Holiday Practice Tips

With the holidays right around the corner, it's a good idea to have a plan for practicing during that time. Here are 5 tips to help you with practicing over the holidays!

1- Get practicing done before noon. Otherwise, holiday parties, sledding, shopping, and playing outside will take up the day and leave the student too tired to practice!

2- Set an alarm on your phone to help you remember, especially if practicing early is out of the norm.

3- Plan to fit practicing in on most days, so start early on in the week.

4- Ask student to play for family or friends that come over, even non-Christmas songs or old favorites.

5- If there will be 2+ weeks between lessons, make sure that practicing happens the day after their lesson so the student remembers what to do during their break.

Have a Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy New Year!

Image by klimkin from Pixabay

How Involved Do You Really Need to Be?

There tends to be a spectrum of involvement for parents of children taking private lessons. There is not a “one-size-fits-all” spot on this spectrum, but usually the more involved you are, the more success your child will have in their lessons.

When I was a kid taking lessons, I sometimes needed reminders to practice, but I wanted to do the practicing myself. I didn’t want anyone sitting with me helping me! But my daughter is the opposite. Even though she has the ability to practice on her own, she prefers me to sit with her to help her out. And I must say, it is nice to have one-on-one time with her!

Since you know your child best, you will find the best place on this spectrum for you. Younger children (4-5+ years old) need a parent on the right of the spectrum; with older children, you can start sliding left. However, with any child of any age, don’t just assume that they will know to practice without reminders. If they do just practice on their own (#unicorn!) enjoy it!

As parents, we have a lot going on. We don’t need one more thing to do. Building practicing into your routine, however, will help it become more automatic and less stressful. I always thought I hated cooking. But what I actually hated was trying to figure out what to cook at 4 or 5 p.m. and having no clean dishes to work with. Once I started meal planning each week and setting out the meat to thaw each morning, I found that cooking was much, much easier. I just had to rearrange my routine and planning.

If you are having trouble remembering to have your child practice, try setting an alarm on your phone. I set mine to 7 p.m. If I haven’t had my daughter practice by then, we go and do it at 7. Time enough to practice but still get ready for bed in time.

In summary, find your best place on the “parent involvement spectrum” and continue building practicing into your routine. Your child (someday!) and your teacher (now!) will thank you.

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” Helen Keller

Image by Pezibear from Pixabay

Where Should Practicing Be in Your Priorities?

I remember being in high school, when we were the oldest we’d ever been and the busiest we’d ever been, and feeling “swamped” when we had more than one test in one week! I remember fellow students complaining that every teacher thought their class the most important, since they all assigned such loads of homework.

I have thought about this a lot in the past years, as I have become a (private) teacher and assign my students homework… I mean practicing… each week. I haven’t heard the complaining (if any) that happens at home when it is time to practice, but I have heard many excuses over the years as to why the student didn’t practice last week:

- my brother had a birthday party

- my friends came over to play

- I had to study for my Spanish test

And it all comes down to priorities. Perhaps the high school kids that complained about homework and tests weren’t prioritizing their school work and grades, and wanted things to be just a bit easier. And perhaps the students that make excuses week after week haven’t put practicing in the top of their priorities.

I’m not saying that every student needs to put their music studies as their #1 priority, but if you are:

♫ paying money for private lessons;

♫ taking time to get to and from lessons;

♫ wanting to learn how to play that instrument;

then perhaps practicing, or “going home and playing your instrument,” should be in your top 2-4 priorities.

I know it can be difficult to make practicing part of a routine. I have been teaching my 9-year-old daughter and some months, our practice calendar is very bare. (She puts a sticker on each day that she practices.) We especially did not practice much the month or two after our move. So I followed one of my own tips from my post, “5 Ways to get Practicing into your Routine,” put a reminder alarm on my phone, and now we are doing much better!

So as a teacher, I am not thinking that “my class is the most important” when I ask my students to practice and make it a priority; I am simply trying to help them succeed at the task of learning to play their instrument. I know that frequent, regular practice will be the shortest path to success for them. Making practice a priority takes planning and perseverance, but it is worth it when your child confidently plays their pieces and is excited to learn.

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”

Stephen R. Covey, American author and businessman, and author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

6 Ways to Help your Child have the Best Lesson Ever

In certain organizations for boys and girls, they learn to “Be Prepared.” What are some ways to help your child be prepared for their lesson each week?

1. Make sure they practice after their lesson (the same day) or the very next day at the latest. (You knew there was something coming about practicing, didn’t you!)

2. Make sure they practice 5-7 days in between lessons. Seriously, this will help them so much.

3. The day of their lesson, make sure they have had a snack and have used the bathroom within an hour beforehand.

4. Be on time or a little early to their lesson so they don’t feel rushed.

     - If lessons are held in your home (teacher travels to you) have them warm up on their songs in           the 10-15 minutes before teacher comes over. No TV or video games during that time!

5. Before leaving the house, help them make sure they have all of their books. The teacher may not have a second copy handy.

     - If teacher comes to your house, have your books out and ready to go when they arrive!

6. Speak positively about their upcoming lesson. Your positive attitude will rub off onto them!

“Encourage and support your kids because children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.” Lady Bird Johnson, former First Lady of the United States.

                                                                                Image by Valéria Rodrigues Valéria from Pixabay

5 Ways to get Practicing into your Routine

Sometimes we know we need to do something; it’s just doing it is the tricky part.

Here are some tips to help you get practicing into your routine.

1- Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to practice. On any given day, I have 4-6 alarms that go off to remind me to do something. It’s nice having an “extra brain” to help me remember things!

2- Put your piano/music stand/practicing area in an obvious place in the house. Seeing it frequently helps to remember to practice.

     

      A- Don’t have your piano in a place where kids are nervous to be alone, like the basement or a            lonely room or back closet. Letting them practice in a well-lit, pleasant room will help them want        to practice more.

      B- Keep their music open on the piano or music stand.

      C- For some instruments such as guitar and violin, you can get mounted wall hangers. Having            the instrument “out” can make it easier for some to see it and go practice.

(Image from amazon.com)

3- “Attach” practicing to something that happens everyday; meals, for example. Put a note on the fridge to remind your student (and yourself) that practicing happens right before or after dinner, or as soon as they get home from school.

4- Make sure practicing happens before the fun begins. So before they go to their friend’s house, go to sports/dance/etc, or play video games or watch TV, get that practicing in. Treat music practice like homework, and make sure it gets done first.

5- Make a practicing calendar and put it somewhere you will see it frequently. Let your student put a sticker on each day they practice. It will be motivating for them to see how much work they have done, or how much more they need to do! You can even give them a prize for practicing a certain number of days per week or month, as long as it is enough according to the teacher’s policy. (Don’t reward them for practicing 1-2 days if the teacher wants them to practice 5-6 days.)

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” John C. Maxwell, American author, speaker, and pastor.

                                                                                         Image by allegralchaple0 from Pixabay

Help, Don't Handicap

If you have a young pianist in your home, you may have seen those stickers that can be put on the keys, which tell which note is which. They are supposed to help. But they don’t. Oh, they do at first. The child confidently puts their hands on the labeled C’s and G’s and plays the pieces like a professional. But if they play on a non-labeled piano, they are lost at sea. (No pun intended!) I had a family that took lessons for months on their labeled piano, but it wasn’t until I insisted on taking the labels off that they actually learned the patterns and where the notes were. Another student had labeled keys, done by an older family member who was also trying to learn to play. Not surprisingly, this student didn’t do well on my non-labeled piano during lessons.

(Photo retrieved from amazon.com)

These stickers and labels are HANDICAPS, not HELPS.

Instead of memorizing the pattern of 2- and 3-black key groups and their surrounding white keys, the student reads the letters and totally ignores the black keys. But if they go play a different piano with no labels, suddenly they have no idea what they are doing. At Grandma’s house trying to play her a song? Out of luck. At a recital on a different piano? Cue the freeze and panic. Please don’t do that to your child!

And finally, don’t do what this teacher encountered:

Do not ever write on the keys! (Photo by Alicia John; used by permission.)

Keep the keys clean and pristine. If your child has trouble remembering note names of the keys, practice naming them each day with your child. There will be a graphic somewhere in their book, or look on the internet. Treat it like a spelling test- they just need daily practice!

“Do not handicap your children by making their lives easy.” Robert A. Heinlein, American author, engineer, and Naval officer.

(Clean, unlabeled keys- Image by nightowl from Pixabay)

Keeping it Positive

Two scenarios.

Parent A: “You are doing so well in piano, honey. You are learning so many songs. I love to hear you play. You get better every day. Grandma and Grandpa can’t wait to hear you play when they come to visit. That piece sounded so hard but you made it look easy! I can’t wait for you to show your teacher what you’ve worked on this week!”

Parent B: “Ugh, it’s lesson day again. I don’t really want to drive you over there but I guess we have to. Do you really have to practice right now? I’m trying to watch a show here. Your violin sounds so squeaky! Can you stop the screeching? Why do you have to play that song over and over? Play something else!”

Which child is going to stick with it? Enjoy practicing? Want to play for others?

As parents, we want to have our children learn to have perseverance, how to work hard, and have a positive outlook on life, among many other things. They learn these things from us. “More is caught than taught,” teaches Rachel Cruze. The more positive we are about things, the more positive they will be too. The more we are positive towards practicing, the more they will embrace it as part of their routine. If we show enthusiasm about attending lessons, they will learn not to be too apprehensive about them. The more we are excited about their progress, the more they will appreciate it as well.

What are some ways you can show your child that you are invested in them in helping them learn to play their instrument?

- have them teach you what they know. Let them teach you a song or how to read music.

- sit with them while they practice.

- help them practice as necessary. Even if you don’t know anything about music or their instrument, you can help them read the instructions, look back in the book for answers to questions, or contact the teacher if neither of you can figure something out.

- organize a family recital. Make it a big deal. Let the child bring out their inner showman so they can experience their family’s support.

- video record their best pieces and send them to friends and family or share on social media.

Let’s talk about when it’s a little more difficult to listen and enjoy their practicing. I call it “beginner sounds.” Beginner sounds on some instruments, like the piano, are not too bad (as long as your piano is in tune!) But on some (violin, oboe, and clarinet, I’m looking at you) the “beginner sounds” can be like the proverbial nails on a chalkboard. Those squeaks and awkward noises on some instruments are very normal at first, but the more they practice the fewer “beginner sounds” they’ll make. For wind instruments, they will learn how to control their airflow and embouchure; for violin (especially) they will learn bow control. But they do have to practice quite a bit (in encouraging circumstances, don’t forget!) to get through this phase.

And finally, those cute little 12-second songs that they usually start with. Yes, they are short and not very interesting. Yes, they don’t sound or look very hard. Yes, that is what their teacher assigned to them and is what they are supposed to learn and master this week. Remember, keep it positive. If you treat those little ditties as if they were Mozart sonatas or a Chopin Nocturne, your child will be proud of themselves. And your positivity will rub off on them and fuel their desire to want to learn more.

“For me, life is about being positive and hopeful, choosing to be joyful, choosing to be encouraging, choosing to be empowering.” Billy Porter, Broadway performer and writer.

Image by Mircea Ploscar from Pixabay

Don't Be a Robber

As a member of a Facebook group for piano teachers, I often read interesting stories from fellow teachers around the world. There is one I can’t forget. The teacher telling the story had a new family sign up for piano lessons, who had previously studied with someone else. The new teacher asked to see what books they had been using, and was shocked at what was produced: entire lesson books that had been photocopied - by the previous teacher. That teacher had also charged the families full price for these “books.” The family had no idea that this was not normal. They had been paying full price for an illegal copy of a lesson book.

Think of all the money that the previous teacher had made by illegally copying a copyrighted work. Think of all the money that they stole from the writers of that lesson book by not having their student buy a real copy. Think of all the money that the family spent on cheap-looking photocopies when they could have had a brand-new book for the same price. Yuck.

Here’s how music copyrights work. “If a work was published in the United States before 1923, it’s mostly likely in the public domain and can be copied freely. If it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1978, the work enjoys copyright protection for 95 years from the date of publication. For works published after 1978, the copyright holds until 70 years after the composer has died.” (https://www.connollymusic.com/stringovation/ins-and-outs-of-copying-sheet-music , retrieved October 25, 2019.)

In some cases, when a piece of music is several pages long, it can be impossible to turn the page by yourself without a noticeable pause. In this case, “If you are copying only a single page for a difficult page turn, you may do so without permission.” (https://www.mtna.org/MTNA/Learn/Copyright_FAQs.aspx , retrieved October 25, 2019.)

Now about music in public domain. “The term “public domain” refers to creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public owns these works, not an individual author or artist. Anyone can use a public domain work without obtaining permission, but no one can ever own it.” (https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/public-domain/welcome/ , retrieved October 25, 2019.)

Here are two different sources for music in public domain:

http://www.ibiblio.org/mutopia/

https://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page

I have used these sites to get legal copies of music in public domain for students.

The main point is, that the more we know, the less we are hurt. If you have a teacher that frequently gives you copies of music NOT in public domain (still protected by copyright,) offer to buy the book instead, or ask to borrow an extra book from them. They may be unaware of laws regarding copyrighted materials. It is unfair to rob composers of hard-earned money by copying their music, rather than having students buy from them.

Here are suggestions for teachers of what they can do instead of copying music illegally:

- Have the family buy the book, and have them learn many or all of the pieces in it.

- If teacher only wants to use a single song or piece from an entire book and the family does not want to buy the book, teacher buys the book and lends it to the family while the student learns the piece.

- If two students of different families are learning a duet, buy two copies of the book and lend them to the students.

- When purchasing music online, buy a “studio license” (if available for the music you are buying) to allow you to legally copy and distribute music to multiple students.

In the words of a composer I know, “If I had a nickel for each piece of my music that was illegally copied, I could have retired by now.” Be cool, people. Don’t steal from composers by photocopying. Learn about copyright laws and urge your private teachers to do the same. Use real copies of music books, not illegal photocopies.

“Don’t set sail using someone else’s star.” African proverb

                                                                                       Image by TeroVesalainen from Pixabay

Ask Away

Many parents have questions before having a child embark on the path to learning an instrument. It is good to have questions! Better to ask than to always wonder. Here are some common questions people ask about music lessons.

Q- Do we need our own instrument?

A- Yes. You can rent or buy, but your child needs one in your house so they can practice daily.

Q- Why are private lessons so expensive? I want to find the cheapest teacher I can.

A- The reason is found in the title, private lessons. You have a teacher who is spending one-on-one time with only your child, crafting the entire lesson to their needs, helping them understand everything the best that they can. A highly qualified teacher is often more expensive because of their experience. You don’t necessarily want just the cheapest quote.

Q- I want my child learning classic rock/”favorite genre” type music right away. Can we skip the beginner-sounding music?

A- Well…. not really. If they are a brand-new beginner, some “beginner-sounding” music will be necessary. There are probably teachers out there that can start a student out on whatever they want, but they likely won’t be teaching the student to read music, which is an essential skill to becoming a musician, if you think about it.

Q- I have a piano app on my phone/tablet. Can my child use that to practice for piano lessons until we see if he likes it enough to buy a real piano?

A- Good question, but NO. A huge, important part of the first lessons on piano is learning to have correct hand position while pressing down keys, that are the correct distance apart. You must have a piano or keyboard for them to practice on.

Q- Weekly lessons seem expensive/time-consuming. Can we do every other week?

A- In my experience with over 150 private students, it has been proven again and again that weekly lessons are the best way to go. When a student is allowed to go every other week, what most often happens is the student doesn’t practice much at all the first week he is “off,” and when he goes to practice that second week right before the lesson, he has basically forgotten everything the teacher discussed in his previous lesson. He makes almost no progress.

Q- How long will learning to play an instrument take? Or, When will she be done learning to play [instrument]?

A- If you really want to know, they will never be “done.” There is always another level of better playing they can achieve. There will always be another piece to learn. Now, not every student wants to or needs to go to become a concert artist, but to get to a level of proficiency and independence, it will take several years of lessons from a good teacher. (And lots of practice!)

Q- My child wants to become a music teacher and/or be a music major in college. How can they prepare for that?

A- Being a music major takes a lot of discipline. You have to like practicing… a lot: 1-2 hours daily practice at minimum at most universities. So make sure they are used to practicing now.

-Ask their teacher what they suggest. A good teacher will know how to prepare students for college auditions.

-Get your child into some music theory studies. They don’t have to know everything about music theory, but knowing basics will help them immensely!

- Have them perform as often as possible for family and friends. Performing is a huge part of being a music major.

Q- I think my child has aptitude for being a musician. Do you think they have potential?

A- Yes, any child that has a desire to learn and a has good teacher can become a musician, but only if they work hard and practice. A child that thinks they are good at music but never practices (because they think they don’t need to) will not become a musician. Just because someone says they have “talent” doesn’t mean they still won’t have to work hard.

Talent + hard work = results.

Q- How long until they will be able to play [difficult piece of music]?

A- Probably years, if they are a brand-new beginner now. Some famous pieces have been arranged into easier arrangements, so those will be reachable sooner, but the “real” versions of famous pieces will probably be several years away.

What other questions do you have about private lessons?

“Never let fear stop you from asking something you don’t understand or know. To pretend or to act as if you know is not a wise thing to do.” Catherine Pulsifer, inspirational author.

Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

Music Lessons and Baseball

So private lessons are basically the same as sports; Little League for example.

Music teacher : head coach

Parent : assistant coach

Baseball practice : practicing done at home during the week

Baseball game : Music lesson with your teacher

Your music teacher is your head coach. You listen, respect, and obey. They know what is going on, and their job is to help you learn how to be the best player you can be.

The parent is the assistant coach. They guide the team when the head coach cannot be there. Or, when mom or dad say it’s time to practice piano, the student goes and practices piano.

Practicing at home during the week is like the baseball practices you attend during the week. This is where music lessons are harder than sports. When you go to sports practice, the coach is there, guiding you and encouraging you. And you make sure you go to practice so that (1) you stay on the team, and (2) you will know what to do during the game. When you practice your instrument at home, your “head coach” (teacher) is not there, so practicing at home is a big part of the Assistant Coach’s job.

Students, your weekly lesson is The Game. This is where you bring your best and lay it out. You want to win, so you have prepared the best that you could so you can Win for your teacher.

Parents, would you sign your child up for Little League, soccer, Girls on the Run, flag football, or any other sport, and then never take them to practices?

Step into and embrace your role as “assistant coach.” Make sure your “baseball star” is prepared and ready when you take them to “The Game” each week with the “head coach.” Don’t let another week pass where you realize they didn’t practice.

That’s not how games are won; that’s not how music is learned.

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” Colin Powell, former 4-Star US Army General, and former Secretary of State.

Image by Keith Johnston from Pixabay

When Your Child Arrives At a Brick Wall

The child starts lessons, and has stars in their eyes. They run home and practice every day. This new skill is fun! I can do it!

And then for some, the climb up the Mountain of Learning gets steeper, the concepts get more difficult, and the practicing doesn’t come so easily.

For others, they find the beginning material is quite easy, and they discover they can “coast” a bit, and not put in much time or effort. Then when the material gets more challenging, they are in a lazy rut and don’t know how to apply themselves to learn the new level.

When students stop wanting to practice and work, I call this the Brick Wall. There is always a way around or over it, but not all students will look for the way. Signs that your child are at the Brick Wall include:

- resisting practicing

- having dread on lesson day

- saying they want to quit

This is your moment, parents. As teachers, we can usually tell when the child is at their Brick Wall, but if they are a good actor and put on a happy face in lessons, we don’t always notice.

If your child refuses to practice at home, please tell your teacher.

If your child has lost their interest in learning the instrument, please tell your teacher.

If they want to quit entirely, please tell your teacher.

We can’t help what we don’t know, but knowing what the issue is can help us redirect our focus in the lessons.

If the student doesn’t like the pieces in the book, we change books.

If the student is tired of classical and wants to try jazz, we can try jazz.

If the student doesn’t want to practice their pieces, we find pieces that they like.

If the student needs more variety in lessons, we can bring more games and activities.

If the student wants to quit, we can ask them what they would like to do in lessons to keep going.

If the student needs less structure in lessons, we can be more flexible and spontaneous.

But sometimes, that information can only come from you, the parent. Please help us help your child get around their Brick Wall. And once they find their way around it, students generally enjoy playing and learning again. Please don’t let them quit the first time they ask! Involve the teacher in what is going on so they can be part of the solution. As a teacher, it is easy to “get in a rut,” and changing things up are good for us too.

“Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.”

Helen Keller

Image by Tyke Jones from Pixabay

Ten Ways to Become Your Teacher's Favorite Family

1. Get that kid to practice. Seriously, this will give you many many brownie points from your teacher.

2. Pay on time, the way they ask. If they ask for payment on the first of the month, you pay on the first of the month.

3. Let your child answer the questions the teacher asks them.

4. Understand that if you need to take a break from lessons, your teacher cannot always give you the same timeslot when you come back. Many teachers have waiting lists and will fill that spot instantly.

5. Respect the place where lessons happen. If lessons are in the teacher’s home or studio, don’t allow younger siblings to run around or make loud noise or messes. If lessons are held in your own home, make sure the designated room is clear of other children, is quiet, and free from TV distractions.

6. Respect the teacher’s makeup and missed lesson rule. If you are expected to pay for lesson time even if the student is absent, pay for their time. If they don’t offer makeup lessons, don’t ask for a makeup lesson.

7. Praise your teacher to your friends and family. Give them an online review if they have a web page or Facebook business page. When they feel that you appreciate them, they will go above and beyond for your family.

8. Respect their profession. Many people ignorantly assume that music teachers teach because it is fun and easy, that it is just for “fun money,” or that it isn’t a legitimate business or career.

9. Be on time: for lessons, for payments, for recitals, for forms to turn in.

10. Get your child to practice. Seriously.

Image by eommina from Pixabay 

About Practicing

 Let’s talk about the P word… Practicing!

Halloween is coming up, so this scary topic is right on time!


I’m joking. Practicing doesn’t have to be as scary or intimidating as it may sound.


Practicing is simply going home after your lesson and playing your instrument because you want to learn how to play your instrument. And you can’t learn to play your instrument if you never sit down and play your instrument. And the oftener you play your instrument, the easier it gets, and the easier your songs/pieces get. And then you get better and better and you play more and more fun music. And it’s all because you went home and played your instrument.


So how do you know what to play when you’re home? Open your lessons book(s) and find what pages your teacher assigned. If they write in a notebook, open that and read what they wrote. Play through all of your songs, and if you struggle in one spot, take a look and study it out. Try again. If it gets frustrating, it’s ok to put it away until tomorrow. But you make sure and try again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.


You know Michael Jordan, the super-famous basketball player? The one who won 6 NBA championships and is worth over a billion dollars? He didn’t become a great basketball player because one day he woke up and realized he could suddenly play amazingly well. He said, “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” He didn’t mess up once and give up forever. He tried again. And again. And again. And that is what you must do when practicing and learning how to play an instrument. Learn from your mistakes. Mess up. Try again.


Practically speaking, a practice session might go like this:
- open books, find assigned songs
- play through each song at least twice
- do any assigned theory

It might last a beginner 10 minutes. An intermediate player- 30 minutes. An advanced player-an hour. And it must happen most days of the week for it to count.


Parents, if you have to remind your child to brush teeth, take a shower, or put on their shoes before school, then they still need you to remind them to practice. Sit down with them and be involved. Have them teach you what they learned and give it your best shot. They will learn it so much better if you do this. Set a daily timer on your phone to help you remember to do it!


A wonderful resource to help parents get their kids to practice are these books:
101 Piano Practice Tips: How to get your Kids to the Keyboard! or the similar book,
101 Music Practice Tips: Practice Tips for ANY Instrument both by Tracy Capps Selle. Available on Amazon, these books have many clever tips for getting your child to practice.


“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.” 
Malcolm Gladwell (author and public speaker.)

Photo credit Natascia Jones

Being A Music Parent: Understanding Topics that Music Teachers are Passionate About

I am Natascia Jones: music teacher, parent, and life-long musician. I have a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Organ Performance, and have played violin and piano for most of my life. I have taught lessons on all three instruments and have taught over 150 private students. As I have taught and gotten to know wonderful families, I have come across common threads of misunderstanding, such as: if my child doesn't practice this week, it is okay because we were busy; or, the best way to end lessons is to "ghost" the teacher; or, if I choose not to come to lessons one week, I shouldn't have to pay the teacher.

I created this blog to discuss subjects that are not talked about enough in the music lesson world. If you are a parent of a child in music lessons, or want to be soon, the topics here will help you understand some of the ins and outs of this world. As a private lesson teacher, these are topics I wish I could discuss in depth with all my students’ parents, but cannot for want of time. This blog is for families (and teachers!) of any musical instrument, be it piano, violin, bassoon, flute, etc. Be warned, I use humor and sarcasm freely. Subscribe to get notified when I post new updates.

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