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Message to Parents
• Benefits • How You Fit In • What To Do • What Not To Do • Credits •

A Parent's Guide to Enhancing Your Child's Musical Experiences

Congradulations - Your decision to provide your child with a quality musical instrument is an investment in your childs future. In making it possible for your child to play a musical instrument, you are providing the opportunity for self-expression, creativity, and achievement.

Numerous studies indicate that parental attitude, support and involvement are important factors in a childs ability to successfully learn to play and enjoy music.

This message is designed to assist you in giving your child the best support possible for his or her musical endevors. Like any skill, interest counts far more that talent. With the right support from you, playing music will become a natural part of your childs life.

Benefits

For Your Child
Music participation enhances:
  • Problem solving
  • Teamwork
  • Goal Setting
  • Self-expression
  • Coordination
  • Memory skills
  • Self-confidence & esteem
  • Concentration
  • Poise
  • and much, much more!

For Your Family
A child's music study also offers opportunities for shared family experiences, including:
  • Musical event attendance
  • Family music-making
  • Performing for, and with, family and friends
  • Learning about the lives of the composers and the culteral heritage of Western Civilizations
  • A Sense of pride and accomplishment for the entire family
Top

How You Fit In

Schedule Practice Time
Music achievement requires effort over a period of time. You can help your child by:
  • Providing a quiet place in which to practice
  • Remaining nearby during practice times as often as possible.
  • Scheduling a consistent, daily time for practice
  • Praising your child's efforts and achievements

Selecting a Music Teacher
Formal music instruction can help your child's progress. In choosing a teacher, consider these points:
  • Background and experience
  • Comments from other parents and students
  • Provisions for sharing music through performance
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What To Do

To give your child the best possible support, you should:
  • Encourage your child to play for family and friends
  • Offer compliments and encouragement regularly
  • Expose your child to a wide variety of music, including concerts, and recitals
  • Encourage your child to talk with you about his or her lessons
  • Make sure your child's instrument is always in good working order
  • Allow your child to play many types of music, not just study pieces
  • Listen to your child practice, and acknowledge improvement
  • Help your child build a personal music library
  • Try to get your child to make a minimum two-year commitment to his or her music studies
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What Not To Do

Your child's progress will be greatly enhanced if you.....
  • Don't use practice as a punishment
  • Don't insist your child play for others when they don't want to
  • Don't ridicule or make fun of mistakes or less-then-perfect playing
  • Don't apologize to others for your child's weak performance
  • Don't start your child on an instrument that's in poor working order of condition
  • Don't expect rapid progress and development in the beginning

If Your Child Loses Interest
In the event your child loses interest in her of her music studies, don't panic.
  • Discuss the situatioin with your child to determine why their interest is declining
  • Talk to your child's music teacher to see what might be done to rekindle their enthusiasm
  • Encourage your child to stick with lessons for an agreed to period of time
  • Offer increased enthusiasm and support
Top

Credits

This message has been developed by the following organizations in the interest of making music study and participation an enjoyable and richly rewarding experience for children and their families.

American Music Conference
5790 Armada Drive
Carlbad, CA 92008
(760) 431-9124

Music Educators National Conference
1806 Robert Fulton Drive
Reston, VA 20191
(703) 860-4000

Music Teachers National Association
The Carew Tower
441 Vine Street, Suite 505
Cincinnati, OH 45202-2814
(513) 421-1420

National Association of Music Merchants
5790 Armada Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(760) 438-8001

• Benefits • How You Fit In • What To Do • What Not To Do • Credits •


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