Piano Lessons! When & for how long?!

[Linda...inOwasso]

Okay, I realize the importance of children learning a musical instrument (even though I never had the opportunity). I know absolutely NOTHING about music instruction.

There is a wonderful woman who teaches Suzuki piano lessons and lives a mile from my home. The lessons are $45/mo. for a 30 min. lesson once per week. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about her instruction.

My oldest dd is turning 8 in Aug. She loves sports of all kinds and isn't exactly excited about the thought of learning to play the piano. However, I've decided we're going to begin piano lessons this fall.

Here's my question: How long do you require your child to continue lessons? I could be surprised, but I suspect I will have to nag dd to practice and deal with her less than cheerful attitude regarding lessons. So... what would be a reasonable requirement for music instruction?

2 years? 5 years? I honestly have no idea. I don't want to force her to do it forever if she's truly not interested, but I'd like to set a mandatory minimum amount of time that each dc is required to study an instrument.

Can anyone share their thoughts on this one? Thanks ever so much!!

[earthmother]

I am pretty surprised at the cost of the lessons. We pay $25 for a 30 minute lesson. I guess it depends on where you live. Also, are you set on Suzuki? Make sure Suzuki is the method you want. And, I would't worry about how long to have her take lessons at this point. If she really likes it -continue on, otherwise have her take them for at least a year and if its misery for her try continuing with another instrument.
We have an excellent teacher so our son is very motivated. the instructor really can make or break a child's passion for learning. It took my ds9 son a good year to really feel comfortable with playing.
good luck.

[Trivium Academy]

Dd7 has had piano lessons for two years now and will continue until she wants to do another instrument. I personally prefer her to continue until about 5th grade with piano but it isn't important enough to me to force the situation. We're about to move but the teacher she's had charged $10 per week for 1/2 hour lesson and she has been using the Alfred Piano Basics books. I will start ds in first grade with piano lessons. Dd7 loves taking piano.

hope this helps

[Tabrett]

Suzuki is really designed to start between ages 3-6. It starts off by teaching the child to play music first by ear and is designed to teach note reading at the same time children would be learning to read. (their philosophy is you talk first, then read=you play first, then play by notes). If the teacher teaches Suzuki correctly, you child should be listening to the Cd's for several months BEFORE they even have a music lesson. I love Suzuki, but since you child is 8 and probably reading, I would look for a less expensive teacher that teaches notes and playing together. You child has already missed the best age to start Suzuki and is at the "classical" method age of starting. How ever I would suggest that you find recording of the music your child is going to play and let them listen. It will help speed up the learning process.
The Suzuki teacher will probably disagree with what I am saying because she doesn't want to lose a potential student.
PS-I have a degree in music so I'm not coming by this second hand. My daughter and I have taken Suzuki.

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

My dd6 started taking piano last fall. She has done pretty well with it, considering she doesn't practice as often as I think she should. Her ability to read music is much stronger than her ability to play right now. We don't do Suzuki, but instead found a lady at our church that teaches and could not be happier with our choice.

I expect dd to take piano until she has achieved the level of proficiency she desires, whatever that may be. I'll make sure she continues her music education in some form through high school.

[GSMP]

My daughter has been taking lessons for 5 years and the boys for 3.

Our music director at church, who is classically trained and a big whig of some sort, told the boys to take piano for at least three years before trying to pick up another instrument. He told them it would make their lives much easier and they would be able to pick up any instrument and start playing.....so that's what we've done.

We set the minimum requirement for 3 years. Rule of thumb for practicing is each piece is practiced 5x's each.Then they can goof off at the piano. Some days they will run through their 5x's each in 15 minutes then sit there for another 40 and just pick out songs they know. Other times...I have had to make them sit with a timer.....depends on the mood. They have to practice daily. Now the boys are wanting to play trumpet (which bot hubby and I play) so we are starting that this summer.

[BlsdMama]

Our dd is 12. She began lessons at 8 with a lovely woman who also taught my aunts and my sister. We suspect she is approximately 90. :001_smile: And we love her! Piano lessons are $7 for 30 minutes and she is just wonderful, wonderful! While they may not be "fancy" dd certainly CAN play the piano beautifully. And I think because of her relationship with her, I suspect it is part of the reason she is so willing to practice. I can remember a week about a year ago when she didn't practice at all and she was practically in tears because she didn't want to disappoint her so very sweet piano teacher. To me, the relationship and gentle way of teaching and guiding is worth a fortune. I wish you all could be so very blessed. Listening to her play the piano really is one of my greatest joys and would be worth every penny...

Edited to add: I think each individual child is very different. We had every intention of having Christian (ds, child #2) take piano for the benefits. But, once we accepted each child is wired for specific gifts, talents, etc., we saw that forcing him to take three years of hated piano would torture him and us. He wants to take guitar, but hasn't wanted it "enough"... He's beginning to REALLY want it (age 9.5) so we're beginning to consider it seriously now that he's becoming more self-motivated and responsible. Our oldest has always been very independent and responsible. And I think our fifth will be just like her oldest sister, whereas I wonder if the fourth will EVER be motivated for anything other than drama classes. ;) So, it's a matter of monetary cost, but also benefit vs. real cost (time, effort, practice) and if they balance. I can honestly say that even at $7 per lesson, the cost would be too high if I had to constantly fight with her to practice. I don't even ask her to practice these days and she'll play all day long at various times.

[Karenciavo]

We want our children to play at least one instrument, it's not an option any more than math is an option. We start in 2nd grade, middle child started in 1st because he really couldn't wait and he showed ability.

[love2read]

We pay $15 per child (family rate) for a 30 minute lesson. I was told that the child should expect to stay with piano for 5 years. They have ups and downs and for an average child, not one especially gifted, it takes that long for the music to really start to flow from their fingers and feel second nature.

[Paula in MS]

I am a pianist, so this is important to me. My dd6 is learning to play. It is going slowly at this point since she is in kindergarten. I am going to make piano part of our school day just like history. I hope she grows to really love it. If she doesn't, she will take lessons until she is proficient at it anyway. She should be able to sit down and play easy classical pieces and more contemporary pieces with no problems. Beyond that takes a lot of discipline and passion to do well and will be her choice at that point. I have met so many adults that have told me that they wish their parents had not let them quit piano lessons when they were children.

Music is just like reading. It is a chore and difficult especially when they are in lower elementary. But when they get it, it is easy. If they protest about practicing, let them play songs they like--songs off the radio, songs from church. There is nothing wrong with learning the basics and then not progressing to advanced classical pieces. Every child is different.

Paula

[tristangrace]

A two-year minimum has always seemed good to me--long enough to acquire some basic skills and familiarity with a particular instrument and reveal natural interest/talent, if any, and short enough to be relatively painless if the interest and talent aren't there. I'd also be willing to switch to lessons with another instrument after two years if there's an interest in music but not with the piano especially.

[StephanieZ]

If the teacher is really a wonderful suzuki teacher, you may find that your daughter becomes happy and excited and doesn't require nagging so much as encouragement and applause. I don't think music should be required at all. It isn't needed for future careers, skills, etc. I think it is a wonderful blessing, but I would NOT keep music in our lives if it required a fight on a routine basis. I'll fight for a lot of things, but not that. IMHO, music should be a source of relaxation, beauty, pride, etc; NOT a source of stress (for anyone). It is *way* too much work, $, etc to arrange lessons, instruments, time to practice, etc. I would not be able to take it if it was also a source of parent-child angst.

If you think music knowledge is important but dc resists instrument study, I'd offer an option of a music appreciation course, a touch of music theory. . . some *listening* alternative +/- maybe a public speaking or drama class if the performance component is something you want them to master.

My dc love their music, but do need encouragment, an appreciative audience at times, and lote of hand holding before age 8 or so, but I *won't* make it a fight. If it's a fight, it's time to end it.

If you think your dc may enjoy the lessons and you really want her to give it a go, I'd offer routine rewards/bribes for giving it her best shot. For instance, I take my dc out to icecream every week after music lessons if they have each practiced six days that week. We make it about 80% of the time which is pretty good for all 3 kids! We also celebrate level graduations, concerts, etc with treats and/or meals out. . . etc. etc. Most important, we take time to frequently *listen* to them play and applaud their music (and verbally acknowledging the great effort they make). For the first years (for us ages 3 to 6 or 7), this is daily, by-their-side during their entire practice. Even at 11, we still take 5-15 min to listen to a current piece several times a week and we often make a *big* deal about appreciating their work and progress.

[St. Theophan Academy]

We started ours at ages 6 and 8 - I have told them they have to take for atleast 2 years, if they absolutely hate it at that point , we will reconsider, or discuss another instrument. My son was difficult at first, he complained about practicing, and tried to hide when the teacher arrived, but he has now taken for a year, and once he reached a point where he could sit down and just play a piece, he got to enjoy it. now I rarely have to make him practice (other than to remind him occasionally). He often will go to the piano on his own and just sit and play for 20 minutes. I think that the motivation increases as they get better and realize how much fun it can be - so they really need to commit to it for atleast 2 - 3 years. I feel certain though that neither one will want to quit next year!

[tillie]

We started ds at age 7 (2nd grade) with piano. We were told by every piano teacher we interviewed to plan for 2 years to acheive a certain level of ability. It is at this point that children will either show a talent or passion for music - be it piano or another instrument.

My ds really wanted to do guitar. We were loaned a keyboard. Given my musical background, we were told that I could start him in piano and transition him to a formal teacher after the first 9 months to one year. We are almost to the point of needing to pay for lessons which run about $15/ 30 min where we are.

With each passing week, as he learned more "songs", he started trying to figure out by ear other songs he knows how to sing. He also knows that he still wants to pursue guitar at some point.

We have allowed dd (age 5) to try learning at her own pace and interest for now. However, regardless of interest she too will learn officially at 2nd grade age.

DH is a believer that math ability and music education go firmly together. For me, I think learning an instrument is an act of self-discipline as well.

Ultimately, you need to do what is best for you and your dc. I encourage you to think long-term goal as you decide, just as you have with the other aspects of homeschooling.

[monk17]

I would make it something you're expected to do. One way to motivate her is for you to start playing and practicing an instrument. We've been doing Suzuki for about 4 years on the violin and I've seen children as young as 5 and as old as 12 start. Typically the younger the better.

The Suzuki web-site has a lot of information about the method and it would be a great idea for you to familiarize yourself with what's expected of the parent. It's not like dropping your child off for baseball practice!

Suzuki wrote a number of books that explains his method and what motivated him to develop it. I would suggest reading a few of them.

The price and location sound great!

Good Luck!

[Ali in OR]

My dd will be 8 in July and we are just finishing our 2nd year with a Suzuki teacher who lives in our neighborhood. I think it sounds like you have a great deal and a wonderful opportunity. I really wouldn't worry too much about starting at 8. Our teacher follows Suzuki but also teaches note reading almost from the beginning and we play lots of stuff outside the Suzuki repertoire. She works with us on what we want to accomplish.

Our attitude here is that piano is just part of our home school. I expect our dds to study piano at least until high school. And I can't imagine quitting after just 2 years--the skill level is still so basic. I realize teachers and timelines will differ, but my child is just beginning to play interesting 2-hand pieces. I'm thinking more like 10 years of piano. They could add another instrument if they like.

With Suzuki (and maybe this is more true for beginning students than older), practice involves me as the parent as much as it does the child. I sit on the bench with my kids and do some instruction, tell them what to play, etc. It's not just nagging the kid to practice. I find that sometimes I have to struggle with my attitude because *I* don't really want to do practice! At times it would be very tempting to say "well, we'll just do this two years", not because that is a worthy goal but because it would free up my time. So for us, we had to decide that music education is important to us for the long haul. And we work on my discipline as much as the kids'.