When should you start piano lessons for children?
by: RachelBranston |
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I am often asked by parents of young children what is the best age to begin piano lessons. Well, although I have seen children as young as four start to learn to play piano it is a tall order for most so young to cope with the physical and mental demands.
I have a lot of experience with a piano lessons course that is specially designed for young children. Although it includes keyboard skills it also uses a lot of singing and all round musical activity. One big problem is the problem of tiny hands that just cannot cope with independent finger movement. Six year olds are just better physically equipped for the keyboard.
Between five and six the difference in children's hand sizes is not great but their ability to concentrate on learning to play the piano moves on considerably. Their ability to take in information and just their knowledge of such things as the letters of the alphabet (A to G) makes a huge diffence.
The type of course offered too makes a big difference. My course for the very young is taught in a group of six or seven pupils. Parents are encouraged to sit in and help. I can demonstrate and encourage from the front whilst parents can guitde their own child's hands on the piano keyboard. I can move around the group and check each is coping.
Lessons for the very young need to be fast and flexible. Singing, and perhaps even dancing help to develop children's musical skills. Even most adults will find it difficult to concentrate for long if the work is intense.
It not only takes skills in the movements that we produce with our fingers, but our brains have just such a lot to assimilate and analyse. It's only when you think that you're asking a very small child to read two languages at the same time, use their two hands in totally different directions and then put expression and feeling into the music that you begin to realise what a task it is.
It is perhaps all the more amazing then that a six year old with limited skills in English can still make a success of learning the piano. There are lots of young children who manage it very well 'though. Seeing a small child looking at ease, sitting well and enjoying playing is a wonderful sight.
So to sum up, I would generally say that the age of seven would be the best time for the average child to begin to learn how to play piano. By this time they should be physically, intellectually and emotionally mature enough to cope. Still a keen and musical six year old from a supportive family will be far more successful than a reluctant eleven year old being pushed into lessons by eager parents.
Every child is different and every teacher is different. Don't despair if things don't turn out right on the first attempt. Once you achieve the right formula, you and your child will experience the joy and overall benefits that good musical tuition will give.
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About the Author
Rachel Branston has designed a superb dvd course to teach piano to both young and older. Pick up her free introductory piano lessons for beginners and find everything you need to know about piano music lessons at http://www.playyourpiano.com .
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