Education News

Music to Your Ears

Education News from Alleyn's | www.alleyns.org.uk

Paul Smith, Head of Head of Instrumental Studies at Alleyn’s, talks about the whys and hows of your child taking up a musical instrument.

Most people love music of some sort, so do share your enthusiasm and enjoyment of music with your child in any way you can as early as you can, and you could be sparking an interest that will give them - and you - pleasure for life!

THE BENEFITS

The benefits are well documented: engendering good habits and routines, strengthening connections in the brain - which impacts on wider academic performance - as well as the confidence and ‘buzz’ from performing live. For older children, ensemble playing or playing in any group not only offers social benefits and a sense of teamwork, but it also improves communication, empathy, and listening skills.

CHOOSING AN INSTRUMENT

Expose your child to lots of different styles of music and sounds, not just your own favourites. Music elicits a personal response, and we never know what will make a connection. Some styles of music are better suited to particular instruments, but the one your child likes the sound of is a good place to start. Piano and string instruments are easier to start early, while wind and brass may need the greater reach, more developed muscles or bigger lung capacity of an older child.

GETTING UP AND RUNNING

Developing those initial skills on any instrument can be tricky, but a good teacher will help make the challenges fun! Once your child is up and running, practice can offer a refreshing break from homework. Your child’s teacher should tailor music choices to suit their musical preferences, but you should also expect practice to involve some technical work. This is what improves ability, allowing your child to play a greater range of music, which is more fun and creates a positive cycle. Theoretical understanding and the skill of sightreading are important and will help your child pick up new pieces more quickly. It’s fun to be able to move on to new pieces of music quickly rather than getting bogged down with the same piece every week, and receiving the same comments from your teacher, which can be demoralising! Hand in hand with this, a good teacher will also encourage good listening skills – students should know the sounds they are aiming for and a teacher will show your child how to create them. Music is all about emotions and expression. It might be a long journey, but there are so many enjoyable and satisfying hours to be had along the way. There may be times when it feels more of a challenge for your child, but if they can weather these moments, they will surely see the benefits in other areas of life, both at school and more generally, and hopefully you will have encouraged a love and passion for music that your child will carry in their hearts for ever.