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My boys, now 14 and 12 have been taking music lessons at a music school since
they were 9 and 7. The music school does weekly 30 min. private lessons, and
several 1 hour weekly band lessons. Lots of days to choose from on the
bands, and the kids go to the band that is on their level. They also have
concerts, and a huge 4 day festival held over the Memorial Day weekend, in
which the kids compete against three other schools. They also have specialty
bands in which the kids have to be either invited, or advanced enough to go
into. There is also a competition at the festival called show band
competition, in which each of the four schools puts on a show, any of the
kids in the school can audition for the show but only the kids in show band
can play in the band that accompanies the show. There is a band that teaches
the kids improv, they must learn the different scales and how to negotiate
them, this is jazz. They also have rock combos where the teachers invite
advanced students to form a rock band and perform. All of these things keep
the kids interested and eager to improve. My eldest son plays the
synthesizer, electric guitar, and bass. He has learned to do the sound board
for performances in and out of the school. My youngest plays the electric
guitar and drums, he is also lead singer in the rock band they formed a year
ago. At present, they have cut a demo CD and have played many independent
gigs. They love the music, and plan to become professionals. They have
their friends over nearly every weekend to jam. They are also involved in a
budding jazz band that they formed on their on from their theory class, and
their teacher was so blown away with them that he wants to work with them to
gig out also.
They have been doing this for five years, there were times when they didn't
want to practice, and there were times they wanted to quit. We didn't let
them, we simply looked for other ways to make it more interesting, and in
some cases, let them change instruments. But they did not loose the love of
music, and what they wanted to quit was the instrument, not the music. Now
they play them all, and play any type of music from rock to reggae, they have
experience in studio recording, live performing outside the sheltering arms
of the family and school, they can do sound board operation, sing and act,
Their social activities center around the school, they are there 5 and soon
to be 6 days a week, because I allow them to be in whatever bands or combos
they want. Sounds like a unit study doesn't it? LOL.
I know this is long, but there are things that can be beneficial, even if
they are structured and you have to give them a push every now and then. If
they want the music, they need the leeway to find the instrument, that is the
thing, finding the right instrument and watch them take off
Teresa


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wanderingmommy

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., HSMOTGO@a... wrote:
> My boys, now 14 and 12 have been taking music lessons at a music
school since
> they were 9 and 7. The music school does weekly 30 min. private
lessons, and
> several 1 hour weekly band lessons.
snip...
> They have been doing this for five years, there were times when
they didn't
> want to practice, and there were times they wanted to quit. We
didn't let
> them, we simply looked for other ways to make it more interesting,
and in
> some cases, let them change instruments. But they did not loose
the love of
> music, and what they wanted to quit was the instrument, not the
music.

snip...
I know this is long, but there are things that can be beneficial,
even if
> they are structured and you have to give them a push every now and
then. If
> they want the music, they need the leeway to find the instrument,
that is the
> thing, finding the right instrument and watch them take off
> Teresa


Thank you, Teresa! What wonderful advice. Guess I should get off the
computer now and find that xylophone teacher...

Beth

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LOL, there ya go!

Teresa


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