Parents Ask Pam about Private Lessons - Mozart’s Memo - Volume 91
What Can you Expect From Crescendo Kids Classes at Lendemain?
Rewards and Practice Incentives
Access to our Practice App
Recital Opportunities
Low Tuition of $79/month
Small Group (6 student max)
Self-Paced Curriculum
Interactive Games
New Music Each Week
Parents Ask Pam
Have a question for Miss Pam? You can email, text message, or message on Facebook your questions. She will respond immediately to you, and your question might be featured in future newsletters.
Q: Our 5 year old child has been in Crescendo Kids Classes at the nearby community center for the last 2 years. We noticed that she is still very interested and enthusiastic about taking piano lessons. Could you give us more information about private lessons?
A: It is great that your child is still enthusiastic and enjoying Crescendo Kids! This program was designed to be a bridge between when young children are interested in learning piano and when they will be ready for private lessons. Here are some questions to help you know when your child will be ready.
Do you have a piano or its equivalent at home? While a keyboard is great for getting started with lessons, there are many playing techniques that are just not possible on keyboards and digital pianos. At the very least, you will need a keyboard with all 88 keys. Not only does this help with orientation, but many pieces require the lower and upper octaves. Also, playing the piano is more than just hitting the right notes. How you touch the keys makes a huge difference and takes practice to perfect. One of the simplest techniques is to play legato (smooth and connected) versus staccato (short and detached). Many keyboards do not have the preciseness needed to separate how striking the key differently will make a difference in sound. If you are paying for private lessons, you will need your child to have an adequate instrument to practice on at home.
Is your child practicing daily? Private lessons require a level of intensity that many young children simply are not ready for. Most private teachers expect at least 30 minutes of practice, five days a week, which can feel like too much at an early age. However, if your child is already practicing daily, increasing that time is usually a smooth and natural transition.
Is your child reading notes on the staff? Although private teachers will teach this, because of interactive setting, Crescendo Kids is able to play many theory games to reinforce some of these basic concepts. This will give your child a strong foundation of how to read music and how notes move on the staff.
Is your child at least 8 years old and in 3rd grade? Although there are some private instructors that will take students at a younger age, this is the ideal age to start private lessons because the student has matured to a level where private lessons can be enjoyable.
Has your child progressed faster and farther than the material and curriculum that Crescendo Kids provides? Crescendo Kids has many levels for lessons. Occasionally there will be a child that we believe would learn better in the private setting, but the interactive and group setting is very favorable to learning music, especially for young children.
I recommend scheduling a free demo/consultation. This way we can see what level your child is at, and what they are ready to learn. If they are not quite ready for private lessons, maybe switching to Crescendo Kids Online would be a better fit. Our online program uses the same curriculum as the classes, but it is much more personalized. The student only meets with their instructor and can meet several times during the week if more instruction is needed. Scheduling the free lesson is a great way to have your child assessed, answer your questions, and find a program together that works well for you and your child.
Your Comments And Questions
We want to hear from you! What questions do you have? What do you like best about this memo? How has our online lessons benefitted your child? Please leave your questions and comments below or email Pam directly at misspam@moveovermozart.net