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A recent poll found
that approximately 62 million people in the United States play a musical
instrument, and 97 percent of parents polled feel children benefit from a
music education. Although music experiences in the home are vitally
important, parents will eventually need the help of their musical
community. Dalcroze,
Kodaly, Yamaha, Orff-Schulwerk, and Suzuki are the
five most well-known music-training philosophies, but most communities
offer a variety of musical experiences for children. Deciding when to
start private lessons, selecting an instrument to study, and choosing the
right teacher is both challenging and fun. Whether a child is interested
in singing or playing a particular instrument, there are advantages and
disadvantages to each. They are outlined in this chapter, as well as a
repertoire sampling of music that "shows off" the particular
group of instruments and interesting stories and anecdotes about the
instruments and music.
Finally, a good teacher is worth her weight in
gold, so what are the qualifications parents should look for? Dorothy
DeLay, of the Julliard School of Music, is considered the greatest violin
teacher in the world, and the characteristics that make her unique can be
found in other teachers, as well. This chapter discusses the attributes of
an outstanding teacher and how to match the personality of both teacher
and child.
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Musical training is a more
potent instrument than any other for education.
-Plato |
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Flight
of the Bumble Bee
(Rimsky-Korsakov)
Spring
(Vivaldi)
Trout
Quintet
(Schubert)
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