Piano with Soul
Individualised piano lessons for children, teens and adults across Melbourne.
At Piano With Soul, learning music is about more than reading notes or passing exams. It’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to learn, express themselves and build genuine confidence through music.
Because when the nervous system feels calm and supported, learning happens naturally.
Piano lessons that nurture confidence, creativity and connection.
All people are musical.
Music is not reserved for the naturally gifted.
Creativity, rhythm, expression and musical connection exist within all of us. Sometimes people simply need the right environment for those abilities to emerge.
Piano With Soul combines strong technical foundations with emotionally intelligent teaching that supports the whole person — not just performance outcomes.
Lessons are designed to help students:
build confidence
strengthen focus and listening
develop musical literacy and technique
feel emotionally safe while learning
connect with creativity in a meaningful way
This is music education that values both skill development and wellbeing.
Lessons designed for real people and real learning styles.
Children
Supportive lessons that build confidence, focus, emotional regulation and foundational musical skills in a calm, happy, encouraging environment.
Teens
A space for self-expression, creativity and musical growth during emotionally demanding years, while continuing to strengthen technique and musicianship.
Adults
Whether returning to piano or learning for the first time, lessons are tailored to individual goals, pace, learning needs and confidence levels.
Neurodivergent & Sensitive Learners
Piano With Soul supports many students who benefit from gentler, nervous-system-aware approaches to learning.
Every lesson is individualised.
So, what is Piano with Soul?
Piano with Soul is a deeper approach to music learning that supports each person’s natural musical ability, creativity and inner confidence.
Rather than following a one-size-fits-all method, Kate meets each learner where they are: their pace, personality, gifts, needs and individual way of learning. Through piano, singing and creative exploration, students are supported to connect with music from a more authentic place within themselves.
In each session, attention is given not only to musical skill, but to what the learner is experiencing as they learn. This creates space for confidence, emotional awareness, resilience, joy and self-expression to grow alongside technique.
Piano with Soul gives each learner room to discover their own style, value their unique nature and develop a meaningful relationship with music.
Music, wellbeing and nervous system support.
Piano With Soul forms part of the broader Living Fully philosophy - providing support through creativity, emotional wellbeing, nervous system regulation and meaningful learning experiences.
For some students, music becomes:
a grounding practice
emotional expression
confidence building
sensory regulation
creative exploration
a place to feel fully themselves
Because music is deeply human.
The Piano with Soul Approach
Piano with Soul is more than learning notes, pieces or technique. Kate’s approach creates space for the whole learner: their confidence, creativity, emotional expression, natural gifts and individual way of learning. With more than 30 years of experience as an educator and mentor, Kate understands that meaningful learning often begins when a person feels safe, supported and deeply seen. Through piano, each learner is given room to explore what is emerging in them, whether that is musical ability, joy, focus, self-trust, composition, expression or a renewed love of learning.
More than piano lessons.
Families often describe Piano With Soul as:
calming
confidence building
emotionally supportive
deeply personalised
creatively inspiring
transformational for anxious or sensitive learners
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“Our little girl started with Kate when she was 5 years old back in 2021. She used to be our next door neighbour and Eleanor enjoyed learning piano from Kate so much that we continue via zoom since she started her mobile studio. I love how Kate encourages Eleanor to learn on her own pace, learn by hearing and genuinely interested in her musical progression. Her patience with Eleanor is second to none.” -Ivy Lee, Melbourne
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“Kate is a brilliant piano teacher who inspires a deep love of music in all of the children she teaches. My son has been with her since the age of 5 (he is now 14) and he still looks forward to his lesson each week and the class is full of laughter, joy and beautiful music.” - Anita, Melbourne
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“We discovered Kate at ‘Piano With Soul’ three years ago. Our then 10 year old daughter immediately connected with Kate’s gentle nature and her fun and creative classes. Kate was flexible enough to continue offering classes over Zoom during lockdown, and we have continued this way ever since. Our daughter loves doing classes in her own home and we have loved listening to the progress she has made. Kate tunes in to the needs of the student and adjusts her classes accordingly. The classes are calm and enjoyable, structured yet flexible, and follow the interests of the student which has kept our daughter engaged. Can highly recommend Kate! - Jen & James Bradshaw, Melbourne
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“Kate is just a wonderful teacher! Our son’s playing has improved so much with her as his confidence and love of music has been nurtured!” - Sunita McGrath, London
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“I have two children who attend weekly piano lessons at Piano with Soul. Kate is a gentle and nurturing teacher and provides an individualised and creative program which accommodates the way in which they learn best. Recently we have moved to online lessons which continue to be engaging and fun. The girls look forward to their weekly lessons and I as a parent couldn’t be happier with Kate’s loving rapport with my children. I highly recommend Kate and Piano with Soul.” - Emma Hankinson, Melbourne
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I am so glad to have found Kate as a piano teacher for my 8 year old son Ollie. She is a warm and gentle teacher who is clearly interested in connecting with her students on a deeper level than most. Her lessons are tailored to Ollie’s interests and temperament, and as a result Ollie LOVES learning, is keen to practise, and looks forward to each lesson. As a parent, I’ve been thrilled to see this musical blossoming in Ollie, and the confidence and interest that’s developing in him to experiment and explore on the piano (and indeed his confidence and self-belief more generally). I am so glad that Kate is continuing lessons via Zoom at the moment. These work better than I expected! She can clearly see Ollie’s fingering, and they have even attempted duets! There is still a lovely connection there, including some fun games and activities at the end of the lesson. Thank you Kate! - Sally Kuhlman, Melbourne
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Kate has recently begun working with my mother Anne Parratt, she has dementia. My mother is 88 and up until recently, she has loved playing the piano. Her shaking hands and difficulty with her memory has meant that over time she has lost her confidence and her will to play. Kate has brought the piano back into Anne’s life again with her gentle and caring approach to playing. Kate is patient and understanding which has allowed Anne to feel comfortable to give it a go, to forget and to try again. Anne now looks forward to her Saturday morning piano sessions with Kate who has built up a wonderful sense of trust in her and Anne is beginning to remember a sense of pride in her achievements. In addition, it has been wonderful to witness the joy on the other residents faces as they listen to Anne and Kate playing. Some enjoy singing along, sparking their memories, while others reminisce on their own past piano playing. - Carrie (on behalf of Anne)
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I introduced my daughter to Kate’s piano mentoring when she was 7 years old and have been overjoyed with the results. Kate has a wonderful understanding of people of all ages and builds a special bond that goes far beyond just music. Kate’s ability to connect with her students and her talent for teaching is truly superior. She has an excellent teaching style, teacher-student communication skills, is extremely patient, compassionate and wholeheartedly focused on the well being and development of the student. With Kate’s help my daughter has experienced playing in front of others several times, passed her music exam with incredible results along with achieving a high level of confidence and a great sense of pride in her own abilities. My daughter now has the confidence and skills to play in junior school concerts and school bands and I feel this is due to her experiences with Kate. Ultimately, Kate’s approach spans both music and confidence building and this is achieved through the special bond she has with her students. I highly recommend Kate to anyone without reservation. By introducing your child to Kate’s piano classes you will experience a teaching style that encapsulates confidence building, continual encouragement and personal mentoring along with opportunities to shine. - Sean Joachim
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We would just like to say how happy we are that Kate has agreed to teach Andrea again. The enthusiasm she once had has returned and we see her jumping on the piano unprompted. Today she worked out the tune to “Fight Song” by ear and then she sat down and wrote down the notes. She is obviously looking forward to showing Kate. While Kate was unavailable we tried two other teachers. One resulted in a crying 9 year old after one lesson. The other worked out better and while we were able to get through a few lessons, piano was seen as a chore rather than a fun activity. Andrea dreaded her lessons and crammed in 10 minutes practice before each one. We never tell Andrea to practice. Our measure of success is how often she practices/plays by herself. With the other teacher it was just that 10 minutes before each lesson. With Kate as her teacher she plays daily, even it is just to have a little fun. Some parents may think we are soft and should “push” our child to learn but our view is that she will learn more if she develops a positive association with the piano. At the end of the day we were looking for a teacher who would nurture Andrea’s interest in the piano and add a little formality and structure around that interest, and that is what we have found. - James and Desi Maramis
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Kate Lowe (Dansie) taught Piano to Max (approx. 4 ½ years) and Jacinta (approx. 3 years) during their primary school years. Kate is much more than just an everyday music teacher. She is a kind-hearted, nurturing and compassionate individual who simply loves what she does. She teaches with an abundance of passion and is patient in her teaching. Kate instilled a love of music in both our children but more than this, she inspired a love of learning and helped to instill such qualities as persistence, consistency and resilience. When asked about Kate, Jacinta and Max mentioned how knowledgeable and enthusiastic Kate is as a teacher and that she always made her lessons enjoyable and achievable. A very special part of Kate’s teaching was her ability to encourage and inspire the children to feel comfortable with their own ability. Each year Kate would organize a Christmas Party for her students and their families. This was always a much awaited and loved event where the students played pieces they had chosen and duets with Kate and parents and grandparents came to get teary as their prodigies performed. The confidence that each child had in their playing was remarkable, it never ceased to amaze me how my children could get up in front of an audience so proudly to perform their pieces. I believe this was because of the quality of the connection throughout the year with Kate. These early experiences have given Max and Jacinta a sense of self belief that they carry with them now and well into the future. Thank you Kate. - Carrie
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Kate has been part of our lives for 6/7 years, teaching piano to one or more of 3 of our children, and myself, at any one time. I’m so happy that I found her and she has enriched our children with not only her piano teaching but her friendly personality and bright outlook on life. Children don’t often want to go to music lessons, but my girls always looked forward to seeing Kate. She is calm and approachable and learning with her has given the children confidence in other areas of life. I would also recommend Kate for mature students – I spent a few months seeing Kate for piano lessons, I was very comfortable trying to learn a new skill! - Jackie Gardner
Meet Kate
Piano With Soul was born from Kate’s own journey as an educator, music specialist and many years of working within the mental health and personal development arena.
Kate combines strong musical education with a compassionate, intuitive teaching style that helps students feel both supported and excited as their own skills develop.
Her lessons focus not only on musical development, but on creating safety and warmth for deep learning and growth.
Confidence built through music extends far beyond the piano.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do students need experience before starting?
Are lessons suitable for anxious or neurodivergent children?
Do you prepare students for exams?
Can adults learn piano too?
What teaching styles do you use?
How are lessons tailored to each student?
Head to our FAQ page for these answers and more:
Location
Begin your musical journey
Whether you’re looking for supportive music lessons for your child, a creative outlet for yourself, or a calmer and more connected way to learn piano — Piano With Soul offers a personalised approach grounded in both musical education and emotional wellbeing.