piano lessons

[caroline572]

Hello everyone.
I am a mother of two: a 7 year old girl and a 5 year old

boy. They both go to private schools where they do music.

Since I don't have a musical background, I am not quite

sure if it is important to also start them on piano lessons. I

would really appreciate some experienced advice as to

what you consider beneficial in taking piano lessons for

children.

Thank you so much for your time and input.

Caroline

I'm not musically inclined either but from friends' experiences, are your children mature enough yet to sit still and concentrate for a lesson? Do you have a keyboard at home to practise on? Have they themselves expressed any interest in playing an instrument?

The 7 year old might be ready, the 5 year old is probably a little young yet. It's too soon to tell if they are going to be serious musicians, but having some basic keyboard skills is very useful for any musician. Are they already learning other instruments? If so it might be just as well to wait a little while and let them consolidate on one instrument before adding a second. Are they asking for lessons? Are you prepared to buy them a piano if they do well? A keyboard will get them started but isn't adequate beyond the beginner stage.

I started learning from 5. My piano teacher had a rule that you had to know your alphabet (because the keys are letters!) and basically be able to concentrate for a 30 minute lesson.

I'm really glad my parents got me lessons. I have my own piano at home and still play. It also helped me when I moved on to another instrument and I think being able to read music is a great skill.

Try the extra curriculum board in Education. Loads of piano stuff there.

My eldest started at 7 years. My 5 year old is not ready yet. It's not the lessons, it's the practising that takes discipline, IMO.

I'm a piano teacher (among other things), and think that piano lessons can benefit educationally in lots of areas of the curriculum, not just music! :-)

Age wise, it depends on how mature and ready your five year old is. I have a five year old pupil at the moment who is wonderful, but I've had to turn others down after trial lessons in the past where they clearly weren't ready to concentrate for that length of time. Access to an instrument at home is also vital to ensure they can practice and progress.

If you have the opportunity I think it is great for all children to learn an instrument - at least for a bit. Unless they try then it isn't really possible to know if they are musical or not. It is also a good discipline generally and even if they don't end up being particularly musical it is great to have some idea about music.

However, if you are not musical i wouldn't start the 5 yr old yet. I think when they are smaller they need a lot more input from the parent re practicing etc. and if you don't play yourself you might find that quite hard. 7 is a good age to start so maybe think about getting music lessons of some sort for your DD.

My eldest (who is 7) started piano lessons last year. To be honest I rather wish I had waited a year as she only really seems to have the maturity to deal with sitting down 5 times a week (preferably before school) to practice now and the first year was a bit of a struggle.

My children's school is very focused on music and looking back I wish I had followed the school's standard program which is a year of group recorder lessons in year 2 (basically this teaches them to read music), then starting individual instruments in yr 3. I will follow that plan with my other two DCs. I started DD1 earlier as I had played various instruments from age 5 and thought that she should be getting on with it, but in retrospect I think waiting until 7 ish is perhaps better.

On the other hand my niece, now 7, is already around grade 4 level and plays like a dream, it is heaven to hear her, so maybe I am talking a load of rubbish and starting at 4 as she did is best........