Most parents agree that music should be part of their children’s education. Not that they expect Clarissa to sing at Carnegie Hall. But if for no other reason, learning to play an instrument translates to understanding more about how music is made which translates to greater enjoyment from music throughout life.
So as a parent, how should get your child started? One piece of advice comes from years of teaching adults, as has Kevin Bales.
“It’s very interesting to me how many people have had bad experiences studying music as children,” Kevin points out. “I get the question all the time from clients whose daughter or son wants to start guitar or piano or singing lessons, ‘How do I find a good teacher?’ And I think the most important thing for a child studying music is that they’ve got someone teaching them the joy of it.”
Now our Music Life and Times podcasts each end with a life lesson that music teaches, something reflecting the conversation of that podcast. And one of those life lessons is discipline. You have to be disciplined to make progress, to learn to play well.
“I agree that music is a good way of learning discipline, but I don’t think you should do that at the expense of the magic and joy there is in music,” Kevin says. “I mean it’s a big deal that we don’t call it working music; you’re playing music. You might practice medicine, but you play music.”
H-m-m-m. That application of the term “practice” brings to mind another entire set of concerns or at least questions. However, to finish Kevin’s thought:
“If you’re teaching a youngster, I think you need to find things to introduce them to that increase their curiosity about music, not just some formula or structure.”
So there. Find a teacher who your child will have fun learning from. And by the way, the same goes for an adult who either has never learned to play or is re-starting. If it’s drudgery, it’s not play.