My DD7 started piano last summer when she was about 6.1y We chose a piano teacher that came to her prior montessori school to give optional small group piano lessons starting at around 2 years and up though I think it was mostly 4-5 year olds doing it. I started chatting with her once when about starting DD who was then 5 and found that this teacher was apparantly quite accomplished and very booked. We had to wait until she graduated some students in the summer about 6 months later and then we started. I figured that it was probably good to start with someone who was comfortable with young children even though we probably didn't need someone of this caliber (and cost). Soon after, my youngest who was about 2.10y at the time started begging for her own lessons. After months of consistent begging, a spot opened and so I gave in and started her at 3.3y. Its a bit older than your DS and a different instrument but other than the cost of it, it has been fine. She loves the private lessons but I do not think she would have loved the usual group music classes. The teacher started with alot more fun type books and learning songs and coloring to learn the notes but quickly she seemed to teach DD3 the same she had started with DD6 (now 7). I am amazed at how well she reads music (for the notes she knows) and she quite loves doing the counting and the theory reciting. I am surprised by how easily she does it though I really should not be. They recite things like the space and line notes, intervals,order of sharps and flats, key signatures, 5 finger patterns and a lot of music terms. Sometimes she doesn't want to play the songs assigned and we do not do consistent practice at all but she does quite well at the lessons and has quite good technique actually despite her age. We don't even have a piano at home but just a full size pretty nice keyboard. In any case, that has been our experience in the 4 months or so since she started. In fact both my girls and another girl who is 5 are doing a trio at the end of the year recital this weekend. Should be fun. Also i fully expect she will lose interest and stop for awhile at some point but we will have a head start and could pick it up later if she wanted. I do admit that I am a little embarassed of starting her so young as I fully expect that most people think I am crazy and a pushy tiger mom for doing it. But I am not and who really cares anyway.
