Music school recommendations?

Would anyone be open to sharing their stories regarding their little ones and music school? I’m curious about how you handled picking an instrument, what your experience was like with the teachers and the school itself, all of that. At what age did you decide to start? Every single perspective helps!

Washington, D.C.? Which school district are you looking at, or any specific academy that caught your eye? And how old is the kid?

I didn't actually go to a formal music conservatory; instead, I had private lessons with a nun. I started learning piano when I was just five years old.
Looking back, it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life, even though I couldn't stand my teacher—she was incredibly strict. 😁

To's the thing, our closest option is actually the St. Joseph's High School satellite campus out in the suburban neighborhood. We’ve heard some good things about Eli Manning, but there is absolutely no way we’re driving him all the way to the Mill district. It's just too far. As for St. Joseph's, honestly, we've heard conflicting reports. Word on the street is that they've actually improved quite a bit lately.
We're also considering violin lessons... she's hit the five-year mark now and, frankly, she's got real talent.

The golden rule when it comes to music education is pretty simple: you aren't looking for a prestigious institution, you're looking for the right teacher. Sure, you’ve got those high-end academies with big names and plenty of prestige, and then you have the local community schools, but honestly, even at a top-tier academy, you might end up stuck with a mediocre instructor who just doesn't click with your kid. It pays to do your homework and dig into the reputations of individual instructors. If you're serious, don't be afraid to actually show up during business hours, knock on a classroom door, and ask for a quick chat or a demonstration session to see if there's any availability. For a talented five-year-old, starting in a specialized early childhood music program is the way to go, but if they’ve already got the spark and the drive, some instructors are more than happy to take them on for a weekly private session outside of standard hours—think of it as "playtime" that builds a foundation, making their formal teaching much easier down the road. You can start introducing violin or piano through play as early as age five.
I wasn't entirely sure if the Goldman Sachs academy offers an early childhood program or introductory theory classes at their satellite branch?
There is this incredible violin teacher who has a real knack for working with little ones—she mostly teaches at the elementary level, but she lives over in the Minneapolis area (Eleanor Roosevelt).
Just a heads-up, though: registration for kindergarten and first grade is already opening up at most school districts right about now.

I think I’m actually going to take a step back and follow the rules here for a bit. I did something similar once with a principal at my kid's elementary school before we officially enrolled our oldest. Thanks for the advice!

dustytrucker222 said:Would anyone be willing to share some stories about their kids and music school? You know, things like picking an instrument, dealing with teachers, the school atmosphere itself, etc. At what age should they start? Every little bit of advice helps!

I can't really speak from experience regarding my own little one and music school yet, since she's only 15 months old.

However, I can tell you about my own journey! My mom enrolled me in local music school when I was eight years old to play the clarinet. I actually finished that first year as the worst student in the class—I was pulling Cs in ear training and Ds in my instrument, while everyone else was coasting along with straight As and the occasional B, mostly because I felt like I had zero talent or musical ear. But fast forward through six years of middle school music programs, and I ended up being the only one from my original group to get into a specialized performing arts high school. Once I got there, everything clicked, and I pulled straight As in ear training, clarinet, harmony, and polyphony. I even placed second in a major national competition! For my final graduation recital, I performed Mozart's clarinet concerto—a piece I had fallen in love with back in fifth grade—and I played it so well that one of the judges actually came up to me afterward just to say, "You really made our day."

So, my big takeaway is this: if some "expert" teacher tells you during enrollment that your daughter doesn't have the "natural talent" or the right ear, please don't listen to that nonsense. The absolute most important thing is that the child develops a genuine love for music.

But fair warning—if you actually succeed in making them fall in love with it, then you might find yourself in real trouble! It happened to my mom; during those first couple of years, she’d be saying, "Come on honey, just practice for at least thirty minutes," but by the time I hit junior year of high school, it turned into, "Ugh, why on earth do you have to practice so much?!" 😬

It’s funny how it works, really 😉. You’ll see kids at the auditions who seem to have this incredible ear and perfect rhythm, but then you get a year into the program and realize they’re just totally tone-deaf when it comes to actual musicianship... and it works the exact opposite way too. I’ve seen students who barely scraped past the passing mark during admissions turn out to be the absolute stars of the class. Then you have those kids who never pick up an instrument or even sing at home, so they show up to the entrance exams looking like complete lost causes, even though they actually possess a natural sense of pitch. It's a weird thing—you can have a kid with great hearing and a solid internal clock, but they still end up being completely unmusical when it counts.

vinova lozinka said:I’ve seen students who walk into auditions with incredible rhythm and an amazing ear, only for them to turn out to be total washouts after just one year of training...

From what I've seen—and I know I'm not the only one who feels this way—talent only accounts for about 5% of the equation, while all that grueling practice, discipline, and hard work makes up the other 95% when you look at how well someone actually plays.

But here's the thing: if you want someone to actually put in eight hours a day (or even more!) and see real progress, they have to be absolutely head-over-heels in love with the music first; that's really the heart of what I'm trying to say 😉

Honestly, what I want most is for my kid to actually fall in love with music. I want them to find joy in just listening first—and if they end up picking up an instrument? Well, even better. Maybe I'm just projecting my own missed opportunities onto them, but it feels vital to truly understand and appreciate music. It’s easy enough to force a child to sit down and practice, isn't it? But how do you actually instill a genuine passion? That seems to be the hardest part of all.

zakan14 said:Honestly, my biggest dream would be for my kid to just genuinely fall in love with music—to truly enjoy listening to it first, and then if they decide to pick up an instrument, even better! Maybe I’m just projecting some of my own unfulfilled passions onto them, but it feels so vital to really grasp and appreciate the soul of music. It’s one thing to push a child to practice their scales, but actually nurturing a lifelong passion? That seems like the real challenge.

I don't think it's quite that difficult, really—just keep a steady stream of different music playing around the house for her. Personally, I’d never touch that cheesy country or pop stuff, heaven forbid, but I’d highly recommend sticking to classical and jazz. Plus, take her to live shows!

That should be more than enough to plant the seed. 😉

Seems like five years is a bit premature for music school...
I started back in second grade. Seems like the best way to balance things since middle school lasts six years; that way, if you head to a performing arts high school later, you aren't hitting scheduling conflicts with graduation exams...
I went to the Juilliard School and can only say good things about it, though I heard later that the quality dropped significantly after a lot of top-tier professors left...maybe just rumors. Who knows...
In my opinion, every kid should finish basic music training just for the sake of general culture.

I spent six years studying guitar under Professor Milic at Carnegie Hall, and honestly, it was a total nightmare. I actually loved ear training and absolutely live to sing, but my parents forced the guitar on me because my mom is obsessed with the Beatles—she wanted me to be able to play their songs. For six straight years, we didn't touch a single piece of modern music, which drove me crazy since all I really wanted was to play the piano, but we couldn't even fit one in our apartment. My parents pushed me to finish the program, which I did, but it was pure agony. Even having perfect pitch and a great voice—I used to perform with the MLS—didn't make playing the guitar any less miserable. As soon as I finally finished, I basically hung that guitar from the rafters in the attic and haven't laid a finger on it since. All in all, a complete waste of time.
You seriously have to pay attention to what your kid actually wants when it comes to picking an instrument. Even if they start late, just getting them into some kind of music preschool where they can learn to actually love the art form is enough during those early years.
The teacher is everything; they matter way more than the school itself. My instructor was absolutely nauseating to me, and even though everyone else claims he’s a brilliant teacher, I hated him because I hated the guitar. Every single lesson felt like I was going to be sick.
Good luck

Here is an interesting topic for me.
I didn't attend music school myself, and like most kids in high school, I was obsessed with the guitar. I taught myself quite a bit and really enjoyed it. Over the years, I let it all slide and forgot most of it. Now, I have three children, and they are all enrolled in music programs. (The oldest is doing flute in high school, the middle one is on guitar in middle school, and the youngest is playing piano in elementary school.) This is a whole new learning experience for me. Here are a few tips:
1. Definitely motivate your child to pursue music. Sing, play instruments, dance, be silly. Just enjoy the music...
2. Pick a school close to home. As I see it, the teacher is what matters, not whatever rumors are floating around about a specific institution. Since instrument lessons are strictly one-on-one, building rapport with the instructor is more important than the building's facade. Plus, by third or fourth grade, the factor of "wasting time commuting" becomes a huge issue in a daily schedule.
3. I enrolled all three of my kids when they started second grade. However, it is common for kids to start music when they enter third grade so they finish both elementary and music school at the same time (since it lasts 6 years). Some kids start both in first grade, but that is pretty rare.
4. You choose the instrument during enrollment (if spots aren't filled—so get there on day one, haha), and it is hard to say anything smart about that choice. Every instrument is beautiful in its own way. You also need to consider the cost. For example, a new beginner flute (Ford) is around $500, while a beginner classical guitar (Abraham Lincoln or similar) is about $1,500—$667. Pianos are more expensive. We inherited our piano from my grandfather, so I have no idea what current prices look like, and you also have to factor in regular tuning.
5. The entrance exam is very simple. The child just needs to: a) sing 2-3 nursery rhymes of their choice, b) repeat a few rhythmic phrases by clapping or tapping fingers on a desk, and c) sing a few notes played by the teacher on the piano. They will also check the child's hands and fingers. That’s it.
6. A child can change instruments after a year or two, though I personally don't care for that kind of indecisiveness. My son decided to pick up the banjo after two years, and now he is learning two instruments and really enjoys being in a bluegrass ensemble.

The rest is history....

Moving forward then

7. Honestly, don't waste your time obsessing over whether there's actual talent or innate gift involved. Musicality and ear training develop naturally through practice. I've seen this firsthand just watching my own kids grow. (I don't even try to micromanage them anymore 🙂 I just sit back and enjoy the music 🙂 There are plenty of variables to consider if you're looking at a serious musical career down the road, but the immediate joy of playing is what matters. That’s an irreplaceable experience. I’d suggest any parent give it a real shot and put in the effort.

Best, Terry Turner842

I agree with what’s been said above. The smartest move is to enroll them in third grade; that way, they can knock out both general and music school at the same time.

Regarding the choice of instrument... just ask the kid. 😉 There is nothing worse than forcing someone to do something they don't enjoy or simply aren't interested in.

Obviously, you have to talk things through with your kid and reach some kind of agreement. Their interests and what they actually want matter, and at the end of the day, that's what counts. But I guess parents still have some room to maneuver here.
Here is another little thing.
We live in an apartment complex. It is currently past 10 PM, and there is no way anyone is going to argue that someone should be playing anything other than a classical guitar right now.
The bottom line: You really ought to consider what the neighbors actually want. 🙂

zakan14 said:Would anyone be willing to share some stories about their kiddos and music school? Like, how you picked an instrument, what it was like dealing with the teachers or the school itself, all that good stuff? Also, at what age should they actually start? Seriously, any bit of advice helps!!!

Look, if your kid is genuinely obsessed with music—and I mean truly hooked, like they’re going to be grinding away at lessons for the next eight or ten years—just let them pick their own instrument! Don't force a violin on them if they want drums. Once they decide, then you go out and do your homework: talk to parents who have kids playing that specific instrument, find out which local academies have the best reputation, and scout out which professors are actually worth the tuition.
As for timing, you basically start music school right around the same time they head off to elementary school, maybe a year earlier or later depending on the kid.
And honestly, just a heads up, the most famous or "prestigious" schools aren't always the ones that actually produce the best results.👋

Krushka said:Let them pick their own instrument first. Once they have an idea, go talk to people who actually play it. Find out which local music academies have the best reputation and which specific teachers are worth the tuition.
Starting music lessons usually lines up pretty closely with when they start elementary school—just add or subtract a year depending on the kid.
And remember, just because a school is famous doesn't mean it's actually the best choice. 👋

Anyway, thanks everyone for the helpful advice!🙏 👍
As for picking the instrument, I'm not sure if that's even a major factor for a child. At five or six years old, they don't really care; they barely know what an instrument even is. So, what actually matters? Maybe the parents' interests? For instance, I’ve always felt a stronger pull toward the violin than the piano (plus, you can usually rent a violin from the school, whereas a piano is a huge investment).
Does anyone know if there's any truth to the idea that the violin is significantly harder for little kids to master?

One more thing: I truly believe that finding a great teacher is way more important than finding a prestigious academy.

I don't have much experience with the violin myself, but listening to studio productions gives me massive respect for the instrument. It’s pretty obvious that the violin comes with its own set of hurdles—intonation alone can be a nightmare for kids. In our house, we decided to skip the whole Paganini route entirely. 🙂We just said goodbye to the violin. I’d argue it’s significantly more demanding than most other instruments. There’s also this sense that with the violin, you either know how to play it or you don't. You're either in or you're out. With almost any other instrument, you can always pick it up a bit to jam with friends or play in a group. On the violin, that's tough. Maybe I'm wrong, but...
Regarding renting instruments, I'm not a fan. Usually, you end up with something beat up. If you take the cost of a two-year rental, you could probably just buy a decent new or slightly used beginner model and own it forever. I think monthly rent is around $40. It's true that young players start on smaller sizes like a 1/2, then move up to a 3/4, so you do have to swap them out every few years. You can find used ones at a good price, though. If you check the bulletin boards at any local music school, there are always ads for buying and selling gear. Then there's that old idea that you form a special bond with your instrument. Wood is a living thing, after all. And what a sound it makes!
Parental interest is mandatory. I mean, what kind of person lacks their own interests, tastes, or opinions? You can't really live—or raise anyone—without having a stance on things.
Don't view it as a flaw; look at it as an advantage. Just keep moving forward!
Best regards,