Any experiences of violin lessons for 5 yr olds

[jimmij]

Hello -
I've got a 5 yr old who is very excited about the violin and I'm interested in getting her to some lessons while she's so enthusiastic.

I'm keen on seeing if anyone has found teachers out there perhaps specialising in short fun lessons for little kids, and reading any of your experiences or recommendations.

We're in the Chalfonts area...
Cheers!

5 years old is too young to start on an instrument. My advice (I am an experienced musician of 24 years and training as an early years music teacher) is look at musicianship classes first. You need to build up inner musicianship first or all you're doing is giving her an instrument and noise will come out, but not necessarily music. Every person is equipped with a musical instrument - the voice. Get her used to using that, feeling pulse, rhythm, articulation, phrasing etc through musicianship classes, then when she's 7 or 8, introduce an instrument. She will pick it up much more quickly as the instrument will be an extension of her inner musician, and she will stay motivated and go further with it. So many kids don't stick with musical instruments as they're expected to go from nothing to being musicians and no one concentrates on making the child musical first.

There are many different ways of developing musicianship - look at the Kodaly school or colourstrings or teachers that teach Dalcroze method. These methods are all excellent. Initially she will be learning music subconsciously, but it will make all the difference.

Try a lady called Elaine Bonner -Little Kingshill (Great Missenden).