How To Find A Great Music Teacher

By Madeleine Bridgeman


If you look back at your many years of education, from kindergarten through college, one thing holds true. A good teacher is one that we remember, and we also remember what these special teachers taught us. No matter what subject we are learning, a teacher can make or break the experience. This is certainly the case when a child begins taking music lessons. A great teacher can truly inspire your child, while a poor instructor can have the opposite effect. Here are some tips that will make selecting a music teacher a bit easier.

While you don't need someone at the level of Ithak Perlman teaching your child six-year-old how to play the violin, it's still a good idea to take a look at the qualifications of a teacher. You want to find someone with a solid music education and also ask about their experiences as a teacher. While they might have taught for 20 years, their students might be concentrated in an age group, experience level or instrument category that doesn't suit your child. So if your child really wants to learn how to play the drums, a teacher who mainly instructs students in brass or woodwind might not be the best match.

You need to also ask about expectations. These include what your child wants to get out of the experience, as well as your own expectations and those of the teacher. Perhaps you simply want your child to be exposed to music and just enjoy the experience, or perhaps you are hoping that they will play throughout high school and college at a very high level. Your teacher also will have certain expectations in mind and it's good if all three of you are on the same page.

While practice is a huge part of learning an instrument and discipline is crucial, you should not forget about the fun factor. After all, you do want your children to enjoy themselves at their lessons. If the teacher seems very stern and inflexible, this might not be a great way to start for your child. Someone organized and thorough but personable is a better match for a young child who might be a bit nervous and even sometimes have a bit of trouble focusing.

In the end, take into consideration how you and your child truly feel about each teacher you interview. Sometimes the personalities just seem like a great match, even if it means that you are selecting a younger or less experienced teacher. Sometimes children are more likely to stick with an instrument if they get to choose the instrument and some of the songs they practice. Keep in mind, that even if they are playing rock music, they are learning just as they would by practicing one of Beethoven's sonatas.

If you are searching for music lessons in Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente or San Juan Capistrano, a fun option would be to consider the Los Rios Rock School. Serving all of Orange County, this music school offers both private lessons as well as a special rock band experience for its students. You can learn virtually any instrument and also play that instrument in an actual band. The students perform a variety of concerts throughout the year at well-known Orange County venues such as Stillwater, the House of Blues and the Coach House.




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