All About Choosing Piano Schools And Teachers

[JY2011]

Hi cse1217,


I am actually doing exactly the same thing that you mentioned She definitely is interest-driven type and motivated a lot if she has a good chemistry with teachers. She has preferred songs on the toy electronic piano when she turns it on every time. She pretty clear on her likes and dislikes. So I am carefully looking around for suitable and good teacher. I will prefer her to learns proper stuff from good teachers if she is lucky to meet them.

I can guide her most of her daily activities but not music and art like painting. :oops:

Thanks for your kind reply. I appreciate that.

[waiyean]

JY2011:

My dd is 3.5yo now. Thinking if we should send her to a musical school as she seems interested in learning piano. We bought a cheap cheap electronic piano for her to play for fun last year. She seems enjoys when she pretends to play some piano songs as there is a button for step-by-step playing. It is really not a good starting as she doesn't learn the piano in a proper way... Not sure if my dd is serious on the learning also.... me and DH are not good any musical instruments at all so not sure if we should send DD to a musical school to learn. We also worry if DD will just stop learning if she finds the learning process of piano is not as simple as like just press the buttons on her \"electronic\" piano.

Hi JY,
Actually 3.5yo is old enough to send for piano lessons in music school. Some schools may not accept such young students, and some traditional teachers may tell you it's too young, but it's probably because they themselves started learning later.

At that age, the child won't be able to tell if they enjoy learning music. Everything is a toy to them. it's the parents who has to decide if they are committed to having their child learn music. Once that decision is made, then parents must source for a proper piano, the right teacher, and constantly motivates the child. Do not let your DD learn piano on that \"cheap electronic piano\".

Under the right guidance, the child is less likely to stop learning when the going gets tough. Key ingredient is \"commitment\" from parents.

[JY2011]

Hi waiyean,


I agree with you as I do notice that my DD takes everything as \"games\" or \"toys\" whatever she does. Once we commit to take the piano lessons, we have to motivate her to practise everyday without pressurizing her.

I received a call from DD's preschool teacher just now (about other DD stuff). The preschool does include music enrichment class (similar to music appreciation class) in their program. So I also chatted with her on my plan to send DD to formal piano class. She doesn't really encourage to start at her age due to the development of the fingers (muscle and shape mentioned by her). She said that it may cause damage on the fingers / hands if we force them to practise like older age kids. I understand her point but many parents do it like 4 yo.

Since I know nothing much about piano and learning piano, appreciate the parents here can share if your kids (who starts from young age like my DD) encounter similar problem. My DD just start to write recently (2 mths ago), I can see she can hold pen & pencils quite well and with good strength now. She sometimes initiates to write ABC, numbers or chinese strokes. So I will think that her finger muscles are good.. That's why it comes to my mind that she can start to have proper piano lesson.... :roll: I really dunno.. :?

[waiyean]

JY2011:

I received a call from DD's preschool teacher just now (about other DD stuff). So I also chatted with her on my plan to send DD to formal piano class. She doesn't really encourage to start at her age due to the development of the fingers (muscle and shape mentioned by her). She said that it may cause damage on the fingers / hands if we force them to practise like older age kids. I understand her point but many parents do it like 4 yo.

Yes, like I say in my previous posting, many teachers are against young children learning piano, for various reasons such as those given above. Honestly, I haven't heard of young children having developmental problems with their finger muscles and shape because they learnt piano early.

My daughter learnt piano at a very young age, and never had any issues with finger muscles damage.

[Dreamaurora]

waiyean:

JY2011:

I received a call from DD's preschool teacher just now (about other DD stuff). So I also chatted with her on my plan to send DD to formal piano class. She doesn't really encourage to start at her age due to the development of the fingers (muscle and shape mentioned by her). She said that it may cause damage on the fingers / hands if we force them to practise like older age kids. I understand her point but many parents do it like 4 yo.

Yes, like I say in my previous posting, many teachers are against young children learning piano, for various reasons such as those given above. Honestly, I haven't heard of young children having developmental problems with their finger muscles and shape because they learnt piano early.

My daughter learnt piano at a very young age, and never had any issues with finger muscles damage.

I think it's just a myth perpetuated by older generation teachers. Some of my students started with me when they were 4 and they turn out just fine. Another common myth is that older starters have stiffer fingers and cannot acquire advanced technique which is also obviously bollocks as I myself have proven.

But I think regardless of the starting age, it is important to get a teacher who is thoroughly well-versed in piano technique. I notice many teachers do not even bother to assign a technical regime. Some will assign Hanon or Czerny but they just ask the students to drill those exercises again and again without understanding of how to play them properly. Technique is really more than just doing Hanon and Czerny, it's about understanding how to utilise the entire body to produce the widest variety of sound possible with as little tension as possible. Practicing finger exercises blindly with wrong technique will obviously significantly increases the chance of getting injury such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel.

[JY2011]

Hi, weiyan & Dreamaurora.


Thanks for the clarification. To me, a good teacher will help and guide the students to advance their talents or best capabilities but not just teach very general or basic things to the students. It makes no different which teacher or school they go then. I will be very happy to see if my DD can find sth that she is happy to do and continue in the future. I am still helping her to look for it.

Honestly speaking, it is quite stressful to work in SG but want to raise happy kids. :frustrated:

[cse1217]

Hi JY2011,


How old is your DD? What are some of the things you let her try out so far? How is her response to it?

[JY2011]

Hi, cse1217.


My DD is 3.5 yo. According to teachers, they teach the kids Do, Re, Me, Fa, So and sing some songs by keyboard. Sometimes, they use xylophone and other musical instruments to introduce high and low tone sth… like what those appreciation classes do. At home, we have only the kid version electronic piano (not really a keyboard) for play play only. Last time, we let her watch nursery songs from youtube.

Once it happened (about 2 yo+) that there were few video clips on guitar version Doreamon theme songs and some young pianoists performance, she actually wanted to watch it over and over again. Particularly, the guitar video clip shows only the close up on how the player plays the guitar, she told us that she likes to watch. Since we try to minimize her tv times, we don’t turn on the youtube anymore. So I am not sure if she is just curious what it is at that time or she is really interested in music. Probably, the young kids just curious in everything new to them.

[pianoprincess]

JY2011:

Hi, cse1217.


My DD is 3.5 yo. According to teachers, they teach the kids Do, Re, Me, Fa, So and sing some songs by keyboard. Sometimes, they use xylophone and other musical instruments to introduce high and low tone sth... like what those appreciation classes do. At home, we have only the kid version electronic piano (not really a keyboard) for play play only. Last time, we let her watch nursery songs from youtube.

Once it happened (about 2 yo+) that there were few video clips on guitar version Doreamon theme songs and some young pianoists performance, she actually wanted to watch it over and over again. Particularly, the guitar video clip shows only the close up on how the player plays the guitar, she told us that she likes to watch. Since we try to minimize her tv times, we don't turn on the youtube anymore. So I am not sure if she is just curious what it is at that time or she is really interested in music. Probably, the young kids just curious in everything new to them.

You should consider signing up your girl for group music lessons or music appreciation lessons at this age, it is the right age to start now. If she shows interest,there is always no harm trying out lessons. If you do not even take the first step and send her for lessons, you will never know if she actually has aptitude and a long lasting interest for music. As long as you can afford it, it would be a good idea to send your girl now , instead of dismissing her curiosity- she has curiosity and so , you need to let her explore even more of it , otherwise with no avenue to explore and learn, obviously the interest will diminish and wane eventually.

[JY2011]

Hi pianoprincess,


I am researching on the schools and teachers now. I thought that DD’s preschool music lessons similar to the group lessons - as teachers said similar. Are the group lessons or music appreciation classes same as what I described in my previous post?

Thanks.