Suzuki Violin - Discussion
-
If you are looking for a Suzuki programme, Mac's classes at Mac's Music School is good (though expensive).
If you are looking to learn the traditional way, I recommend getting a good 1-2-1 private teacher.
My younger child attended Wolfgang for a few lessons but she did not like the programme (she was in Baby Beats). Pedagogically, I find them weak and a bit inconsistent. And I don't like the fact that they are using many \"cheap\" foreign staff to teach in the school. About 90% of their staff are Filipino or Lao/Myanmarese(?)
Their 1-2-1 lessons are also heavily overpriced. For $50 per half hour (and $60 registration fee, restricted make-up lessons) you get their filipino trainee teacher who looks like she just learnt violin in secondary school. My older child's (local) private teacher is ex-SSO and has played for dignitaries and performed for the President, PM, etc and he charges only $30 per half hour... If you want Mrs Lee to teach your child, she only teaches in groups of 3 students (i.e. you are paying about $50 per half hour to get 1/3 of her attention! Oh my!)
And if you don't get the Filipino admin staff (on the phone) who always talks like she doesn't understand your question, you get the other local girl who sounds too stuck-up :slapshead:
After I pulled my child out, I found out that a few of my friends had attended Baby Beats too but they did not continue for the second term.TwettyKS:
Any recommendation which is a better music school for violin 1-to-1 for my kid (6 yrs):
- Mandeville
- Wolfgang Violin
- The Music & Ballet School
- Any other?
I am interested on an accelerated Violin program with dedicated teachers. -
Actually I don't understand why parents want to go to music schools for 1-2-1 lessons. It is so much better learning from a private teacher in his house or your own house. At music schools, you have to pay registration fees, parking fees and rescheduling of make up lessons is often difficult or sometimes not even allowed. They also tend to sell violins at marked up prices (Wolfgang, for example, sell their cheapest violins at $280 whereas you can get the same quality from Synwin for only $120+). My child's private teacher is contactable via SMS 24 hours a day whenever we need to ask him any questions, and he even gives us advice on how to choose violins, bows etc (he is very knowledgeable about pedagogical issues and instrument-related issues) He will even come with you to help you choose and buy a violin, and help you get discounts. There are no registration fees to pay and his own fees are cheaper-per-minute when compared to those charged by music schools, And, he is also better qualified than most teachers I've seen in many music schools!
Just giving my honest feedback here
-
Koolmama:
My youngest did Baby Beats for 2 terms. I liked it when Teacher Annie taught. The Filipino teacher is alright. I liked the stress-free intro to violin. You CANNOT consider Baby Beats as a violin class at all. It's just a music playgroup with music dynamics & rhythm, just that violin is the focus for a few minutes of the class. There are some useful components like \"Bow Rocket\", \"Bow Bunny\", \"Finger Rock\", \"Windshield wiper\" ... etc. HOWEVER, like you've observed, they are not consistent. They should expand on these very useful finger/arm exercise sections that are focussed on future violin playing, but they only do it like once in a every few weeks. *sad*.
My younger child attended Wolfgang for a few lessons but she did not like the programme (she was in Baby Beats). Pedagogically, I find them weak and a bit inconsistent. And I don't like the fact that they are using many \"cheap\" foreign staff to teach in the school. About 90% of their staff are Filipino or Lao/Myanmarese(?)
....And if you don't get the Filipino admin staff (on the phone) who always talks like she doesn't understand your question, you get the other local girl who sounds too stuck-up :slapshead:
The stuck-up one you are referring to is probably \"Shien\". One of the Lee sisters. The youngest one, I think?! -
Koolmama:
So your child now with Mac's?If you are looking for a Suzuki programme, Mac's classes at Mac's Music School is good (though expensive).
If you are looking to learn the traditional way, I recommend getting a good 1-2-1 private teacher.
After I pulled my child out, I found out that a few of my friends had attended Baby Beats too but they did not continue for the second term. -
Koolmama:
Depends on your child's age? And if you can find contacts for the appropriate teachers?Actually I don't understand why parents want to go to music schools for 1-2-1 lessons. It is so much better learning from a private teacher in his house or your own house. At music schools, you have to pay registration fees, parking fees and rescheduling of make up lessons is often difficult or sometimes not even allowed. They also tend to sell violins at marked up prices (Wolfgang, for example, sell their cheapest violins at $280 whereas you can get the same quality from Synwin for only $120+). My child's private teacher is contactable via SMS 24 hours a day whenever we need to ask him any questions, and he even gives us advice on how to choose violins, bows etc (he is very knowledgeable about pedagogical issues and instrument-related issues) He will even come with you to help you choose and buy a violin, and help you get discounts. There are no registration fees to pay and his own fees are cheaper-per-minute when compared to those charged by music schools, And, he is also better qualified than most teachers I've seen in many music schools!
Just giving my honest feedback here
My elder child is with an SSO tr and has been for 5yrs and we are comfortable with this arrangement. Just got on tuition grant this year, so no need to even pay fees, thanks to taxpayers.
But I find it truly difficult to get appropriate teachers for the very young. I searched for very long for my 3yo and even had him with a famous teacher for a short while (her daughter is with Menuhin), but she was ever so boring! In the end, we went with an unknown teacher but who is experienced enough as a suzuki violin tr. Well, too bad that she's with a music school! I couldn't find any others who are teaching independently that were suitable for our 3yo! And no, we didn't think any of the teachers who'd taught our elder boy suitable for 3yo. I'm quite happy with the music school. There are performance classes every month other than the 1-to-1 lessons. So quite good training all-round. Most individual teachers won't be able to organise that or have the premises to accommodate the size. -
Phankao, you’ve got pm
-
My own experience is that in a school environment, it is more condusive.
The child concentrates better, and the teacher teaches better. How many times have we, working adults, try to tele-commute and work from home, and it ended up being an unproductive day, because you get distracted by all sorts of things?
Of course the regular performances organized by the school helps greatly in ensuring a well rounded training.Koolmama:
Actually I don't understand why parents want to go to music schools for 1-2-1 lessons. It is so much better learning from a private teacher in his house or your own house. At music schools, you have to pay registration fees, parking fees and rescheduling of make up lessons is often difficult or sometimes not even allowed. They also tend to sell violins at marked up prices (Wolfgang, for example, sell their cheapest violins at $280 whereas you can get the same quality from Synwin for only $120+). My child's private teacher is contactable via SMS 24 hours a day whenever we need to ask him any questions, and he even gives us advice on how to choose violins, bows etc (he is very knowledgeable about pedagogical issues and instrument-related issues) He will even come with you to help you choose and buy a violin, and help you get discounts. There are no registration fees to pay and his own fees are cheaper-per-minute when compared to those charged by music schools, And, he is also better qualified than most teachers I've seen in many music schools!
Just giving my honest feedback here -
I don't really agree with it that school teachers teaches better but i do agree with koolmama.
Teachers in music schools are always packed. Imagine teaching back-to-back for a couple of hours. This, plus the small spaced studio does not do much good for the teacher. The teacher might not be able to give the best to the students. When teachers teaches from home, they have their own big working space (i.e their studio). They know their limits and don't schedule more students than they can handle.
Also, I believe that most good teachers don't teach in schools. why teach in schools and can only get commission from the schools when you can get full fees from your students? Moreover working in schools means having to deal with the various administrative stuff from the school management.
Though i won't say all music schools are bad, but I feel that most good teachers won't teach in schools as they can't plan their own time, and they can't receive the full fees of the students. After all, they put in 100% into teaching their students, it won't make sense if they get only 60% of the payment.jane84:
My own experience is that in a school environment, it is more condusive.
The child concentrates better, and the teacher teaches better. How many times have we, working adults, try to tele-commute and work from home, and it ended up being an unproductive day, because you get distracted by all sorts of things?
Of course the regular performances organized by the school helps greatly in ensuring a well rounded training.Koolmama:
Actually I don't understand why parents want to go to music schools for 1-2-1 lessons. It is so much better learning from a private teacher in his house or your own house. At music schools, you have to pay registration fees, parking fees and rescheduling of make up lessons is often difficult or sometimes not even allowed. They also tend to sell violins at marked up prices (Wolfgang, for example, sell their cheapest violins at $280 whereas you can get the same quality from Synwin for only $120+). My child's private teacher is contactable via SMS 24 hours a day whenever we need to ask him any questions, and he even gives us advice on how to choose violins, bows etc (he is very knowledgeable about pedagogical issues and instrument-related issues) He will even come with you to help you choose and buy a violin, and help you get discounts. There are no registration fees to pay and his own fees are cheaper-per-minute when compared to those charged by music schools, And, he is also better qualified than most teachers I've seen in many music schools!
Just giving my honest feedback here -
ilovemusic:
My elder boy's teacher who teaches at home also packed back-to-back. We have to arrange the lesson times every single week. It is never fixed bc of his orchestra commitments.
Teachers in music schools are always packed. Imagine teaching back-to-back for a couple of hours. -
hi there,
my kid has just started on sm violin classes. we are wondering as to how do you motivate a 3yo to practise the violin exercise?
thanks and regards.
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login