Any of your kids doing dual instrument?

[watmekiasu]

Tried to reply to your pms but you're not taking any. :shock: Anyway, here's the jist of my pm :


It wasn't easy when dd was doing both piano and violin. I was very stressed cos it was like my dd didn't have a childhood at all. Her whole life then revolved around school, dance, piano and violin. Something had to give and I made her drop dance and piano. No regrets at all as I believe those lessons have enriched her. Even today, dd will sometimes go to the piano and play a tune, so all is not lost.

Currently, she is learning both violin and cello with ease as her lessons are alternated between the 2 instruments weekly eg week 1 and 3 - violin, week 2 and 4 - cello. Altho the progress is much slower, it suits us fine, so long as she enjoys learning, it is money well-spent. She practices on her own - again, this slows down the progress but at least I don't feel stressed listening to her mistakes and she doesn't get stressed by me, hahaha!

The only advice I can give you is to make sure the child is learning for enjoyment and not just for grades. That way, the love for music stays with them forever and it is worth much more than a piece of Grade 8 or Diploma Cert.

Her teacher is from Ricco Music at Toa Payoh. Very easy-going person. He doesn't seem to take many or any new students as his schedule is always packed.

[sharon1234]

My dd started piano at the age of 5 and violin at the age of 7. As it is, she likes violin as she picks it up very quickly due to her foundation from piano.


It would be hard if you start your child on both instruments at the same time. Also, I don’t let her take exam so far as I don’t want to kill her interest by drilling on the exam pieces all the time. Exam could come later.

[jce]

It’s easier to pick up a 2nd instrument if there’s a foundation (eg start piano first then a few yrs down the road pick up another). Piano is always a good place to start cos it sounds better than the other instruments even right at the start. Those who start with violin will find it easy to pick up the other string instruments at a later stage.

[luckystar]

[karmeleon]

jce:

It's easier to pick up a 2nd instrument if there's a foundation (eg start piano first then a few yrs down the road pick up another). Piano is always a good place to start cos it sounds better than the other instruments even right at the start. Those who start with violin will find it easy to pick up the other string instruments at a later stage.

Fr my observation, kids who start w violin 1st as opposed to piano, have much better intonation than vice versa

[metz]

liliansim:

Hi, how to handle both instruments successfully? Any tips?

Thanks.

Can define what you mean by \"successfully\"?

Aiming for ABRSM exams (but with selected/wide repertoire)?
Play both well in both to enter competitions or perform in concerts?
Wide repertoire and focus on good playing but not exam oriented?
Able to play both instruments for self entertainment but master of none?

[mamamiya]

watmekiasu:

Tried to reply to your pms but you're not taking any. :shock: Anyway, here's the jist of my pm :


It wasn't easy when dd was doing both piano and violin. I was very stressed cos it was like my dd didn't have a childhood at all. Her whole life then revolved around school, dance, piano and violin. Something had to give and I made her drop dance and piano. No regrets at all as I believe those lessons have enriched her. Even today, dd will sometimes go to the piano and play a tune, so all is not lost.

Currently, she is learning both violin and cello with ease as her lessons are alternated between the 2 instruments weekly eg week 1 and 3 - violin, week 2 and 4 - cello. Altho the progress is much slower, it suits us fine, so long as she enjoys learning, it is money well-spent. She practices on her own - again, this slows down the progress but at least I don't feel stressed listening to her mistakes and she doesn't get stressed by me, hahaha!

The only advice I can give you is to make sure the child is learning for enjoyment and not just for grades. That way, the love for music stays with them forever and it is worth much more than a piece of Grade 8 or Diploma Cert.

Her teacher is from Ricco Music at Toa Payoh. Very easy-going person. He doesn't seem to take many or any new students as his schedule is always packed.

Hi,
You mentioned that your dd is learning violin at Ricco Music at Toa Payoh. How's the lessons so far? The teacher is a \"He\"? How's he? I am thinking of letting my son take up violin lessons. He's 4 yrs old next year. Wonder if he is too young...