Kids music lessons - (merged)

Sensemaya

I'm not a violin teacher, but two of the three pieces for violin need an accompanient. Is the teacher not accompanying your daughter? I can't see why a student couldn't accompany her given the grade, but £25 isn't bad. I presume this is all in for the other practise sessions too? Why can't the pianist have a few run throughs on the day.

Exams are usually held during weekdays, but you can specify saturdays. Is the teacher thinking of entering her for the summer session? I would also ask him about theory. Is he teaching her this too? Doubtful though as he is a peri.

I would browse the AB website and it does have forums.

bunty109

My daughter is doing grades for piano and flute. When I did flute you started at grade 3 but I did fail first time as I really lacked practise of the whole exam scenario! Having said that, I think starting at Grade 3 isn't a bad idea if cost is an issue.

I am surprised that the violin teacher isn't accompanying her. My daughter's flute teacher does, and they are able to practise together beforehand.

Theory is a really good idea, but peripatetic teachers at school rarely teach this (in my experience). When lessons are only 20 minutes long they can only just about get in the practical they need. If you do think your daughter might want to carry on past Grade 5 practical, then at some point I would think about getting someone to help her so she can pass the Grade 5 theory she will need to get past the practical: it is a long way off, but I do believe that getting the Grades is a real sense of achievement for a child. Skipping a couple of them at the beginning won't hurt, but if she wants to go to university or even a Secondary school with music specialism, having the pieces of paper really will help!

I would check with the ABRSM website too. There MAY be a nearer centre for you to go to. You could also ask at your daughter's school and see if there is a teacher there who could practise the accompaniement with her?

ruthyjo

Hi - one of my sons is about to do his grade three on the euphonium which will be his first music exam. He isn't particularly exam motivated and has been quite happy to learn his instrument for a couple of years without any formal measure of his progress.

My other son LOVES exams (weird child) and has worked his way through his piano grades sitting every single one. I don't begrude the money when it gives him a sense of achievement and something to aim for.

I guess you have to make a judgement on how much store your little girl sets on the exams.

With regard to an accompianist I don't think you could assume your child's teacher would accompany them - perhaps they don't even play piano? Even if they did £25 sounds like a reasonable fee for two practises and the exam and not exactly pricing the accompianist's time particularly high.

ooobedoo

I want to ask DS if he wants to learn to play the triangle or something but looking online the lessons seem so expensive, neither DH or I are musical(unless drunk, then I am Mariah Carey and he is Robbie Williams....)

Anybody any ideas how to get it cheaper??????

andyrules

I want to ask DS if he wants to learn to play the triangle
lol, maybe he'll inherit your sense of humour if not musical ability? I don't know a quaver from a crisp, but DD is at music college, so I guess the gene missed me out! In other words, don't assume - you never know!

Some schools offer music lessons, the ones where a specialist teacher comes in. children often share a lesson and it keeps the cost right down, especially in the beginning.

If you want private, then look in your local music shop, there can be a range of prices.

andyrules

Also. it may be worth looking at your local college music dept for good students. DD taught youngsters privately; because she was a student was very cheap, but actually got fantastic results, so you could say she was a bargain!

ooobedoo

Thank you both, I always regretted not being able to play a musical instrument. I got binned from playing the cello as I was to short(29yrs old and still 5ft!!!!).

I think it gives a certain disipline, I could be wrong but the kids that carried the voilin in my old school all did really well exam wise.

Andy, he has already learnt my way of arguing, if he ended up with my sick, twisted and slightly perverse sense of humour I would be disturbed!!!

He has a sailor as a father so it might be unaviodable!

rainbowrisin

My cousin is an accomplished flautist - she used to give flute lessons in exchange for the child's mother doing some ironing!

It might be worth checking your local LETS (Local Exchange Trading Scheme), as they often advertise music lessons which you pay for in tokens - you can "earn" the tokens by being taken up on services which you advertise as part of LETS.

It's also worth asking through Freecycle if anyone knows of someone local who's reasonable. Our mods let through stuff like that most of the time, and you never know who might be out there.

I could be completely wrong on this, but I have a feeling that some music groups will allow people to learn as they attend - Things like steel drumming, for example.

Final thought is to advertise in the free ads in the local press / press website, stating how much you can afford to pay, and see if you get anyone at your price.

HTH

PS I am a dab hand at the descant recorder, so I'm sure for a small consideration......;)

andyrules

Yes, you will be right about the musical ones being higher achievers. Not sure whether it's self-discipline or what. A psychology student told me years ago that music training helps them focus, so I immediately booked lessons for DS, lol.

Musicians do seem to have a twisted sense of humour, so maybe you should persevere with a different instrument:;)

btw, if he starts the triangle, he will be a percusion player, and that involves lugging drumkits etc around. Consider a flute or clarinet

Sensemaya

ruthyjo wrote:

With regard to an accompianist I don't think you could assume your child's teacher would accompany them - perhaps they don't even play piano?

Well I wonder how they are managing working through the aural test section of the exam? But hang on aurals are only covered in the last two lessons, say, before the exam, aren't they!

Says she that has sometimes been approached by parents saying little Johnnie's flute/ sax / violin et al teacher hasn't got the time in the lesson to go through aurals, so can I do it? The parents are always grateful even if it impinges in my lessons and then I haven't got the time to cover the material I've set the pupil. I could go on. A cracking response I say to the parents is the teacher should find the time in their lesson to cover aurals.

And what happens then if the pupil is only studying one instrument? I know the reply.The parent is expected to fork out extra tuition fees with another teacher!

Point taken regarding peri teachers. They work under extremely difficult conditions and lessons usually last 20 mins or so. Not really enough time to cover everything on the syllabus.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: