All About Choosing Piano Schools And Teachers

[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.

[cse1217]

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.

Nice to hear your daughter has an interest in watching how the guitar was being played over and over again. Music appreciation classes sounds like something light which your dd can start out with. It doesn't focus on exam but more on teaching your daughter to recognize sounds and differentiating it from a young age. Especially when she's growing up now, her sense of hearing might be best developed at a young age. Learning how to sing to the tune is a very useful aural skill as well. Which means her listening skills might be better than others.

I will propose you to let her listen to music when she's at home and see if she's able to sing to the tunes. I see that parents who expose kids to music at a young age, kids will naturally pick it up better. When they play the piano they might even know they are playing the wrong note without having to teach them.

These are some of my experience as a piano teacher hope it is helpful to you.

[JY2011]

Hi, cse1217.


Thanks for your encouragement. Yes, I should let her listen to music more at home now. We went for a music assessment (very kind offered by a piano teacher, not sure I shld reveal the teacher's name here.) recently and DD is not quite ready for 1 to 1 lesson obviously. She doesn't listen to instruction still and take the piano as toy (I feel coz she keeps touching the keyboard randomly). We also feel \"pai seh\" that she doesn't really behave well as what the preschool teachers said. So we will just wait for another half a year or 1 year to see if she is ready by then. She is keen on touching most of the music instruments as she said she wants to play guitars and violins displayed in the music school where the assessment attended.

She is keen/curious in things but not ready for formal lessons. DD is an active child but need times to refine her learning behaviours. If not, difficult for teachers to teach also and progress may not be good too. Anyway, I really appreciate all the advices and comments given here.

[waiyean]

Hi JY,


The music lessons conducted in preschools are similar to those music appreciation classes in music schools. So far, all the music schools my kids attended also are engaged with preschools, conducting their music lessons.

Sounds like your DD will do well in these music appreciation group classes at the moment. Good teachers are hard to come by, so it’s still not too early for you to start looking now although it may be another half or 1 year before she is ready for formal individual lessons.