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Piano lessons
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My son has been taking lessons now for nearly 2 years (from age 5-7), he has learned a lot but has no great passion for the instrument. He practices if I tell him but isn’t drawn to play on his own. I think he’s had some great developmental benefits from learning music but given the cost I’m now wondering if there is any point to continuing when he has no real passion for it. Perhaps we could better spend the time (and money!) on homestudy for great composers instead. He also participates in a choir which he quite enjoys and drama which he really loves.
Any thoughts on the subject would be welcome!
I played several instruments as a child. I started on the recorder, then the organ for a year, then clarinet for two years, then to the piano where I found a lifelong love 🙂 I also picked up some on the drums informally. I added guitar as an adult. I think learning a variety of instruments is great. Usually i see people do decent at the variety but have one special love they develop. I would think if your child is not really interested after this long maybe a different instrument would get him excited.
Tara
I think Tara has a good thought. I actually knew several kids when I was young whose parents “made” them take lessons and they grew to HATE it. And then I had a good friend who was a Suzuki violin genius from the age of 3 and LOVED his instrument. I decided not to really make my kids do lessons. I taught them all to read music and practice that a bit on recorder. Then I let them be. I had one child decide he either had to take piano or die; he LOVES playing, I’ve never ever in all this time had to ever nag him to practice (sometimes I try to get him to get OFF and do something else like schoolwork) He still loves to play and has added organ. My next son suddenly wants to learn electric guitar. So that’s next up. Our third son hasn’t expressed an interest yet. We are willing to wait. I’d emphasize what he loves. If he loves drama, then get him involved in the children’s theater already and let piano go for now. Maybe he’ll be interested later or maybe he’ll find something new, but drama is a worthy art in itself and if it’s what he loves, you won’t have to nag him to do it. 🙂
As a piano teacher, I totally agree with Tara! Part of the point of taking lessons – besides the obvious “learn to play the instrument” factor – is to foster an appreciation and a love for music. I would let him stop before that begins to whittle away. He has a good foundation, and who knows, he may take it up again in the future. If not, having some piano background will be helpful in future musical endeavors… whether that takes the form of learning another instrument, singing (he’s probably already found that knowing some piano helps with what he does in choir), or simply being an engaged audience member at a concert or recital. 🙂
He is young. Perhaps you might take a break, and consider lessons again when he’s a bit older, perhaps the same instrument or maybe another if he so chooses. My daughter took violin lessons when she was 5 and after she learned to play “twinkle twinkle,” felt she didn’t have to progress any further, LOL, she knew a song. I decided I was paying way too much money each month to fight with my child, and we took a break. A few years later, she took up piano, and she is an incredible musician today at 19. One of my sons had no interest in taking lessons, but loved music, so we invested in classical CDs, he studied composers at co-op, and took him to concerts. Earlier this year he started taking piano lessons (he’s 14) and his interest in music has allowed him to progress really quickly.
Another thing I’m realizing is that part of this homeschooling journey is helping the children find what they’re passionate about and facilitating that; for each child, it will be something different, and it often takes trying different things before you find the thing they adore. It sounds like you’re thinking about that too, and have already found some things he loves.
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