A Band Parent's Guide
A Parent's Guide to Enhancing Your Child's Musical Experience
(How to Get the Most Out of Band)
CONGRATULATIONS! Your decision to provide your child with a quality musical instrument is an investment in your child’s future. In making it possible for your child to play a musical instrument, you are providing the opportunity for self-expression, creativity and achievement.
Numerous studies indicate parental attitude, support and involvement are important factors in a child’s ability to successfully learn to play and to enjoy music.
These guidelines are designed to assist you in giving your child the best support possible for his or her musical endeavors. Like any skill, interest counts far more than initial talent. With the right support from you, playing music will become a natural part of your child’s life.
Musical Benefits
For Your Child
Music Participation Enhances:
o Problem solving
o Teamwork
o Goal-setting
o Self-expression
o Coordination
o Memory skills
o Self-confidence and esteem
o Concentration
o Poise
o and much, much more!
For Your Family
A child’s music study also offers opportunities for shared family experiences, including:
o Music event attendance
o Family music making
o Performing for and with family and friends
o Learning about the lives of composers and cultural heritage of many civilizations
o A sense of accomplishment and pride for the entire family
How Do You Fit In?
Your support is an essential element in your child’s success with music study.
Schedule Practice Times
Music achievement requires effort over a period of time.
You can help your child by:
o Providing a quiet place for practice.
o Remaining nearby during practice times as often as possible.
o Giving space if your child requests it.
o Scheduling a consistent, daily time for practice.
o Praising your child’s efforts and achievements.
o Help your child keep recordings for a reminder of how far they've come.
Selecting a Music Teacher
Formal music instruction can help your child’s progress, especially if they need extra help, if they are exceptionally gifted, or during the summer, when school lessons are not available.
In choosing a teacher, consider these points:
o Background (including principle instrument) and experience.
o Comments from other parents and students.
o Provisions for sharing music through performance.
As your child's band director, I can recommend excellent private teachers in our community for individual lessons.
Here's the Question:
What TO Do:
o Encourage your child to play for family and friends.
o Offer compliments and encouragement regularly.
o Expose your child to a wide variety of music, including concerts and recitals.
o Encourage your child to talk with you about his/her lessons.
o Make sure your child’s instrument is always in good working condition.
o Allow your child to play many types of music, not just study band music or lesson material. They will enjoy playing some music “just for fun.”
o Listen to your child practice, and acknowledge improvement.
o Help your child build a personal music library (both written music and CD’s, MP3, etc…).
o Try to get your child to make a minimum two-year commitment to their music studies. They will go through some rough times, but they should work through it and find the rewards from the hard work.
What NOT To Do:
o Don’t use practice as punishment.
o Don’t use getting out of practice as a reward.
o Don’t insist your child play for others when he or she is really uncomfortable doing so.
o Don’t ridicule or make fun of mistakes or less-than-perfect playing. There will be funny sounds and awkward moments. Don’t make them feel worse.
o Don’t apologize to others for your child’s weak performance.
o Don’t start your child on an instrument that is in poor working condition.
o Don’t expect rapid progress and development in the beginning.
Are They Losing Interest?
In the event that your child loses interest in his or her music studies, DON'T panic.
o Discuss the situation with your child to determine why their interest is declining.
o Talk to your child’s music teacher to see what might be done to rekindle their enthusiasm.
o Encourage your child to stick with the lessons for an agreed to period of time (a two year commitment is recommended).
o Offer increased enthusiasm and support.