Friday, January 10, 2014

How To Find A Great Music Teacher

By Madeleine Bridgeman


No matter what subject you are learning, the way you are being taught can make all the difference. Whether the subject is math, history or science, the ability of the instructor can make the class a fantastic experience or one that is quite unpleasant. This is also true for those taking music lessons. A great instructor can really inspire a young musician to excel, while a poor music teacher can turn that same child's enjoyment level down to the point where he or she has no interest in continuing music lessons. To ensure a successful music experience, here are help teacher selection tips.

While you don't need someone at the level of Ithak Perlman teaching your child six-year-old how to play the violin, it's still a good idea to take a look at the qualifications of a teacher. You want to find someone with a solid music education and also ask about their experiences as a teacher. While they might have taught for 20 years, their students might be concentrated in an age group, experience level or instrument category that doesn't suit your child. So if your child really wants to learn how to play the drums, a teacher who mainly instructs students in brass or woodwind might not be the best match.

Everyone has expectations when the music lessons begin. The student has expectations about the level of fun and the level of difficulty. The parents have expectations about how quickly children learn an instrument as well as how enjoyable the experience will be for their child. Finally, the teacher has expectations about how much work is required of each student to achieve success at various levels. It is important that all three of you have similar expectations. You might simply want to find a creative outlet for your student or perhaps you are hoping for a high level of achievement. Different teachers also have different philosophies about achievement.

Of course, it shouldn't all be about practice and perfection, learning an instrument also should be a positive experience. Certainly it teaches the benefits of discipline, which is extremely important, but music also provides a way for your child to be creative. If your teacher seems a bit too much like a taskmaster and isn't particularly personable, this might not be the best choice for a young, beginning musician. You need to find an instructor that has a good rapport with your child, someone your child will want to please.

Sometimes, it is your gut instinct that should be your guide. This might mean that you choose a younger, hip teacher over an older, more experienced instructor or it might mean you opt for the most experienced person of all that you interview. One thing that often gets kids excited about music is allowing them to choose some of the songs that they learn. This might include some favorite classic rock tunes and pop music along with the classical works of Bach and Mozart.

When you look for a music school in Laguna Niguel, a music teacher in San Clemente or music lessons in Dana Point or another south Orange County city, it is best to locate a music school that truly emphasizes the joy of making music. Certainly practice makes perfect, but learning how to play an instrument should be exciting and fun. You might opt for a school such as Los Rios Rock School which not only offers private lessons for any instrument but also offers group rock band experiences for their students. Children of all ages actually get to perform on stage at places such as Stillwater or even the House of Blues.




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