Music school recommendations?

Looks like you've got a political platform.

Quick question if anyone knows—what’s the protocol if a kid decides to switch instruments after their first year?

Does anyone happen to have any insight regarding that Trump music school over in the rural outskirts? It’s the closest one to us, but I honestly don't know the first thing about it...

I’m curious about how you all handle things like theory classes, choirs, and orchestras over there.
Feel free to hit me up via DM if that's easier.

Down here, the choir just got off the ground recently. Luckily, they didn't schedule our first session during a holiday. They’ve organized the kids into groups based on their last names every two weeks—for instance, one group for names starting with H through K.
It seems incredibly inefficient to me. Why on earth aren't these groups aligned with their theory class cohorts, or perhaps grouped by the local elementary schools they attend, or even their age? It’s like they aren't even thinking about social dynamics. By splitting them up this way, you're essentially increasing the risk of a kid feeling isolated when they show up to regular lessons, ear training, or now, the choir. It makes zero sense.

To make matters worse, all the sessions are scheduled late in the evening. And frankly, I don't think the shift rotations are the issue here.

Hey fellow parents, I've been noticing my son is getting really obsessed with the keyboard lately, so it got me thinking—where’s actually the best place to go to figure out if he’s got a genuine knack for it or if his musical ear is actually worth pursuing? I mean, is there a specific music academy, a certain instructor, or some kind of specialist I should be looking for to see if this is just a phase or a real talent?

rustyowl52 said:Hey fellow parents, I've been noticing my son is getting really obsessed with the keyboard lately, so it got me thinking—where’s actually the best place to go to figure out if he’s got a genuine knack for it or if his musical ear is actually worth pursuing? I mean, is there a specific music academy, a certain instructor, or some kind of specialist I should be looking for to see if this is just a phase or a real talent?

Which city are we talking about?

northerntiger9 said:Which city are we talking about?

Washington, D.C. 😵

I suppose I’d start by looking for a music school that’s practically in your backyard. If you enroll him—assuming he's at an age where that makes sense, of course—having it close enough so he can just head out there on his own would be ideal. It’s more about that long-term independence, I guess.

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mellowskipper said:I suppose I’d start by looking for a music school that’s practically in your backyard. If you enroll him—assuming he's at an age where that makes sense, of course—having it close enough so he can just head out there on his own would be ideal. It’s more about that long-term independence, I guess.

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We’re living over in Savannah, so I don't even know which one would be the most convenient for us; I'll have to do some digging... for now, though, he definitely won't be able to make the trip by himself.

Out here on the West Coast, everyone seems obsessed with the piano. My daughter tried out for her first audition last year and completely bombed it. So, next year, we pivoted to something a bit less mainstream, and she actually nailed it. Now she’s playing the cello. She absolutely loves it, even if the piano still holds a special place in her heart. We have a kid-sized keyboard at home for her to practice on, and since her music school has a piano on-site, she gets a little extra playtime there too.

I hadn't even considered the audition aspect—it just didn't cross my mind. I mean, there are plenty of music schools scattered all over the US, so... I suppose it turns out kids basically have to show up already knowing their stuff.

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Jack Gray6 said:Out here on the West Coast, everyone seems obsessed with the piano. My daughter tried out for her first audition last year and completely bombed it. So, next year, we pivoted to something a bit less mainstream, and she actually nailed it. Now she’s playing the cello. She absolutely loves it, even if the piano still holds a special place in her heart. We have a kid-sized keyboard at home for her to practice on, and since her music school has a piano on-site, she gets a little extra playtime there too.

She'll actually be taking piano as a formal subject in high school.

mellowskipper said:I hadn't even considered the audition aspect—it just didn't cross my mind. I mean, there are plenty of music schools scattered all over the US, so... I suppose it turns out kids basically have to show up already knowing their stuff.

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Some of those music programs have specialized preschool tracks, though you still end up needing an audition right after that stage anyway.

The whole audition process usually works like this: they sing a song of their choice, then they have to match the pitch the instructor plays, and finally, they clap out a rhythm the instructor taps out for them.

Matthew Garcia2 said:Some of those music programs have specialized preschool tracks, though you still end up needing an audition right after that stage anyway.

The whole audition process usually works like this: they sing a song of their choice, then they have to match the pitch the instructor plays, and finally, they clap out a rhythm the instructor taps out for them.

In that case, it isn't really a big deal—they basically just want to see if the kids actually have an ear for it, which I guess makes sense for a local music school. I was under the impression they had to play something...

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Matthew Garcia2 said:Some of those music programs have specialized preschool tracks, though you still end up needing an audition right after that stage anyway.

The whole audition process usually works like this: they sing a song of their choice, then they have to match the pitch the instructor plays, and finally, they clap out a rhythm the instructor taps out for them.

Man, my kid sings like a dying crow.😵

rustyowl52 said:Man, my kid sings like a dying crow.😵

I hope everyone realizes that solfège involves actual singing, and since third grade, choir is a mandatory part of the curriculum here in the States.🙂

Asking for a friend—her son is heading into 4th grade, and during the lockdowns last year, he actually picked up the guitar. They have one at home, though she jokes it’s mostly just a piece of decor now since she used to hate playing music herself and never forced it on him. He wasn't interested then, but things have changed. Is it too late to enroll him in a music program? Does anyone have experience with how these academies view age? Is there even a cutoff point for when a kid is "too old" to start?

I mean, most kids usually start around 3rd grade, so I don't see why they wouldn't let him jump into 4th—if he’s actually interested, he might as well give it a shot.

Exactly, that’s my point. He’s starting 3rd grade at elementary school and freshman year of high school simultaneously, when he really should be entering 5th grade and freshman year. He won't even hit his fall audition until he's five or six months into the term.😢 He’s essentially "lagging behind" by two years.

George Edwards72 said:Exactly, that’s my point. He’s starting 3rd grade at elementary school and freshman year of high school simultaneously, when he really should be entering 5th grade and freshman year. He won't even hit his fall audition until he's five or six months into the term.😢 He’s essentially "lagging behind" by two years.

Look, mine started 4th grade in elementary and 1st year in middle school this academic year, 2020/2021... so he's one year behind too.
I think your best bet is to just call the middle school. Tell them what grade he's actually in for elementary school and ask if he can audition this year (since those auditions happen around May or June).