Should I choose Kindermusik or Private Lessons?Q: My kindergartener or 1st grader shows interest in learning music. Should I enroll her in private lessons? Or Kindermusik?As her parents, only you can make that decision, but here is some information that may help you to make the right choice for your child.
Q: What is Kindermusik for the Young Child?Kindermusik for the Young Child is the culmination of early childhood musical development; in addition to movement, instrumental play, singing, and creating, YC students begin to learn musical notation (note and rhythmic), and begin learning to play a melody instrument, the glockenspiel. We also learn pre-keyboarding skills to transfer the knowledge of the glockenspiel to the piano. YC was designed for Kindergarten and First Grade students. Please be aware that Young Child is a sequential, two year curriculum - new students may join in second (Spring) semester as class space allows, with the understanding that the family and child will work with the teacher to catch up on concepts and learning covered in the first (Fall) semester.
Children in YC class are beginning to read, enjoy puzzles and games, and like to socialize with other children in their age range. They follow directions reliably, and can answer abstract questions, such as “how do you think a composer can make music sound like birds?” He or she enjoys singing, is eager to learn, and can work independently for short periods towards a set goal. These children are ready to begin understanding concepts of practice, proper handling of an instrument, and playing a tune as opposed to exploring ways of creating sound on an instrument. These fundamental ideas are the foundation for Young Child, and through them, we learn about music in a way that makes the learning more natural and easy than private lessons are for children just entering gradeschool.
Q: When Should My Child Begin Private Instrumental Instruction?As a general rule, most children are not ready to begin formal instrumental training before the age of 6 or 7 for piano or string instruments, and most instructors will not accept students younger than 8 or 9 for other orchestral or band instruments. Before that, they tend to lack the size, stamina, and outcome-oriented commitment to make lessons an enjoyable and successful experience. Children are individuals, with a wide range of aptitude, but all children possess the ability to enjoy lifelong music making, and this ability can be greatly influenced by how we choose to approach their earliest experiences. From experience, most teachers will tell you that the majority of students do not begin to progress rapidly in piano lessons, for example, until they are at least 7 years old.
Kindermusik contains all if the needed elements to develop a child who is musically aware and who has the solid foundation to make lessons a natural and joyous next step. Children who grow up in Kindermusik have had chances to succeed, be nurtured and encouraged in their early creative explorations, and develop a core of music theory instilled through voice, body, and mind. Music for them is a natural part of their environment, and they have gained the language of note, rhythm, and expression to help them as they select which instrument they most wish to make their own. Many experts agree that early musical enrichment lays a foundation for musicianship which may accelerate later progress on an instrument.
Children who graduate from Kindermusik for the Young Child have a strong basis in theory, musicianship, and instrumental technique. More importantly, they have been allowed to develop the whole child through music, in a supportive and reassuring atmosphere, which lays the groundwork for a lifetime of positive outlook not only towards music learning, but towards learning in general.
