How do music lessons help my student?
- Self-discipline - Learning to set a time to practice and consistently coming to lessons helps students to learn to manage their time.
- Reward for effort - Students who practice, progress. They see firsthand the reward for the effort they put into their music.
- Long-term goals - When students have been playing for awhile and can play music for their friends, they see the benefits of sticking with something.
- Science shows that playing music helps the brain in other areas:
- Fun - playing music is just plain fun. The fun multiplies when we play with or for others. Many people find playing is relaxing and a good means of self expression.
- Music can help us make new friends.
- Music can be an opportunity for service. Some students want to play in their church. Others like going to a nursing home and playing for the residents there.
- Music can be a way to earn money either by performing or teaching.
How long until my students can play in public, such as church or school?
- The most basic answer is that it is up to them. As I said above, students who practice, progress.
- Students can begin playing for others fairly quickly, in the sense that they will have music to play immediately.
- Playing in public, such as church, will take several years.
- A student who wishes to become a piano major in college will, on average, need 8-10 years. Of course, this still depends on the student. There will always be some students who progress faster, just because they love to play so much.