My DD stopped private lessons when she joined the HS orchestra, but that was an hourly class each day so essentially she didn't need the lessons any more.

Once your kid has reached a certain standard of playing, it is the other skills they learn in Orchestra that raise the game for them, its a sensible trade.

Anonymous wrote:If your kid has been taking lessons they will SO bored in McPS for ES orchestra. They don’t even let the kids use a bow the first year. It’s really sad that they use such outdated methods. Many kids that start privately on violin or other orchestra instrument will play a band instrument at school until MS when they can hopefully audition into an ensemble at their level. If you’re it in a W cluster though, you’re screwed.

Private orchestra's don't care what school you go to. Strings and other instruments are very hard to get into with some orchestra's.

OP, if you can afford it comfortably private lessons are very helpful. School is great to supplement or learn a different instrument for fun but its pretty basic with only two levels.

If your kid has been taking lessons they will SO bored in McPS for ES orchestra. They don’t even let the kids use a bow the first year. It’s really sad that they use such outdated methods. Many kids that start privately on violin or other orchestra instrument will play a band instrument at school until MS when they can hopefully audition into an ensemble at their level. If you’re it in a W cluster though, you’re screwed.

At my kid's MCPS elementary school, I seem to recall orchestra was a pull-out class during the school day, but maybe Westbrook is different.

When you say after-school lessons, you mean you general schedule or music lesson?

If you anticipate a successful multi-year instrumental journey with private youth orchestra, All-County and All-State in middle and high school, or other competitions down the road, then your kid needs private lessons anyway, year round. Learning an instrument isn't a group activity like sports. Private lessons are for technique and developing one's phrasing, and group lessons are for listening to other people (school orchestras aren't for the playing itself, which is very low quality, but mostly for socializing with other music enthusiasts).

At my kids elementary school, band/orchestra starts around late September or possibly first week in October.

There are two levels - beginner, which is made up of kids who have never played their instrument before, and “advanced” which is made up of kids who played their instrument in 4th grade and kids who’ve previously played their instrument. Some kids with years of experience use this as a chance to try a new instrument.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you mean you will stop private lessons and rely on the school for instruction? The instruction in school is rudimentary. By all means your child should do it. But if you want your child to improve, keep the private lessons.

That's the deal we made with DD...continue her lessons (now through zoom because of the move, which has been less than ideal) until school orchestra, and then get settled in before we find an in-person private teacher locally.

+1 School music lessons are nice, but they're not a lot of 1:1 attention for your child. Plus some (many?) kids will be brand new to the new instrument. Parents who are serious about kids' music education and who can afford private lessons tend to do both.

Mine was brand-new to her instrument, and did only the school band in 4th and 5th. She definitely wasn’t the only one. When she decided she wanted to continue playing in her middle school’s band, we started private lessons. She’d been picking it up pretty well, all things considered, but her skills skyrocketed with good one-on-on instruction.

Our elementary school kept a running list of local private instructors, which they’d provide to parents interested in pursuing outside lessons for their child. You might ask once they’re settled in, if you haven’t found anyone yet.

+1 Or let us know what instrument and where in the county you are and we can suggest some of our kids play that instrument.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you mean you will stop private lessons and rely on the school for instruction? The instruction in school is rudimentary. By all means your child should do it. But if you want your child to improve, keep the private lessons.

That's the deal we made with DD...continue her lessons (now through zoom because of the move, which has been less than ideal) until school orchestra, and then get settled in before we find an in-person private teacher locally.

+1 School music lessons are nice, but they're not a lot of 1:1 attention for your child. Plus some (many?) kids will be brand new to the new instrument. Parents who are serious about kids' music education and who can afford private lessons tend to do both.

Mine was brand-new to her instrument, and did only the school band in 4th and 5th. She definitely wasn’t the only one. When she decided she wanted to continue playing in her middle school’s band, we started private lessons. She’d been picking it up pretty well, all things considered, but her skills skyrocketed with good one-on-on instruction.

Our elementary school kept a running list of local private instructors, which they’d provide to parents interested in pursuing outside lessons for their child. You might ask once they’re settled in, if you haven’t found anyone yet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you mean you will stop private lessons and rely on the school for instruction? The instruction in school is rudimentary. By all means your child should do it. But if you want your child to improve, keep the private lessons.

That's the deal we made with DD...continue her lessons (now through zoom because of the move, which has been less than ideal) until school orchestra, and then get settled in before we find an in-person private teacher locally.

At a minimum you should talk to the instrumental music teacher to get her into the advanced orchestra.

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you ask on your Westbrook listserv or email the school?

Is it school specific or standardized across the county?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you mean you will stop private lessons and rely on the school for instruction? The instruction in school is rudimentary. By all means your child should do it. But if you want your child to improve, keep the private lessons.

That's the deal we made with DD...continue her lessons (now through zoom because of the move, which has been less than ideal) until school orchestra, and then get settled in before we find an in-person private teacher locally.

+1 School music lessons are nice, but they're not a lot of 1:1 attention for your child. Plus some (many?) kids will be brand new to the new instrument. Parents who are serious about kids' music education and who can afford private lessons tend to do both.

Anonymous wrote:Do you mean you will stop private lessons and rely on the school for instruction? The instruction in school is rudimentary. By all means your child should do it. But if you want your child to improve, keep the private lessons.

That's the deal we made with DD...continue her lessons (now through zoom because of the move, which has been less than ideal) until school orchestra, and then get settled in before we find an in-person private teacher locally.

Do you mean you will stop private lessons and rely on the school for instruction? The instruction in school is rudimentary. By all means your child should do it. But if you want your child to improve, keep the private lessons.

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you ask on your Westbrook listserv or email the school?

We just moved here so I didn't know there was a listerv. I'll look into how to join -- can you post link? And the school has been unresponsive. I can ask on transiiton day but was hoping to get a jump on planning.

Why don't you ask on your Westbrook listserv or email the school?

Trying to figure when to transition from our after school lessons to school orchestra. When does 4th grade orchestra begin? And are all orchestral instruments available or does it depend on the school? We're in Westbrook ES