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Elementary School-Aged Kids
Musical instrument lessons for 8 y/o
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Anonymous
| Would you encourage your child to start lessons at 8? Like violin, piano, or guitar? How much do they run per month? |
Anonymous
From what I hear from professionals, 8 is about the right age. Much younger than that is generally not very useful and can turn the kids off (unless it's Suzuki, which is a completely different philosophy). Lessons vary in price. You could start somewhere cheaper and if your child gets serious about it, switch to the Levine School or somewhere like that. |
Anonymous
| Sure- and I would see what your child is interested in. Ours has gravitated from piano to cello to now guitar. For us, its worked well to adjust from time to time, but each series of lessons lasted at least 2 years. |
Anonymous
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Yes, that is a great age, if the child is interested.
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Anonymous
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That's the age we started piano.
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Anonymous
| Honestly sometimes you can find some of the best music teachers teach out of their own house on their own time. They normally have reasonable prices because they do not have all the other head. age 8 is right for most instruments. |
Anonymous
| Our DD started piano at 8 and has made remarkable progress. I attribute this to three factors: 1) she has a fabulous teacher, 2) she's old enough to practice on her own without my standing over her with a clock, 3) she really, really wanted to take lessons. So, I'd consider how your child's interest level along with his.her age. |
Anonymous
Would you give a referral? I'd love to contact this person for my son. Thank you! |
Anonymous
| I would not wait until a child expresses a whole lot of interest (if he or she does, you are lucky). People like what they are good at. Sometimes it takes time to become good at something. You've got to commit to making your child practice; it is really something that parent and child have to commit to together. (Of course, if they are miserable, that is another story). My parents never made me practice; therefore, flute and piano lasted only a couple of years each. I have made a point of getting my kids to practice most nights. Consequently, they now play their instruments pretty well. Also, I would suggest an instrument that they can play in a band or orchestra. My kids really like playing with other people now. |
Anonymous
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I've heard that 10 yo (4th grade) is the right age for wind & brass instruments that require breath control.
Piano and strings can start earlier than that. Also recorder, which a lot of schools have group lessons. |
Anonymous
| I would recommend you check Craig's list for an "in home" musical teacher. My son takes lessons from a lovely lady who lives a few blocks away and he has really enjoyed it. The teacher moves him along slowly, which for him is perfect. She only charges $15 a lesson which is perfect for me! |
Anonymous
| Agree with all prior posters that 8 is not too early for piano and strings (you could have started sooner, but you're not too late). Go with the best you can afford (Levine School or Washington Conservatory, for example). Anybody can hang up a shingle, and you will be wasting your time if the teacher is not good; the teachers there are expensive, but they are really good. If your child hasn't expressed interest in a particular instrument, go to a concert or to a "petting zoo" hosted by a conservatory or the Kennedy Center so that he/she can try instruments out and get attracted to something. I agree that playing a band or string instrument is great b/c you get to play in an ensemble (one of my children is a cellist and one is a percussionist), but I play the piano, and it is one of the great joys of my life. Maybe look at what your child's school offers (or will offer when he/she is a little older) and make a decision based on that. |
Anonymous
| I pay 35 a week for a private half hour of piano in my home. Way worth it. Kid is loving it. He'd find a group setting to be WAY too much pressure. |