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Original poster

Music lessons....Is your child learning to play a musical instrument ???

54 replies

nutcracker · 24/03/2004 19:46

It was the asthma and wind instruments thread that got me thinking really.
I would love my kids to learn to play a musical instrument.
Was just wondering if any mini Mners are learning to play anything and how much the lessons are

OP posts:
layla · 25/03/2004 12:23

Nutcracker,ds is learning the trumpet at school.He has to miss English lessons for this on a monday.
The cost is 29 pounds a term.We recently had to pay 24 pounds for his grade 1 exam.

musica · 25/03/2004 12:25

Marina, do send me an email if you like - I think you're right, we're nowhere near each other, but I might be able to help you find a teacher, or at least look in the right places! And I can give you some ideas to get him started. I'm away for a bit after today, but will be back next week.

Beety - I'll have a look and see if Bristol do anything for trying instruments - it's the sort of thing they might. Or I agree, the choir school would probably be only too glad to help.

Cam · 25/03/2004 14:38

My dd is learning piano, it costs £10 per half-hour and the piano teacher is her school's music teacher (and one of 2 piano teachers who give lessons at her school). She started at 4 .5 years and is now just 7, has gone through the first two books and is poised to begin learning pieces for Grade 1 exam (to take in a few months time). Marina, personally I think its worth starting that young if the child can recognise their letters properly as dd then learnt to read music at the same time as learning to read books. We bought a second-hand piano after the first term as practise is,of course, everything.

Jaybee · 25/03/2004 15:07

My ds is learning the drums - why on earth did I agree to that one.

JulieF · 25/03/2004 22:55

Where do yuou live Nutcracker. Dh works for an LEA music service in the West Mids.

If you are near Birmingham then there are lots of teachers advertising on the library noticeboard inthe music department or there is a music shop called Allegro. I agree that Conservatiore students are often good teachers (though some are a bit snobby about teaching as they all want to be performers!)

tigermoth · 25/03/2004 22:56

janh, my son is learning to play the tenor horn too!

Nutcracker, the cost for a weekly 20 minute lesson is about £55.00 a term.

bobthebaby · 25/03/2004 23:10

I went to Birmingham Conservatoire and believe me nobody is snobby about earning that much money for an hour's work. Most of the CBSO teach too and they are performers.

MrsGrump · 26/03/2004 06:09

How early can/should children start learning piano? I actually own a piano (antique upright Steinway). It lives at MIL's house right now, but have vague hopes of it living with us by end of summer, when my eldest still won't be 5yo, yet. How early would be too early to try some structured tuition on it? I used to play guitar (very badly) but had to give up due to RSI...

Jaybee: my brother played drums; I feel for you!

Sonnet · 26/03/2004 06:35

I'm a cruel Mum - would only let DD1 play the recorder in yr 2 (she wanted to play the violin)- told her if she practised this and could learn to read some music she could progress to another instrument in yr 3 - looks like all on track to take up the flute in Septemebr!!

roisin · 26/03/2004 08:42

If your child is still quite young, then 'general musicianship lessons' in a small group with an emphasis on singing, rhythm and learning to read music, may be of more benefit than individual instrument tuition.

We are fortunate in that our school has a 0.5 dedicated music teacher this year, so the children get expert music classes in school every week. Ds1 has benefitted enormously from this.

I am musical myself - play the piano and sing (and have dabbled with various other instruments in the past). I am very keen to teach the boys (nearly 5 and 7) to play the piano, but at the moment the ds2 is not ready, and ds1 shows neither interest nor aptitude.

MrsGrump · 26/03/2004 08:44

It's the other way 'round with my 2, Roisin; I know that in a group situation my kids get bored, don't pay attention, and start running around! We used to go to a music group, and I was always impressed by the children who just sat in mum's lap and listened... Mine would be better off with one-to-one attention, but I'm not good enough to do it myself.

bobthebaby · 27/03/2004 01:48

Mrs Grump - I started piano at 4, be aware though that an antique piano is possibly going to have a very heavy action and could be hard work for a littley. Modern pianos have a much lighter touch and can be played from a younger age.

outofpractice · 29/03/2004 13:17

musica, if you are around, pls could you give some advice? Ds is only 4 but I am quite shocked at the prices for music tuition in London. I began piano and flute at age 7, and completed grade 8 in both, years ago; I also took singing lessons. I sing a lot with ds, and he is going to join a school where music is important and well taught. We are hoping to move this year to somewhere bigger, and reclaim my piano from my parents. What, as a parent, can I teach ds? How long can I put off having paid lessons without doing ds a disservice? Do you think he would learn bad habits if I started teaching him piano myself? What age should I teach him to read music?

roisin · 31/03/2004 11:02

Just bumping this up because I would be interested to hear any answers/opinions to outofpractice's question.

Should a non-specialist teach piano, or not?

Marina · 31/03/2004 11:17

Not an expert as I can't play at all! But I know families where the children learned their basic musicality (and crucially, a real love of music-making) from their parents long before they took formal lessons. None of them are concert pianists but they all play and sing for pleasure very competently.
That's what I want for ds which is why I'll be learning piano with him - or on my own if he doesn't want to at the time.
OOP, I'd have thought it could only benefit your ds to get familiar with a keyboard now, understand the basics of music theory etc. Especially with his favourite person!
If he can read/recognise letters and words, then I would have thought showing him sheet music and what it represents would be worthwhile. We have a picture book of Good King Wenceslas which features all the verses of the carol and has the melody printed at the end. Ds always enjoys singing the first verse and following the notes. Nothing fancy but the concept of staff notation's been introduced in a fun way.

robinw · 02/04/2004 08:03

message withdrawn

JulieF · 04/04/2004 20:58

When were you there bobthe baby? Dh was there between 94 and 98.

toddlerbob · 04/04/2004 21:12

Between 91 and 96. I did postgrad work too(not just a slow learner!)

Kate06 · 19/04/2017 13:50

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Ginmakesitallok · 19/04/2017 13:54

13 years old! 13 fucking years old! Assuming you're bumping to advertise??

oigetoffmycheese · 19/04/2017 14:18

What asthma and wind instruments thread? Confused Confused

Michaelahpurple · 19/04/2017 15:14

Crikey. London prices as far as I have experienced are £40-60 per hour at home. I pay £240 per term for 10 half an hour lessons in school

ChocolateWombat · 19/04/2017 17:21

We pay £19.50 for half an hour.
I understand that the music teachers union says teachers should get £38 per hour, so £19 per half hour lesson.

A lot of the lessons on here sound very cheap are are possibly subsidised. Ours are not.

It is expensive but a number of children learn 2 or 3 instruments weekly.

ChocolateWombat · 19/04/2017 17:22

Oh, and ours is in school too - in a Prep.

PhilODox · 19/04/2017 17:26

Zombie thread, folks, bumped by a crap marketer.
I think nutty's children are past the music lesson stage!