Why Wouldn't You Sign up for Music Lessons!

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Over the past two years, we have been listening carefully to our students and prospective students.  Their input has been invaluable in our efforts to optimize the way Hunterdon Academy of the Arts operates.  Many of our improvements in the area of music lessons have focused on making it easier for students to enter the program, and stay in it.  We thought it may be helpful to provide a brief summary of our responses to the most commonly voiced concerns about signing up for music lessons:

1. What if I find out only after signing up that I don't enjoy music lessons? As of February 2010, we have introduced a new lesson registration that is based on short-term commitment. You initially commit to a minimum of 5 weeks, after which you may either drop out or re-register automatically for the next month. But a word of caution: if you aren't a virtuoso after 5 weeks of lessons, do not automatically assume that lessons aren't for you. It takes time to become a master performer! You wouldn't expect to be a professional football, tennis, or baseball player after a month of training either, or would you?

2. What if my teacher and I don't "click"?  Very occasionally, that happens, but it is no problem from our point of view. We try to get it right from the start by offering you a free trial lesson with the teacher we believe to be the best match for you. If things don't quite work out as anticipated, we will be happy to transfer you to another teacher as long as we have spots available; we have a large faculty with multiple instructors in almost every field.

3. What if the time I signed up for isn't going to work with my schedule long-term? As long as we have other slots available, we'll be happy to provide you with more a convenient lesson time.

4. Do I have to buy an instrument if I sign up for lessons? No. But in order to make progress between lessons, you need to have access to an instrument for practice purposes. For your convenience, we provide many instruments for rent, or you can purchase instruments at low cost from our local retail partner, CrossBorder Music. Our teachers will be happy to advise you on your best options.

5. As an adult, is it not too late for me to start lessons? No, it is never too late to start an instrument. We learn as long as we live, and that includes playing an instrument! Actually, adults are sometimes at an advantage in that they can be more focused, organized, and determined than some younger students!

Music Lessons for Adults

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A growing number of adults have been contacting us about music lessons--not for

 their kids but for themselves.  Some barely seem to have enough courage to inquire, cautioning that "it's been so many years since I took lessons."  Others tell us the story of their hectic professional lives, and that they are longing for a "peaceful island" away from it all, a place where they can relax and be creative.  Others still are beginners, wondering if they'd be able to learn an instrument later in life.  The answer is an emphatic YES, YOU CAN!  We learn, mature, and improve as long as we live, in all areas of life.

To be sure, if your goal is to become a classical music virtuoso performing in major concert halls around the world, your musical journey invariably would need to begin in childhood; it does take a long time for such a career path to develop, and even those starting early have no guarantees that their talents will ever be recognized by a national or international audience.

But this is hardly the point.  Music is enjoyable, exciting, and deeply meaningful, even more so when we turn from passive listeners into active music-makers.  Try adult music lessons for yourself, and find out how your new, or newly rediscovered, passion can enrich your life!

New Blog: Music and Art for All!

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Hunterdon Academy of the Arts proudly announces its new Blog--"Music and Art for All."  Visit us and join the conversation!  We would like to hear your thoughts on music and arts instruction and related topics.  Post your questions, share your ideas, and become a resource for each other!

5 Things to Consider when Signing up Your Child for Music Lessons

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Fortunately, many parents still believe in the importance and far-reaching benefits of music education, particularly for young children.  While music training often has to compete with so many other activities--such as karate, soccer, gymnastics, chess, etc.--to retain its place in a child's busy schedule, we keep seeing strong demand especially for music lessons.

However, when signing up your child for music lessons, the following issues should be considered carefully in order to achieve maximum results and benefits:

1. Lessons in a private home vs. a professional music studio: if you are planning to hire an in-home instructor, do you trust this person enough to leave your child with him or her, in your home or theirs?  Can your child handle potential distractions likely to interfere with teaching in a private home setting (other people in the room, pets, surprise visitors, etc.)?  

2. Age: the child's age is important for several reasons.  On a basic level, the student's age can help parents and educators make a responsible decision whether or not private lessons are the appropriate mode of music instruction for a particular child.  In our experience, 4- and 5-year olds often do better in group classes than in private lessons.  Aside from the benefits of social interaction, young children learn much from each other.  In fact, they may even absorb information more readily than in a one-on-one setting, which requires a much greater focus and attention to details--abilities that are not fully  developed yet in many young children.  If you choose to sign up for one-on-on instruction, discuss with your  teacher the option of a 15- or 20-minute format, instead of the more customary 30-minute lesson.

3.  Choice of instrument: other than the child's personal color, shape, and sound preferences, age is also the single most important factor in determining the proper choice of instrument for a very young beginner. Nobody will argue that the tuba is unsuitable for small children.  However, even with some of the most popular instruments in early childhood music education, the case is often not as straightforward as it seems.  Let us consider, for example, the violin.  While some four-year-olds are ready to take up the 1/8- or 1/4-size violin, many other children of the same age range may not yet have acquired the fine motor skills necessary to progress well on this instrument. 

4. The instrument: your child must have access to an instrument for weekly practice purposes.  Without some weekly practice, however casual it may be at first, there will be very little progress, if any, from one lesson to the next.  Inevitably, your child (as well as his/her teacher) will feel frustrated, and you will ask yourself whether taking music lessons was a wise decision in the first place.  Don't deny your child a good educational experience by denying the need to provide an instrument!

5. Renting or owning?  From an educational point of view, it doesn't matter much which route you choose.  Many music stores offer decent and affordable rental programs with full insurance coverage of accidental damage.  Whether you rent or own, make sure that the instrument is of good quality and in good working order.  In most cases, this means that you should not buy the cheapest violin or guitar you can find anywhere.  The "bargain" you've so proudly hunted down may actually make it very difficult, if not impossible, for your child to achieve good and satisfying results on the instrument, regardless of how much time is spent on daily or weekly practice.

At Hunterdon Academy of the Arts, our passion is teaching music and the arts. We're happy to help parents make the right choices in their childrens' education.  For more information, click here

Choir Month at HAA!

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Enroll now and participate in our joint performance with Newark Boys Chorus on March 27!

Requirements to join:

Training Choir (grades 1-3): registration

and

Bel Canto Singers (grades 7-12): audition and registration


For more information, please call 908-782-4943 or visit our website:

HAA Bel Canto Singers