My DS started to play piano.

Sun, Dec 24 2006, 11:18 am

My son is almost 6. I have hired a teacher of music for him. He is doing o.k. The teacher says he has certain talents, but needs to work very hard. Obviously to get results in any field you need to spend a lot of time. But this is very hard for a little boy.
Does anyone here know how to help a child to love music and to work hard?
Who has an experience of teaching music?
What Jewish songs to start with?
What good printed music for kids do you know?
Do you teach your child not Jewish but classic music?
I would appreciate any advice.

Imaonwheels

Wed, Dec 27 2006, 12:26 am

I started my ds at 8 yrs old and he was very good. The music teacher asked me to send him. After a while he preferred to play outside. I would never force an instrument on a child. I have years of music training. My parents did not really support me I just loved music. For many years it was my whole life.

There is love of music and ability to play an instrument. Not every child should play the piano. One of mine has a wonderful sense of rhythm, sings beautifully but has probs w/fine coordination. I bought him a darbuka, a type of drum that is popular w/the kids here. He loves it and goes to the bachurim himself to learn the different drumming patterns.

Keep music around him. He will either like to listen, create or both. The creative process is too enjoyable to ruin it by force. Don't send him to lessons if he hates them. Sometimes a child wants to learn an instrument but the tedious part - practicing scales and timing will get him down. Then he needs encouragement. I started at 9 because that is when the school started. As I said, this was my idea, not my parents.

I have around us niggunim. When the kids get around BM they want to listen to other frum music and I let them. I do not allow nonJewish music in the house. Four of my children are adults living in their own homes. All four like niggunim, those who married Temenim also have frum Temeni music and my other married son lets his wife listen to the boom boom chassidi rock she got used to in sem.

Imaonwheels

Wed, Dec 27 2006, 8:58 am

If the parents can play an instrument then if they play with simcha and the child has an aptitude he will take an interest. I have a plastic Yamaha (real, not toy) recorder and piccolo that any of my boys can take if they want to blow into it while I play. They know that the only difference between theirs and my rosewood or ebony is a few hundred $$.

The school should have music around the kids and someone come in and do rhythmics w/the gan. There are guys who do it for the cheder. The teachers can encourage students who seem musically inclined and point this out to the parents. If this is the case take your child to visit someone who is frum and plays an instrument. A music teacher should be able to check for an ability to hear a pitch.

Which instrument is a matter of the child's taste, coordination level and in some cases dental structure. Single reed instruments can be difficult for one who has overbite or mallocusion.

IBR

Thu, Jan 11 2007, 8:25 am

I studied accroding in russia from the age of 8 but my friend in the appartmetn building started to teach me piano from when I was 5. she wanted to play 'teacher student' game. I don't have the hand for the piano as it is too small, but I can play on the keyboard. my daughter who is three can carry a tune and she loves singing so on sunday when I m cleaning I take the keyboard out and let her 'bang' play whatever she wants its never too early in my opinion I mean obviously the child has to be able to stand and press keys. but yes having music around and showing your child that its fun. in terms of teaching I would say 6 is the earliest but for piano or any instrument that requires finger stretching in the begining the child will spend time doing just that stretching his hands or learning basics. to the OP. basic jewish songs are 'dovid melech yisroel' I have a little draidel is simple too. there are music books you can buy the child should first learn the names of the notes like do, rei, mi and basic scales and also how to read the notes once he knows how to read notes he can learn to play just about anything. Also complimenting him is one of the good ways to encourage. Never make it into a punishment!

Mama Shifra

Sun, Apr 29 2007, 11:30 am

LL wrote:

What Jewish songs to start with?

Teaching Little Fingers to Play Jewish Favorites by Eric Baumgartner (ISBN# 1423407628) is for children who are beginning piano students. Published by Willis Music. It comes either with a CD or without. Selections include: Heyveynu Shalom Aleichem * Oh Hanukkah * Tumbalalaika * Dayenu * I Have a Little Dreydl * David Melech Yisrael * Nigun * S'vivon * Hatikvah.