2. What is the best age to start playing piano?

3. Is a preschool child ready to take piano lessons?

4. What a specialty of working with preschool children?

5. I don't expect my child to become a professional piano player but I have heard that there is a benefit to him/her with brain development by learning to play. Is it true?

6. Do I need to buy a piano right away?

7. When my child tries to sing the song - sounds awful. Does it mean he/she has no musical ear?

8. My child likes to play music but hates to study music theory or play scales.

9. Can adults at any age learn to play?

1. How do I know that my child has a talent?

    Educators and psychologist have long noted that most children have certain talents. If you noticed your child is a quick learner or good at mathematics then it is likely the child will do well with playing piano.
    Some parents may think because their 4-10 yrs. child does not sing well that there is a lack of talent in music. But, this is usually incorrect as what the child hears may be uncoordinated with the voice.
    Therefore, it is difficult to say whether or not a child is going to be a good piano player until lessons are given and the student is highly motivated.

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2. What is the best age to start playing piano?

    Normally, most students begin formal piano lessons around the age of seven or eight. However studying earlier  is possible and even recommended should  parents believe their child is going to make a profession out of it in the future.
      As soon as children learn how to read they can be taught to play the piano. Parents, of cause, need to encourage them and see that the child practices and is truly ready.

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3. Is a preschool child ready to take piano lessons?

     Not every preschool child will be ready to begin piano instruction. The maturity level of four- and five-year-olds varies greatly. Girls generally are better coordinated and exhibit better dexterity than boys at an earlier age. Before rushing  headlong into piano lessons, parents should ask themselves a number of questions concerning their child's readiness level:
     1. Does the child show an interest in learning to play the piano by trying to pick out melodies on the piano, or by singing, or by just listening to music?
     2. Can the child stay seated and pay attention for at least 10 minutes at a time?
     3.Is there fairly good coordination of the small muscles? Can the child handle a pencil fairly well?
If there is a negative answers for this questions, it is recommended that piano lessons be started later when conditions are more conducive for learning. The readiness age will vary with each individual. 

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4. What a specialty of working with preschool children?

    Parents who are interested in starting a young child in piano instruction often are not aware that the preschool child will need supervised practice sessions. If the child cannot read, the directions will have to be read by someone else. Even simple tasks will have to be organized, for this may be the child's first experience in a structured learning situation, and guidance will be needed, especially in the beginning. Efficient practice can be achieved with the following guidelines.
    1.  The preschool child will need a supervised practice period every day for about ten or fifteen minutes. For a child whose attention span  is shorter than average, two brief practice sessions are advised.
    2. The person helping should sit near the youngster to assist in reading directions and point out any mistakes that might occur, as well as to give praise.
    3. It is ideal to set aside a specific time each day for practice when there will be no outside interference from family members, television, etc. This will help to establish the habit of practicing which is vital to the learning of any skill.
     4. It is a good idea to keep a record of the practice time (in a music notebook), and explain that regular practice will help the child become proficient at playing the piano.
     Piano lessons can, and definitely should, be an enjoyable experience for a young child. However, parents and teachers should be cautioned to begin formal instruction only when a child is able to absorb instruction and practice on a regular basis. Lessons will be enjoyable only with a certain amount of work on the part of both the child and parent(s).

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5. I don't expect my child to become a professional piano player but I have heard that there is a benefit to him/her with brain development by learning to play. Is it true?

     Piano instruction is an excellent added dimension to a child's education. It is usually not the intent or purpose of those studying to become professional musicians. Rather, for the majority who study, music becomes a satisfying experience that gives direction to the basic needs of self-expression.

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6. Do I need to buy a piano right away?

     If you have no piano or keyboard, it is better not to start piano lessons. The student has to practice on a regular basis. That, of cause, is impossible with out having an instrument at home. However, some parents have opportunity to take their children to another places for practicing such as relatives who have a piano. For the first few months it is a good solution. But in the future parents need to think about buying a piano.
     A keyboard is not a real choice because the touch is so different. But, naturally there is a risk that after you buy the piano your child loses interest. If you have other children this can serve as an alternative. If not you can always sell the piano and probably not lose any money as pianos hold their value.
     Another solution is to rent a piano.

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7. When my child tries to sing the song - sounds awful. Does it mean he/she has no musical ear?

A child who cannot sing on pitch probably has not done much singing. What the child hears may be uncoordinated with the voice. This condition will go on with systematic practicing of singing and does not effect in any way the playing piano.

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8. My child likes to play music but hates to study music theory or play scales. 

     Parents together with teacher should explain to the student that systematic studying of theory as well as practicing scales is necessary. An understanding of keys, intervals, chords, and harmonic structure is essential to the understanding of the music studied. In addition, students should receive ear training, improvisation, transposition, and harmonization as a basic part of the general theory program.

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9. Can adults at any age learn to play?

     Yes, they certainly can learn.
     Traditionally, adult beginners represented a small portion of the class. Today more and more people are looking for a creative, stimulating activity. Music lessons offer an important outlet to adults who are searching for some form of aesthetic fulfillment.
     Teaching adult beginners is a rewarding experience. Presumably, adults study music because they are interested, whereas children often take lessons because of parental insistence.
     Adult beginners generally do not reach astonishing heights in technical proficiency since finger facility has not been developed. Also, the ability to read music fluently, which demands a complicated coordination of intellect, eyes, ears, and hands, probably will progress more slowly. Occasionally, though, an adult will cover an amazing amount of material in a short time.

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