The Frugal Grandmom

So, your child wants to learn to play an instrument?  It’s often a complicated task to locate the music teacher who is right for your child. Because music is dear to my heart ( My Bachelors Degree is in Music Performance), I hope I can help you find a music teacher you’ll love and who can really teach.  The first thing you need to decide is, what goals do you have for music education? Are you just wanting to try music for fun or do you think your child is musically gifted?  Do you want them to be able to mess around with music or train to be a performer?  Guess what, it doesn’t matter.  No matter the goals you have for musical training, you need to get a good teacher. Many people hang out a shingle and offer music lessons.  Many of them are young students or moms who want to make a little extra money.  These people may not have the proper training or dedication to give your child the best music education. Classical music education is the best, because the student will have a well-rounded approach to music.  They will learn methodically without gaps and will learn theory and composition.  Even prominent popular musicians have had classical training. Here are some organizations that will help you find a teacher: MTNA – The Music Teacher’s National Association has a great link to help you locate a teacher in your area.   TakeLessons – This website offers teachers a way to advertise.  They usually have contact information and posts about their teaching approach.  You can read reviews and interact with each teacher, asking questions you might have.  Any teacher can post here. Local Music Store – They may offer lessons in-house or will give referrals.  You’ll need to check out each teacher, asking questions about their education and what type of training your child will receive. Area universities – Call the music department to get recommendations or see if the professors are offering private lessons.  They might also recommend some of the upper-class music majors to teach beginners.  The downside of student-teachers is that they will only be available for a few years.  Switching teachers often is not recommended. Group Lessons – Large music studios, music stores, and universities often offer group lessons.  These might suit a beginner well, but private lessons will be needed after the beginner stage. Online lessons – These may be more convenient for the parent, but don’t offer the best way to learn.  Viewing a student over a webpage is not the same as teaching in person. Word of mouth experiences with friends, homeschool group members, or social media groups. Ask your church musician for a recommendation. Ask your school music teacher for a recommendation. Attend some music recitals given by the teachers that you’re considering. Questions to ask a prospective music teacher: Where were you trained in _____ instrument (or voice)? Who were your teachers? How long have you been teaching? Do you have recitals? Do you participate in performance opportunities or competitions? What music organizations are you a member of? What degrees do you have in music? Do you teach from a classical approach? Do you teach music theory and composition? What are your requirements for practicing? What are your fees? Music Education is a very important part of a student’s learning.  They will develop so many skills and improve in maturity by learning to play an instrument.  There are huge benefits found for the child who receives music lessons.  I hope you find an excellent teacher for your child! @2018, copyright Lisa Ehrman