What can I expect when my child takes instrumental/vocal lessons?

This page will help parents to understand how they can best support their child in learning an instrument and how they can ensure that their children make musical progress.

Here are some basic principles:
  • Children are happy when they know that they are making progress – give your child lots of positive praise for their music making!
  • They enjoy music when they are able to hear the progress they are making.
  • They gain enormous self-esteem and confidence from building up a portfolio of small and large scale performances
  • They value what they do in music when they have support from parents and family
  • The guidance of an expert instrumental/ vocal teacher develops their understanding of 'how' to improve

What can music do for your brain?  Click here to find out!

When can my child start learning an instrument?

Recorder, violin, piano and ukulele can be learnt from Year 2 onwards.  Most other instruments are best from Year 3 or 4 onwards.  However, it very much depends on the individual child, their physical size/ability and the amount of musical support they are able to receive from home.  In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer lessons to a child in Year 1, but please contact us directly via email to discuss this.

Applying

Following receipt of an application, if it is within the first 4 weeks of the half term, it will normally be possible to arrange lessons to start in the following half term.  We will endeavour to meet your group-size requirements, but this may not always be possible.  If your child is a beginner and you are hoping for a group of 3-4, it might be worth asking other parents in the school whether there are other children who want to start lessons at the same time. If several applications arrive together, a group is more likely to be possible.

Organisation of Lessons

Once your application has been received, and lessons have been arranged, you will be notified.  Once a teacher has been allocated, they will contact you directly with details of your child's first lesson.
If possible, lessons are timetabled on a rotating basis during the school day, so that students do not miss the same lesson every week.  You will be notified if your child is on a waiting list.
Lessons are billed termly (or half termly) in advance, either by the teacher directly, or through the DASP office.

Top Tips for success!

Here at Wessex Music, we realise that learning a musical instrument is a huge investment both financially and personally.  Here are some top tips to get the most out of your instrumental lessons:
  • Be prepared to practise regularly - little and often is the best approach.
  • Use a Practice Diary – it is the main method of communication between teachers, parents and pupils. If there is effective communication between all three parties, the learning will be transparent and your child will make progress. In the early stages parents should help structure and monitor practice at home.
  • Be prepared to buy or hire a good quality instrument.  We do not recommend that you purchase a cheap instrument from the internet.  Seek advice from your teacher about this.
  • Be prepared to buy sheet music and other instrumental accessories (reeds, cleaning fluid, mutes etc) as necessary.
  • As soon as you have mastered a few notes, join an ensemble!  Playing in a group helps you to progress more quickly and is lots of fun!

Common Questions:

  • Does every child need an individual lesson to make progress?
Your child's instrumental/ vocal teacher is best placed to assess which type of lesson will sustain attendance, enjoyment and achievement. Some children learn better in groups where they can challenge each other.
  • Should my child be working towards examinations?
There are many musical "end points" including concerts, making a recording, learning a particular piece, joining an ensemble which can motivate individuals as well as exams. Exams have their place in celebrating achievement although they may not be appropriate to every child. There are also more informal types of assessment that can be undertaken as part of the lesson and are accredited, such as Music Medals.
  • How do I know how much practice my child should be doing?
Always take advice from your child's teacher regarding practice – learning how to sing or play an instrument is complex and requires the skill of a specialist teacher. Very young children may practise less than older children if that suits their needs and concentration skills better. Usually, little and often is better than one long practice session.  For a beginner, we would recommend about ten minutes, five times a week.
  • What do I do if my child wants to give up?
So did most music teachers when they were young players! Normally this requires a change in direction, a new piece, changing the skill level or reassessing the learning in some way.  Joining an ensemble can be a great way to renew enthusiasm for an instrument. It is natural for children and young people to sway but parents and teachers have a responsibility to make sure we can reinvigorate learning when this happens.  Perseverance is a valuable life skill which children can learn from having instrumental/vocal lessons.

Termination of Lessons

If your child wishes to discontinue lessons, a half term's notice needs to be given, in writing to the Wessex Music office.  Please see the Terms and Conditions for exact dates.
Instrumental Lessons T&C 25-26
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