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Grace&Chaos
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| Posted: Aug 25 2010 at 9:18am | IP Logged
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I played violin when I was younger and really enjoyed it. So far I have to admit we have not had any of the kids play an instrument. My oldest ds(5) is begging to learn piano. We visit our inlaws frequently and he heads straight for their piano every time.
I've included an afternoon of recorder time in our plans this year. Hopefully this will peek an interest in all the kids and teach them some basic music lessons. Who knows Santa might bring a nice piano/keyboard this Christmas  .
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JennGM
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| Posted: Aug 25 2010 at 10:35am | IP Logged
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SuzanneG wrote:
I played piano for about 10 years, but like Stef....don't practice, so I can't "really" play anymore  .
I also played oboe and bassoon in band/orchestra for 8 years during my teen years.
I am teaching my oldest dd beginning piano, and she's dying to get her hands on a violin....maybe in a couple years. The other girls haven't shown an interest in anything yet. |
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This is similar to me. I took piano for 15 years, and even did it in college. I also took organ.
I'm out of practice. I can sight read songs, and still play at Mass when I have some time to practice, but it's not at the level I used to. Some day.
Last year we started with piano lessons, but there wasn't perseverance or practice by my son, so we're trying to this as he is maturing much and has the desire.
Music is an integral part of our daily lives, though, like Angie said. We sing all the time, play good music, talk about music, and play it. At times I think music can be the cornerstone of all learning, it seems so pivotal.
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Carole N.
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We started with recorders (is that considered an instrument) and then moved on to piano. They are still playing piano which has been a great aide in learning other instruments.
My oldest son played violin then French horn for a brief period of time before we left the States. Now he plays guitar both acoustic and electrical.
My dd plays flute. We had a homeschooling band in our previous residence so she picked up clarinet. Now she wants to play the organ. I am hoping she will start lessons this autumn.
My ds played the trumpet for a short period of time. And yes, I do own most of these instruments (lol). 
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TracyFD
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I have a master's in clarinet, but honestly unqualified to teach my own kids piano so the oldest three are in piano. They do half Suzuki, half Faber & Faber. I did have all three in Suzuki violin too, but let my son trade violin for boy's choir.
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and mom plays the ipod!
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ALmom
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Ok, neither dh or I play anything at all - unless you count the CD player. Neither of us even reads music and I started out thinking that the orchestra tuning was a beautiful piece of music - first time I ever even saw or heard an orchestra (live or on tape) was when oldest was 13. (I've made some progress, but still do not read music or carry a tune). I was a teacher's nightmare for one full year of piano lessons when I was about 12 - no rhythm, never learned to read it - counted lines and spaces which didn't help my horrible rhythm at all. I did practice, but didn't know how to practice properly - just kept playing the same pieces over and over again without any effect. I know I sounded like I never practiced. My husband does have a special interest in acoustics (engineering side of things). Neither of us can carry a tune either as well as not reading music. We are not exactly the model for producing musicians in the family.
My dh actually had some pretty good records (used them to test the speakers he made as a kid), but my first experience listening to music was when dd was involved and being at live concerts made a huge difference for me.
Oldest is getting masters in piano performance.
She also plays violin and organ (organ wasn't on your list was it?).
One other child took piano for several years and cello for a year (wouldn't say she plays either but she still messes around with the cello from time to time). She originally had requested either violin or cello and wish we'd gone with her request. Piano, she begged to quit but wasn't practicing so I told her she could quit after a years worth of consistent practice. She actually chose to continue a bit longer after practice made her better - but then life and other interests took over and she didn't spend long with the instrument she seemed most natural with (Cello).
Science fan is taking piano (wanted harp at first after seeing an orchestra concert with a harpist)and now talks like oldest in terms of interest in all kinds of instruments. Our area - harp lessons would require extensive travel out of state and cannot even purchase instruments anywhere close (Chicago is closest place, I think) so this just never was in the realm of our realistic possibility.
Two others are taking violin lessons - again exposure to live music sparked the interest.
Oldest took the instruments she chose. Second took the instrument I thought (hey we already bought the piano and it is a good foundation for anything else so take it first and then move on. I was ignorant about all things music and thought it was just a matter of reading the notes and hitting the right one - knew you learned both base and treble cleff with piano so it had to be the best to start ). Next child took piano because we didn't have a harp teacher nor could we afford a harp. I was a little smarter by then and would have liked to allow him a chance to try his instrument of choice, but it was impossible and he chose piano as the alternative. Others are all taking according to their request.
Oldest son will be required to take something for one year to at least see - his choice is organ (the ever practical minded). He has no interest, really, at the moment so I'm trying to balance when to ask that he just do it. I know he will practice, but still, is it fair to set lose on an unsuspecting teacher someone who has no inate interest - hated going to concerts earlier. I know it will be a summer when we start so it doesn't become resented as something else mom made him do that drags the school day out.
I had multiple reasons for requiring my children to take at least some music - 1) I have felt so totally ignorant and recognized what a hole is left with absolutely no training in any of the fine arts. 2) We had a number of crossing the midline issues and a number of instruments are great at developing and remediating those pathways. 3)I have always, always, always wanted to have family sing alongs, learn church hymns that have gone out of "style", do a lot of informal music and make other learning fun through music - but couldn't read any music to even attempt it - even limited in trying to pray Liturgy of Hours because I want to sing some with it and we have to just speak the words of the hymns. I was thinking my children would want the same some day for their family (and hoping that one of them would take over for me in that department). 4) Turns out oldest was gifted by God with both a love and a talent for music and we certainly needed to provide her with opportunities to develop that talent (We discovered it when she started playing Christmas carols by ear on an old keyboard we won - not even a full keyboard, and begged for lessons with perseverence for over a year. I put in the entry at the drug store on a whim thinking dh might enjoy messing with it since he'd just begun to play around with one of those early PC midi interfaces. His single friend played piano and they did the computer stuff together. I'm embarrassed now that I was so slow to respond to dd real request. At the time, all I could think about was how expensive the instruments were and I really didn't believe any child would stick with it longer than a year and then we'd have this expensive piece of furniture.)
My gut now would be to do all I could to allow the children to take the instrument they are most interested in to start with and somehow figure out how to invest in instruments. I've also learned the importance of real quality instruction and quality instruments. (We don't get to see our oldest as much as otherwise because she really does have to practice on a grand and we don't own one - so she spends more time close to school where she can have access). Violins whose bridges aren't made right make it hard to get pure sounds and can become really frustrating to learn on. AAAh - we do the best we are able and trust for the rest. Of course, I also don't know how to pick out instruments and have to rely on teachers to help - or now oldest dd. We were really fortunate with the person who helped us pick out oldest's violin. Things have been a bit more sketchy for the other children's instruments - but now the need to invest in another full sized one - plan is have oldest keep her eyes open and pick something out for us.
I am loving the opportunity to learn from the children. DD is currently teaching a Music Foundations course at U and I'm looking for her to teach it to me one day!!!!
Janet
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: Musical Instruments/Lessons - Which ones? (
Topic Closed)
