If you do music lessons-what is reasonable?

Carol*Brady2

DD#1 has taken violin since she was 4.  She panicked at her last recital & the teacher stopped giving lessons where she was (a music center) & only gives them at her home which is quite a ways away (30+ min).  Anyway so she hasn't played in several months (she's 6yrs old now).  She says she wants to play the harp instead (I picked violin) & has said this for the last year.  DD#2 wants to play violin--so she can use DD#1's violin (which we own now-it was $400) & I can find another local teacher.  I want to limit the kids choices to piano or violin--we don't have a piano but we've discussed buying one for years.  DH wants to let DD#1 play the harp since that's what she wants.  Well I was researching & a harp is more expensive than the new piano I wanted to buy (which was $2500 on clearance) & twice as expensive to rent as a violin ($50/mo vs. $25).  I think a piano is something nice to have in your home, so even if my kids don't end up playing long term, I can play it & it'd be nice to have.  A harp, I don't feel that way.  So my question is...do you let your child play something they are dying to...or make them be more "realistic" & play an instrument you pick out for them even if they don't love it?  The cost factor is secondary...but still a factor.

Zenya

Why does she say she wants to play the harp?

PinkPiano

That's a tough one.  I have a piano and plan for my girls to take lessons.  I would say that she should start with piano and if she is still interested in the harp in a year or two then rent one for a bit to give it a try.  I think interest in instruments sometimes wears off fast (it did for me). 

 

GinandTonic

DS wants to take piano lessons.  They're around 35 dollars a week, so I've been putting it off.  I should let him do a free trial and see how it goes.  We do not own a piano.  If he liked it, we'd probably first get a good keyboard and then go from there. 

I would NOT invest in a harp for a 6-year-old.  Their likes/dislikes change so quickly.  Next year, she might want to play flute.  Can she take a few lessons and see if she really does like it before you invest more? 

Here, in our public schools, they start instruments in 3rd grade - violin, I'm not sure what else.  They trial them all and then if they want to stick with it, they can be in the elementary school band.  Other than a piano (which I could also justify as a piece of furniture), I wouldn't buy an instrument until then.

DandelionMom

My mother plays the celtic harp.  It is a wonderful instrument and much more reasonable than the ginormous harps.  I hope one of my daughters chooses to play it. 

Right now we're starting with piano.  And next year oldest DD will be able to choose which instrument she wants to play in the band or orchestra.  I'm crossing my fingers for viola (that's what DH and I both play) but I'm doing my best not to influence her in anyway. 

I want her to choose her own instrument.  I very much wanted to play guitar when I was younger.  My parents pushed piano instead.  I hated the piano and did everything to get out of practicing.  So, I think that we'll do our best to go along with what the kids want to play in hopes they'll be more excited to practice. 

My fingers are crossed that they don't choose to play the bass. 

LadybugPicnic2011

Both of my boys play piano and have for several years.  My youngest has been begging and begging to take guitar, however we have a deal... He learns as much about piaon as he can from his current music instructor scales, reading music, exc and once she has said she has taught him as much as she can, I will let him move to guitar if he is still interested.  My oldest wanted to try flute in the school band, which I had no problem with... but he is 10 and understood that if he didnt practice diligently I would take away that privlidge.  Piano is a rather versitile instrument and the knowledge can be transfered to a multitude of other intruments.

peekaboo716

I would have a talk with her. Tell her the harp is too much money, and maybe she should try something else that she thinks will be just as fun. I can't imagine that her love for that instrument would last. Especially into the high school years where other instruments have more fun options.