homework
Teaching Boys
Memorizing A Section Melody
Review Melody
Memorize Melodic Ideas And Development
Memorize Second Idea
Identify Sets To Memorize
Compare/Contrast Prelude with Sonatina
Learn A Section
A Section Melody From Memory
Analyze Harmony Pattern
Play Harmony Separate
Coordinate Harmony To Melody
Review After Thanksgiving
Review Prelude
Setting Goals
Review Sonatina
Memorize Left Hand As Melody
Thinking of Left Hand as Melody
Divide Into Phrases and Sequences
Identify Parts To Brute Memorize
Learn B Section
Review A Section
Recognizing Chords
Planning Finger/Hand Movement
Learning Melody
Annotating Music
Review Harmony
Annotate Flats
Coordination Attempt
Why Memorizing Is Necessary For Coordination
Coordinating Melody and Harmony m 21-27
Use Pattern For Memory
Review Melody Again
Fix Coordination Visually
Analyzing What To Focus On
Recognizing Patterns In Hand Shapes For Memory
Review B Section Melody
Leverage Pattern In Stretch-To-Natural Hand Shape
Recognize Patterns In Accidentals
Review m 21-27 Melody From Memory
Study Shape of m 28-32 Melody
Pattern of F-sharps and A-flats Accidentals
What It Takes To Be A Piano Student
Segment Harmony Into Two Basic Hand Shapes
Review m 21-27 Melody
Segment Harmony
Recognize Octave or Natural Hand Shape
Standardized Left Hand Movement
Review m 21-27
Patterns in Left Hand Transitions
Review
Last 8 measures
Patterns in Last 8 Measures
Standardize Fingering Pattern
Practice Backwards
Practicing Backwards
Work With Metronome
Progressive Memory/Rhythm Practice
Progressive Memory/Rhythm Practice
The 3 S's of Polishing
Play Through With Metronome
Practicing the Second Half Together

Jayanth Panneerselvam

Short Prelude in C Minor, BWV 934

32 lessons (Project In Progress)
Nov 24, 2025 - Feb 04, 2026
Repertoire
Learning Melody
Begin Melody
Fixing Intervallic Reading
Review Anchor Note
Annotate Movements
Recognize Melody Flow
Melody Flow
Learning Alberti Bass
Begin Coordination
Annotating Melody for Memorization
Review Page 1
Memorize in Phrases
Basics of Memorization
Begin Page 2
Review Melody For Section A
Fix Fingering
Annotate Movement Patterns
Coordinating
Review A Section
Recognize Driver Hand/Passenger Hand
Fast Learning Strategy
The Importance Of Memorization
Complete A Section
Review Measures 1-23
Learn Measures 24-31
Memorizing A Section
Memorizing A Section 2
Memorizing A Section 3
Starting B Section
Complete B Section
Fix Coordination
Dry Run Entire Composition
Comparing Variations to Memorize
Practice For Memorization
Practice Backward By Section
What to Brute Force Memorize
Strategic Memorization
Practice For Memorization 2
Review Landmarks To Brute Force Memorize
Practice Backward
Fix Octave
Review Landmarks for A Section
Practice A Section
Comparing Variations
Progressive Memory Practice Strategy
Practice For Memorization 3
Dry Run
Review Mistakes in Harmony
Practice From Memory
Practice With No Music
Identify Memory Gap
Identify Difficult Movement
Review Points To Brute Force Memorize
Review
Discuss Progress of Enchanted Moments
Stage 2 Student
Review Sonatina
Preview Bach Prelude
Melodic Ideas
Starting Phrasing and Interpretation
Understanding Sonata Form
Conducting and Cleaning the RH
Conducting and Refining the LH
Conducting and checking the development
Checking the RH | Making a Practice Plan for Correcting Mistakes
Following up on the previous day's practice plan
Reviewing recital repertoire | Checking problem spots | Choreography
Checking the Development | Expression and Technique
Sick Day | Run Through to Check | Reminder to be Musical
Memorizing Complex Hand Transitions
Talking about Practice Diary Entry
Practicing and Polishing Problem Spots Together
Talking about Energy and Character
2026-01-29

Jayanth Panneerselvam

Sonatina in C, Opus 20, No. 1

32 lessons (Project In Progress)
Oct 28, 2025 - Jan 29, 2026
Repertoire
Intervallic Reading Day 1
Hand Position Using Diagram
Verify Hand Position
Grand Staff & Finger Number
Intervallic Reading and Playing
Fix Hand Stability
Second Song
Third Song
Fourth Song
Fifth Song
Coordination
Intervallic Reading Day 2
Setup Second Camera
Alouette
Shoo, Fly
Finger Coordination
Yankee Doodle
The Muffin Man
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
London Bridge
The Wheel On The Bus
Ode To Joy
Intervallic Reading Day 3
Morning
Bridal Chorus
London Symphony
Horn Call
Trumpet Voluntary
A Little Night Music
Shepherd's Song
Introduction To Notes & Hand Position
Introduction To Notes
Mnemonic
Calculate Hand Position
Firefly
Calculate Hand Position and Play Little River
Calculating Initial Hand Position
Little River
Sailing In The Sun
Ferris Wheel
Mexican Jumping Beans
The Haunted Mouse
Approaching New Music
Classical Dance
Young Hunter
Skipping In Space
Half-Time Show
The Lonely Pine
Li'l Liza Jane
C's Rock
Moving Hand Position Intervallically
C's Rocks!
Mozart's Five Names
Paper Airplane
The Juggler
Multiple Ways To Calculate Hand Position
Traffic Jam 2nds
This Is Not Jingle Bells
Calculate Hand Movement By Direction and Intervals
Kites In The Sky
Training Eye-Finger Coordination
A Mixed-Up Song
Flute Of The Andes
Runaway Rabbit
Rain Forest
Lightly Row
Developing Independence
Forest Drum
No Moon Tonight
Grumpy Old Troll
Introduction To Sharps and Flats
Introduction To Sharps
Merlin's Wand
Russian Sailor Dance
Introduction To Flats
Super Secret Agent
Party Song
Boogie on Broadway
Review Sharps and Flats
Boogle On Broadway
Introduction to Triads
Scarf Dance
Two-Note March
Girl on a Bicycle
Boy on a Bicycle
Song for a Scarecrow
My Pony
Reading and Playing With Reduced Finger Numbers
Theme from the "London" Symphony
Jazzy Joe
Bongo Drummers
Better Eye-Finger Coordination
Dinosaur Stomp
The Dreydl Song
The Bubble
Start Piano Adventures Performance 1
The Spanish Guitar
Jack and the Beanstalk
Pop! Goes the Weasel
Developing Lesson Routine
The Clock Shop
I'm a Fine Musician
Peter, Peter
Reading Stretch
Introduction to Melody & Harmony
Rusty Old Bike
Melody And Harmony And Coordination
A Merry March
Painting with Pastels
Calculating Diad Intervals
Square Dance
500-Year-Old Melody
Reading Reverse Adjustment
The Crazy Clown
Reading Enharmonic Notes
Review DoubleUp & Reverse Adjustment
Two Little Marches
Learning Piano Songs By Reading Only 2 Notes
The Crawling Spider
Sleeping Beauty Waltz
Reading Hand Position Movements
The Handbell Choir
Miniature Sonatina
Hill and Gully Rider
Introduction To Coordination
I've Got Music
Rain Dance
Better Coordination By Reading Less
Silver Moon Boat
Start Piano Adventures Lesson 2A
The San Francisco Trolley
Jumbo's Lullaby
When the Saints Go Marching In
Introduction To 8th Note Rhythm Set
Leftover Popcorn
A Minuet for Mr. Bach's Children
Mr. Brahms' Famous Lullaby
Ice Cream
More Ice Cream
Playing in Parallel
Mr. Haydn's Theme
My Daydream
The Clock Strikes Thirteen!
The Elf's Silver Hammer
Ode to Joy

Tessa Vu

Early Stage 1

26 lessons (Project Complete)
Aug 06, 2025 - Sep 25, 2025
Foundation

Learning Journals