"My son's school orchestra director says that private lessons are unnecessary, because students can learn everything they need at school. So why does my son need private violin lessons?"
I used to be surprised by this question, the first dozen or so times I heard it. For centuries, violin skills have been passed from generation to generation through individual instruction by private violin teachers. Across the United States, there is a long history of collaboration between orchestra programs and private violin teachers. Many schools (such as Wayzata and Edina) continue to recommend private violin teachers and distribute lists of good private violin teachers to their students. The result is better training for students and a better sounding orchestra for the schools.
Today, more and more schools are cutting back and even eliminating orchestra programs. Yet, these same schools are now claiming that their students do not require private lessons!
The reality is that most good private violin teachers share these two qualities:
1. Years --even decades-- of intense study of violin technique and performance.
2. Years --even decades-- of experience teaching the violin to students.
A good private violin teacher is probably not qualified to teach your child to play the tuba, or even the cello. But she knows how to play and teach the violin.
When you entrust your child to the school orchestra program, who teaches your child to play the violin?
The "orchestra director," of course! But who is this person? Can she play the violin at a reasonably high level? (Or at all?) What experience or training does she have exclusively on the violin? Even if she is a concert violinist, how much time can she devote to your child? And why does it matter? Can't a parent rely on the schools to do a good job teaching the violin, just like they do with math and reading?
The answer is, unfortunately, no. I cannot count the number of students who have had their instruction solely in the school system and have developed bad habits. "Bad habits" inevitably mean that the student cannot produce a good sound. And, without instruction in proper technique, he or she may already play with so much tension that it actually hurts to play.
Children learn very quickly. However, once they establish habits --good or bad-- they often experience frustration if these need to be modified later. (Don't we all!) If you wait until she shows sufficient interest or talent to start private violin lessons, or you entrust his violin instruction solely to the schools, you may well set your child up for failure. Please consider starting your child off on the right foot with private violin lessons taught by a good private violin teacher-- from day one!
