Did You Take Music Lessons as a Child?
This post is part of a paid partnership with Guitar Center – they are one of the largest independent music educators in the country, providing lessons for tons of instruments, including violin and piano, plus singing lessons.
When I was about six, I saw Fantasia for the first time, and I was obsessed with the violin playing.
I loved the way they sounded, of course, but I also couldn’t get over how beautiful all the synchronized bows were.
I begged to take violin lessons and I ended up playing for the next nearly seven years.
I took weekly lessons and practiced daily (possibly accompanied by daily complaining. But I’ll never tell. I hope my mom won’t either).
I grew through a quarter-size violin to a half-size to a three-quarter size violin.
I played in the city high school orchestra (even though I was only in middle school, along with a handful of my teacher’s other students).
I performed at events all around the city and went to violin camps several summers in a row and made quite a few friends.
Playing the violin was a HUGE part of my childhood.
Bart also grew up taking music lessons too (piano, in his case), and I remember early on discussing music lessons for our children.
But to my surprise, he said he thought every one of our children should take at least a year of singing lessons.
The idea of singing lessons was completely out of left-field for me, and I kind of shrugged it off (seeing as we didn’t even HAVE children), but over the past year, as Ella has showed more interest in singing, it suddenly seemed like a great idea.
Even though I haven’t picked up the violin in more than 15 years (okay, more like 20), I am so grateful for all those years of music lessons, since music education teaches all sorts of important skills that correlate to academic and cultural success, like discipline and memorization.
I’d been to Guitar Center locations on many occasions, but I had no idea they taught music lessons (for all sorts of instruments!) at their stores (they’re actually one of the largest independent music educators in the U.S.).
Bart had spent quite a bit of time earlier this year looking into voice teachers for Ella, but most of them were online and very expensive, so when we found out she could take singing lessons near me (I never want to drive very far!) at our local Guitar Center, it felt like all the stars had aligned.
With school getting out in a few weeks, it’s the perfect time for her to take weekly singing lessons, especially because my number one priority for summer activities here is indoors.
Guitar Center also has custom curriculum that focuses on teaching music theory and all their programs are approved by the National Association for Music Education, the world’s largest arts education organization, plus the programs can be tailored to help you learn music you’re interested in.
Ella starts next week and I can’t wait to see how it goes.
(But I’m probably not quite as excited as Bart, who has literally been waiting a decade to have a child take singing lessons).
I took five years of piano lessons as a child. Unfortunately, I was never very good at it. I did learn a lot about reading music and still sing in our church choir.
My daughter, on the other hand, started taking piano lessons when she was about seven and continued at least until high school. She was quite good at it and and ended up as accompanist for some of her friends in high school talent shows.
In fourth grade, she started playing flute and that really became her main musical focus through high school and she made it to regional competitions and was invited as a junior to play in an honors band in PA.
She also joined chorus and began taking voice lessons.
For a month during each of three summers, she attended music camp in Maine and really loved the experience.
Today she plays and sings weekly for Mass and is paid to do so. She also sings and sometimes plays at her own church.
I think music training is very important for children. It gives them a broader view of the world, teaches them discipline, helps them develop an ear for language as well as music, helps them understand different cultures and time periods, brings much joy, can be a non-violent outlet for anger, sorrow, or frustration (I remember sometimes using the piano that way), is a way to express many other emotions often more effectively than words, helps them both learn how to work and see the value of long term efforts, builds their self-esteem, and enriches their life now and in the future. Yes, it takes work on the part of the parent as well, but it is well worth it.
My son has been introduced to music through our church. Starting at age 5 they have what they call cherub choir and that has been his introduction to music. It’s free and he’s being taught by an amazing music director. I hope he continues—it’s such a joy to watch him sing and develop into a chorister.
That sounds amazing!
I took piano lessons for twelve years. I never had any natural talent (or real inclination to practice, honestly) so not much of it stuck. But I still enjoy picking out a song or two now and again! My husband and definitely want our daughter to learn an instrument.