Thursday, January 2, 2014

How To Find A Great Music Teacher

By Madeleine Bridgeman


When it comes to learning, the impact of a great teacher cannot be understated. Even if it we are taking a class with a subject we don't particularly like, a great teacher can make this subject interesting. Of course, the opposite also is true, and a bad teacher can make even our favorite subject seem dull. If your child will soon be taking music lessons, the instructor that you choose will have a huge impact on how quickly your child will learn and on how enjoyable the experience will be, so here are some ways to help you choose a great teacher.

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.

You need to also ask about expectations. These include what your child wants to get out of the experience, as well as your own expectations and those of the teacher. Perhaps you simply want your child to be exposed to music and just enjoy the experience, or perhaps you are hoping that they will play throughout high school and college at a very high level. Your teacher also will have certain expectations in mind and it's good if all three of you are on the same page.

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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