Do you know the benefits of involving children in musical activities from an early age? When is the right time to enroll a child in music school? Which instrument should the child choose? Which music school should a child enroll in? Are you worried about high instrument prices? What if the child does not want to exercise?
There are many questions that arise for parents when deciding to enroll a child in music school, and there are even more benefits that attending music school brings.
Did you know that a child is supposed to perceive the first sounds already between 16 -18. a week in pregnancy? After the 24th week, when the ears develop so much, the baby already responds to sounds from the surroundings. So the baby already recognizes the mother’s voice in the womb and also responds to the music we play. Music calms, stimulates movement and stimulates the heartbeat.
Most of us play music to our children. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, as Jeremy Summerly, a British conductor and lecturer at the Royal Academy of Music, says every father also wants his son to cheer for his favorite football team.
Or maybe with this we can shape a child’s taste for music? Some children will follow the things their parents love, others will do the exact opposite.
The task of parents is not to limit their children to listening to only one type of music, but also to acquaint them with different styles. Children are open to all sounds and listen to music of different styles.
Allow them to listen to folk music and classical music, which will also have a positive effect on the development of children’s brains, e.g. Mozart – The Mozart Effect is a study by scientists in different parts of the world regarding the impact of Mozart’s music on our brains. You can see more about this in a short article on the RTV SLO – IN BRIEF link.
Why enroll a child in music school?
The offer of various activities for children has grown significantly in the last few years. Which activities will help a child the most in development and success in life is an important question that every parent asks. Why would you decide to enroll your child in music school during a flood of courses, sports activities and learning?
In the following lines, we will present the positive effects of playing the instrument and the important role of involving the child in musical activities from an early age in many areas of child development.
Despite the fact that not all professional musicians will continue their music careers after finishing primary music school, music lessons and classical music play a very important role in your child’s overall development.
Below we have summarized just a few of the main benefits of music education:
Development of coordination and motor skills
Playing an instrument requires the movement of the arms or even the arms and legs at the same time. Playing each instrument requires simultaneous different actions with the left and right hand. Improving the coordination of hand, finger and posture movements prepares children for other hobbies such as dancing and sports
Improves academic skills and increases IQ
Music and math are very intertwined. By understanding rhythm and scales, children learn to divide, create fractions, and recognize patterns.
It affects the ability to remember. According to dr. Laurel Trainor, a professor of psychology, neuroscience and behavior at McMaster University, “Young children who take music lessons show different brain development and improved memory in one year, compared to children who do not have a music education.”
Increases IQ. Numerous studies (such as the 2004 study by E. Glenn Schellenberg) have shown that IQ in children increases due to even a few weeks of music. Brain activity increases after music training, some parts of the brain also increase. Unlike many other activities, playing an instrument helps to develop both sides of the brain at the same time.
Improves social skills
When children play in a group, it is important to cooperate and communicate with each other in order to achieve a common goal. In music schools, they often combine different instruments (eg piano accompanies the flute or violin), and many works are also written for several instruments at the same time. Teamwork teaches children patience, tolerance and peer encouragement.
It perfects discipline and patience
Playing an instrument teaches children to persevere through hours, months, and sometimes years of practice before reaching certain goals, such as performing with a band or performing solo. Learning an instrument requires hours of concentration and patience. For example, the violin has a steep learning curve. Before you can hear a single sound, you must first learn how to hold a violin, how to hold a bow, and where to place your feet. Children need to be persistent even if things don’t go well, which is an invaluable skill for all areas of life.
It increases self-confidence
By playing an instrument, children learn to accept criticism and constructively criticize themselves and others they listen to. In particular, group lessons and performances can help children understand that no one, including themselves or their peers, is perfect and that everyone has room for improvement. Performing in public is an important skill, whether you become a professional musician or not, but it helps boost self-confidence.
Reduces stress
Numerous studies show that music reduces stress in both the short and long term. It helps us relax and forget about our problems for a while. Music also helps emotional development, as we can express our emotions through music.
Which musical instrument should the child choose?
Choosing the right instrument is not that simple. The right choice is especially important because the child has to put in a lot of effort and practice before the first songs sound. Therefore, it is advisable to take into account the child’s wishes, as this will also be more motivated.
What if a child may not know which instrument to play? If the child has not yet had the opportunity to learn about individual instruments, hear and see them, the choice will be a little harder. Parents can help a child by listening to how each instrument sounds together, so that the child can tell which sound suits him. For this purpose, some music schools have also prepared video presentations of individual instruments and departments in the music school, which you can watch with your child.
You can also involve your child in a music internship or preschool music education, where he will get to know different families of instruments and individual musical instruments. Music teachers will help you with your choice, as they will recognize if the child is enthusiastic about a musical instrument.
When choosing the right instrument, it is necessary to take into account certain restrictions on individual instruments, as e.g. you know that you need good listening to sing, it is also important for strings, for winds and brass it is important that the child has no respiratory problems, the accordion is among the heavier instruments and is more suitable for physically stronger children…
The choice of instrument is also influenced by whether the child will have the opportunity to practice at home. If you live in a multi-apartment community, your neighbors probably won’t be thrilled with an evening of drumming practice?
Sometimes it also happens that a child chooses a certain instrument simply because it is also played by his sibling or best friend, or because the seats in the desired instrument are already occupied. If the child later wants to play another instrument, the replacement is also possible after consultation with the professors and the management of the music school.
Purchase an instrument
A child attending a music school also urgently needs an instrument at home, as without practice and consolidation at home he will not progress fast enough. Buying a musical instrument is a big expense for parents, especially with musical instruments that the child quickly outgrows. To this end, many music schools have the option of renting an instrument.
A child will not outgrow the piano, but parents have doubts whether the child will persist in music school? That is why, we also offer PIANO RENTAL at the Benton Piano Salon, which you can also buy later, and a certain rental period is also taken into account when you buy. We also deliver the piano to you free of charge.
The purchase and choice of the right instrument is not only influenced by the price, but several factors must be taken into account. We have broken them down in more detail in the blog post BUYING A PIANO
When buying an instrument, the most important thing is that it is high quality! If a child has problems with the instrument, he will also lose interest in practicing. The biggest problem is the purchase of used instruments – for this purpose, Benton offers advice and evaluation of used pianos or grand pianos (since you probably do not buy a car without prior inspection by a car mechanic). Don’t miss our offer of new and used pianos under the SALES tab.
The child’s teacher of the instrument will also be of great help in purchasing. They often accompany their students with their parents to the music store and try out the instrument for you.
What if the child does not want to exercise?
Parents also have a big role to play in making children’s music school a pleasure by encouraging and providing optimal conditions for rehearsals.
A big leap can happen right on the verge of puberty, when a child who used to happily exercise every day simply doesn’t want to exercise anymore. That is why it is very important that parents are also involved in music school, monitor the child’s progress and communicate with the teacher. This will allow you to identify the problem, guide the child, find solutions together and help him through the obstacle.
When is the right time to enroll a child in music school? Which music school should a child enroll in?
Children from the age of 5 can be enrolled in music school. Due to the positive effects of music on the child, you can also enroll him in various music workshops or music lessons in your vicinity where they offer and usually include children from 3 years of age.
Enrollment in music school and entrance exams take place in late May and early June. Registration forms and exact dates of enrollment and entrance exams can be found on the websites of individual music schools.
PRESCHOOL MUSIC EDUCATION – The child gets acquainted with the world of music in a playful way. Developing musical skills through play and various musical activities. The program is intended for children aged 5 years. The program lasts 1 year, no entrance exam is required for enrollment.
MUSIC TRAINEE – The child develops musical skills through play and acquires and learns about individual instruments. After completing the music internship, they enroll in the MUSIC program on the basis of the entrance exam. The program is intended for children aged 6 years or. 1st grade of primary school. The program lasts 1 year, no entrance exam is required for enrollment.
MUSIC – Instrument lessons are individual and take place twice a week for 30 oz. 45 minutes and group lessons once a week (music lessons, solfeggio, orchestra…).
The music program lasts 4.6 or 8 years. An admission test is required for admission.
Source: http://pisrs.si/Pis.web/pregledPredpisa?id=ZAKO2063
Today, there are 54 public music schools and 16 private music schools in Slovenia.
Two conservatories and three secondary schools, in cooperation with music schools, implement the Art Gymnasium program, the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, the Department of Musicology at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana and the Department of Music Pedagogy at the Faculty of Education in Maribor. Taken from: GOV.SI At this link you can find a list of all music schools
