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I posted a little while ago that we were starting DD on piano lessons, the music school was really pushing it for her.

It has been going well and she seems to really be into the piano but I am really thinking the logic of starting a child just 4.

Each week he keeps moving up the challenge, she practices and seems up to it, except for...her hands are too small.

He gave her a piece last week, first one where she has to use all fingers and both hands. The left hand is a five key span chord. Her hand can only do 4 keys. He realized at the lesson and asked her to try. She can barely reach 5 keys, but really impossible to play a 5 key span chord. He said, where there is a will there's a way, because she just reached it. But her fingers touch the inner keys and I am thinking this is ridiculous.

Also, he was pushing for her to do a recital before Christmas. First of all, I do not see the point. DD does not really want to do it. And I have to think about why we are doing it. He is an excellent teacher otherwise for a 4 year old. She has learned so much.

She seems to really like it, often stops at the piano and plays a piece, without asking. And has a good ear, but the time out of her day at this age, seems like a lot, though it is only 15 minutes of practice. I guess it is that inner voice about them being childhood is so fleeting.

I guess it like taking her to this gymnastics class last week. They put her in the 5-7 for some reason. They were on teh trampoline doing these exercises, and it was tough. Though she had a blast. The instructor was not so thrilled she was there because she really didn't have the strength or size. At one point the instructor had her lie on the trampoline, and they jumped, DD flew into the air and the instructor caught her. Of course she had a blast.

Maybe these fit with her need to be challenged. Maybe I am just writing because I don't know what else to do with myself. Probably the last.

Ren

Ren,

I think 15 minutes per day isn't bad especially if it something she loves. As long as she is happy and not complaining I would consider it a nice part of your daily routine.

I would worry about the chords though. I too have a 4 year old who started private piano lessons this year as well. He is only a little bit older than your daughter. I think there is no way he could play a 5 key span chord. Fortunately he was never asked to do so. Trying to do something which is impossible or extremely hard may ruin your DD's piano experience. It could be very frustrating for her. I would talk to the teacher and make sure he understands your point. Once her hands are bigger she will most likely fly through these kind of songs. I am sure there are other songs she can be taught before her hands catch up with her abilities. If she doesn't want to do the recital then don't do it.

Hi, Ren--

Do you know about the Donison-Steinbuhler keyboard? It's a retrofitted 7/8 keyboard that replaces the standard keyset on the piano; the music departments of several Canadian universities have at least one of their grands fitted out with them, primarily to serve very petite female piano students. (You can swap the full-size keyboard back in later if desired--you haven't "destroyed" your piano or made it too difficult to resell later if you choose to try it out.)

I taught music for years (though not piano), and while I don't want to second-guess your child's teacher in any way, I'd keep an eye on the potential for pain with the big stretches; "no pain, no gain" is absolutely wrong in music. If she says it hurts, have her stop (doing the specific thing that hurts, I mean). There are way, way too many talented people out there with permanently damaged hands (I know several who can't play any more--really heartbreaking).

minnie

Yeah, the piano teacher seems to be pushing a bit harder than I would want if I were in your shoes. It may be time for a parent-teacher conference...

Thanks for the input. This school is strict about practicing on real pianos. No electronic pianos etc. I just have to set limits with this guy. He is so excited about having her as a pupil or something. But I will tell him no recital. DH thinks it would be good for her. My gut, and I have a better gut, is no.

She is highly competitive and perfectionist already, don't need to feed that, there will be other food for it as she grows.

Ren

Well, just to be clear in case anyone is interested (I don't want to sound like a sales rep!), the D-S isn't an electronic piano, it's a retrofit (like changing the stereo Toyota supplied with your Yaris, and replacing it with an after-market one). A technician removes the keys from a real, acoustic piano, and puts in new smaller set of keys, so that a player who could only stretch a seventh before, say, can now reach an octave.

It's a pretty neat engineering feat, actually. If anybody's interested, there's a good article in Medical Problems of Performing Artists, vol. 15, no. 3, Sept. 2000; also see www.steinbuhler.com or chrisdonison.com.

Appreciate the advice Minniemax, but I do not feel like making that kind of investment. Especially since she really wants violin. A year of piano before violin is preferred with this school. And we have a spinnet (apt living in NYC) so it would be really expensive.

Just came from the lesson and he changed the left hand from a chord to just A. I think, for me, it just seemed to be going so fast. Adding the pieces etc. The practice has to be more than 15 minutes to accomodate. I really do not want her practicing more than 30 minutes. Which at this point in her life is a lot. But what she has to practice is expanding quickly.


Hence, my ambivalence. Yes, she likes it, is motivated to play -- practice another story, but even Yo Yo Ma said on a Marsalis video about practice, he hates practicing. And her age and desire to play, play, play with her dollhouse, and other stuff in her non school time.

Ren

Oh no worries, I wasn't trying to talk you into it! (It was more an apercu than advice; speaking of advice, can someone tell me how to add diacritical marks here? I've just omitted a cedilla!!!) I just thought it was kind of an interesting alternative, and that somebody out there might be intrigued (plus I was afraid I hadn't explained it very well the first time!).

One fun thing a lot of kids enjoy is writing their own little pieces; Harpo's violin teacher has him write a lot of his own tunes, and his practice time never seems onerous to him when he's working on his own creations!

Have a great day!
minnie

Hi Ren - I'm glad the teacher is willing to work with you. I agree that having a kid try to do something they cannot physically cannot be a good thing for any kid, especially one with perfectionistic tendencies. It's also good that he's excited to work with your DD though.

I think listening to your gut was right. Maybe you can it clear to the teacher what your limits are on practice so you're on the same page (e.g., 15-20 minutes).

I am watching this with interest because we were going to start DS with piano when he turns 5 in a couple months. I asked him to stretch his hand on the keys today, and he wouldn't be able to do full chords. Good to keep in mind when talking with our piano teacher.

Good luck!

That's what we are doing with DS6. He has at most 5 short songs to practice and he does all that on his own. I don't even have to remind him to practice. DS4 too has at most 5 short pieces (right now he has 3) but we need to make sure he practices which I admit is always not easy. 2 weeks ago his teacher let him pick up any song he wanted to learn. I thought that was very nice and motivating.

MoN your previous arrangement with 1+ hour practicing sounded way too much for a small child. Even as an adult I wouldn't want to play something over and over again. I am glad she was able to resume lessons now.