Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion sudden interest in multiple instruments/music

ok...so now I have more info too...

it says "orchestra" on the schedule, but what that really means is strings (mainly violins) with the teacher playing piano. The teacher is a "violin guy" who also plays professionally, composes, etc. The other kids I talked to do not take outside lessons and even the teacher said we will let her have a few classes, then see if she really needs extra help, but he does not give private lessons outside of school.

She already gorged herself on the book they use and was ready to name all the parts of bow and violin and says she played some today...I take this all as a good sign...

She got confused about guitar today thinking she had to bring her own to play (a mis communication or misunderrstanding on her part, they have some to loan) but I also think she is particular about now wanting to use one that other people touched...she kind of has a thing like that...but after Christmas she will have TWO, so that will be solved.

Piano is out of the question for now...there's just no room in the house even for a good keyboard, especially with all these other instruments in here, hahaha! I hope she just forgets about the flute. She did get a branch flute from a friend of ours who makes them and I think this is more her style, something natural and really meant for improv...

She is also taking a multimedia class where she produces her own music with garageband and that is pretty impressive, I have to say...she might want to play all these instruments just to understand the computer music making better, lol!

Interesting thread-
Over the summer our 4 yo received the gift of a violin lesson with a fiddle/violin teacher. His favorite sitter thought of it for him

He has been begging since August to start violin lessons, and I just had the phonecall with the teacher who now has a 3 mo baby. We are starting a lesson once a month with a rented violin, with the understanding that he is to practice 4-6 times a week. She said that even if it's 15 mins a day, but NOT to practice if he's unhappy as it's counterproductive.

I'm actually a dabbler, so I'll be interested to see if this is a lasting passion, or just an exploratory interlude. Either way it's fine with me. Nick insists he wants to practice everyday with his own music stand and book.

He's already getting plenty of exposure to music- we've got a piano, drum kit, trumpet, and percussion stuff in the house. He refused piano lessons- because it's "boring" to him- he says he's fascinated by strings and valves. No trumpet teacher here for 4 yos, so violin it is...

Interesting to read your experiences, folks!

I asked Butter more about how class went and she seemed to have had a really good time. She said the teacher was funny and she enjoyed it and when I told her she needed to practice today, she was more than happy to...

Isn't Garage Band awesome? My kiddo spends hours putting arrangements together.

ABQMom-better than any video game so far

We were pushed, (dd was in a music and me program, within a good music school), when she wasn't 3.5 to start her in piano. We said no. I put her in a group piano that fall and within a couple of lessons, the teacher pushed again. She turned 4 in a week and we decided to go for it, thinking she had all this talent.

DD has the talent and interest, particularly composing, but not the passion required to be a pianist, which is OK but...

She is now 7, her pieces pile up, reading the music rather than quickly memorizing was a total battle. And with her schedule, homework, it is hard to keep up with the piano -- she has a high quality piano teacher who still hopes that DD will continue on a competitive track. Part of me thinks to switch piano teachers, since I know her passions are in dance, but I will not give up on the piano because there is a part of her that is drawn to playing, just not the practicing required to perform to her teacher's expectation. And then she also agrees to try for a juried concert in the spring. She agreed.

The problem lies in that she loves to play and play fast. Getting from new sheet music placed in front of her and being able to play it at the speed of sound is a "long" (for a 7 year old) process. She also likes to play other instruments, but I will not go there and even the Philharmonic programs have singled her out for composing. But interest and passion are two different things.

We started DS7 on piano when he was 5 after buying the Fisher Price "Can Play Piano" toy. The toy plugs into the TV and the child must watch the screen [ not the keys] to play the songs. Our son burned right through several cartridges and expert level so we asked him if he would like to learn real piano instead of playing games.

He said yes and 2 years later he is tearing right through tough classical and contemporary pieces. We are suggesting a second instrument or vocals for him on his upcoming 8th birthday. He is still thinking.

Sometimes starting kids a little later on music lessons may be better. We tried my son at age 5 on the piano and it was just too much for him. We reintroduced it at age (almost) 8- he's been taking weekly lessons now for over a year and he loves it.
He practices every day without problems- he won a couple of medals and trophies recently at some local competitions.
We are in California and see ALOT of "Tiger moms" start their kids at age 3 on piano or violin. However, when my son came up against their kids at the competitions, many of them were at the same level as him although they had been playing longer. The kid needs to be ready too.

Jack'smom, that's been my experience with my DD and swimming, too. She took swim lessons as a preschooler, and it was too much for her. Soon after she turned 7, she said she wanted to learn to swim, and 18 months later, you'd never know she started later than most kids.