Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.

1. Do you recommend voice lessons for my child?
2. At what age do you recommend piano lessons?
3. Why do you do so many programs?

Do you recommend voice lessons for my child?

No.  If you have a daughter who is going to be in a pageant that has a 
talent division, you might want to get a vocal coach for a few lessons, but 
I do not recommend consistent private lessons.  Children, boys AND girls, 
should get enough singing in their music classes at the elementary level in 
their school.  I would recommend private lessons starting at about age 13.  
By that time, the student's voice has begun to mature and a voice teacher 
can help develop the voice range, size, tone quality, etc. better at about 
this age.

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At what age do you recommend piano lessons?

When a child is beginning to read well, I would recommend piano lessons.  As 
a piano teacher, I have found that this helps them once they are away from 
lessons.  They can read the material in their books and understand what to 
do.  This helps them to be an independent musician faster. "Rote" teaching 
is fine for some things, but they will progress much faster if they can read 
the words and explanations in their music books.

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Why do you do so many programs?

After teaching for many years, I have found that nothing turns kids on to 
music like performance.  Let me say emphatically I am talking about 
performing with excellence.  Just to get on the stage and sing a song is not 
what I am all about.  I try to teach the children that singing in public is 
about proving what excellence is all about.  How they act, how they sing, 
how they look, and how they perform is a total package that demonstrates the 
unlimited potential children have to do great things.  Even at this age, 
this experience teaches them a social skill about how to act in public that 
will make them real "standouts" in their future years at school and on into 
the job market as adults.

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