Music Lessons
Music lessons on specific instruments or in voice are generally offered in two forms. Individual lessons by a musical instructor, whether at your home or their studio offers private, individual training on your child’s chosen instrument. Private lessons may be more costly, but give your child undivided attention to their musical instructions. Group classes for children of similar skill levels are also available. These classes tend to focus on specific concepts, musical genres, or subject areas (including music theory) and afford less individualized attention. They do provide the chance for group dynamics and ensemble work that may not be easily available with private lessons.
Music History/Appreciation
A well-rounded musical education provides context and meaning to musical compositions and performance. With an enormous selection of musical genres and composers, knowing where to start might seem bewildering. But it isn’t. A good place to start really appreciating music is with the Great Musicians who have written and performed timeless classical music. A good musical education engages the student with a variety of learning styles. Your musical appreciation enrichment plan should include traditional textbooks that provide engaging historical narrative and vividly set the time and place for each great composer. In addition, your choice of text should supplement the written materials (or audio books) with the chance to listen to important selections written by the musician under study. Experiencing these selections aurally helps reinforce the text narrative and provides the emotional connection that only a musical performance can provide. This musical tieback provides auditory (music) and verbal (text) clues that promote understanding and retention. Access to relevant sheet music rounds out the experience so that the learner can see the notes and, perhaps, play them on his instrument. This sort of musical approach engages the student using all modes of education, offering them the richest and most meaningful educational experience.