Private Lessons
Private lessons are offered at the Arts Academy in almost all instruments from voice, piano, guitar, strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. We have 4 music studios and numerous highly-qualified teachers. Private lessons may begin at any point in the year. As music is a discipline and takes practice, our program is structured in blocks of nine lessons, which requires a commitment from both the student and parent. Private lessons can be extraordinarily fulfilling and develop into a hobby, pastime, extracurricular activity or who knows, it could land you on American Idol. In any case, it is a special gift to you and those around you that lasts your entire life.
:: 5 WAYS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF MUSIC LESSONS
These guidelines will help you to have a successful, rewarding experience learning an instrument. These are practical tips that we have discovered from years of teaching and our experiences with teaching hundreds of students each year.
1. STARTING AT THE RIGHT AGE: How Young is too Young
Adults can start any instrument at any time. Their success is based on how willing the adult is to commit to practicing. We teach many beginner students in their 60’s and 70’s.
For children, starting at the right age is a key element to the success of their lessons. Some people will tell you “the sooner the better” but this attitude can actually backfire and be a negative. If a child is put into private lessons too soon, they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and want to stop lessons. However, we are always willing to do a trial lesson to see if the student is ready. If they are not, we will suggest how long they should wait. We will also provide them with exercises to do at home while waiting for the appropriate age or time for them to return to cultivate their interest. When children are developmentally ready for private lessons, they will progress rapidly. The following are guidelines we have found to be successful in determining how young a child can start taking music lessons.
- 3 - 4 Years Old
- Piano/Keyboard
- Guitar - Acoustic, Electric and Bass
- Voice Lessons
- Drums
- Woodwinds - Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone
- Violin
- Brass - Trumpet
2. INSIST ON PRIVATE LESSONS WHEN LEARNING A SPECIFIC INSTRUMENT
Group classes work well for preschool music programs and chorus. However, when actually learning how to play an instrument, private lessons are far superior to group lessons. Each student can learn at their own pace and work on the individual interests, strengths and weaknesses.
3. MAKE PRACTICING EASIER
As with anything, improving in music takes practice. The way to get the most benefit out of private lessons is to practice at home. One of the main concerns with music lessons is the drudgery of practicing and the fight between parents and students to practice every day. Here are some ways to make practicing easier:
Time
Set the same time everyday to practice so it becomes part of a routine or habit. This works particularly well for children. Generally, the earlier in the day the practicing can occur, the less reminding is required by parents to get the child to practice.Repetition
We use this method quite often when setting practice schedules for beginners. For a young child 20 or 30 minutes seems like an eternity. Instead of setting a timeframe, we use repetition. For example, practice this piece 4 times everyday and this scale 5 times a day. The child then does not pay attention to the amount of time they are practicing their instrument, but knows if they are on repetition number 3, they are almost finished.Rewards
This works very well for both children and adult students. Some adults reward themselves with a cappuccino after a successful week of practicing. Parents can encourage children to practice by granting them occasional rewards for successful practicing. In our school we reward young children for a successful week of practicing with stars and stickers on their work. Praise tends to be the most popular award - there just is no substitute for a pat on the back for a job well done. Sometimes we all have a week with little practicing, in that case there is always next week.
4. MOST IMPORTANTLY…HAVE FUN!!!
Music should be something that you enjoy for a lifetime. So try not to put unrealistic expectations on yourself or your children to learn too quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace and the key is to be able to enjoy the journey. The joke:
“Excuse me, how do you get to Carnegie Hall?”
the reply: “Practice, Practice, Practice!”
…is very true indeed.