Music school recommendations?

Alright, let's go for it, thanks! They’ve definitely got the talent and an ear for it—it probably runs in the family since they come from a musical background—so we'll just have to wait and see how it plays out...

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, you can actually knock out two grades in a single academic year if you have to. If he passes that audition, he could theoretically blitz through the first and second-grade curriculum at an accelerated pace, provided the kid actually has the drive and the raw talent to pull it off.
I've personally heard of plenty of instances where parents pulled their kids out of private music academies or specialized enrichment courses and moved them back into the standard public school track, dropping them into 2nd or even 3rd grade music school—assuming there’s actually an opening available. Maybe the move here is to enroll him in some private lessons or a specialized prep course right now to bridge that gap.

Matthew Garcia2 said:Look, you can actually knock out two grades in a single academic year if you have to. If he passes that audition, he could theoretically blitz through the first and second-grade curriculum at an accelerated pace, provided the kid actually has the drive and the raw talent to pull it off.
I've personally heard of plenty of instances where parents pulled their kids out of private music academies or specialized enrichment courses and moved them back into the standard public school track, dropping them into 2nd or even 3rd grade music school—assuming there’s actually an opening available. Maybe the move here is to enroll him in some private lessons or a specialized prep course right now to bridge that gap.

Good grief, I had no idea this was an option. Thanks for the heads-up. He already knows his way around because his preschool buddy started piano, so they were always talking about half notes, eighth notes, and whole notes—that's what really sparked his interest 😍 and got Mom involved with her own musical background... once he caught the bug, he soaked up information like a sponge.

I wanted to share our personal experience regarding music school here—mostly because I spent so much time scouring forums for reviews before I finally decided to enroll my child myself.

If you are considering enrolling your kid at Pavel Markovac Elementary School, please—and I mean please—do your homework first. You really need to look into the specific teaching styles of the instructors before committing. While there are a handful of teachers who are perfectly fine, there are others you should steer clear of at all costs. Honestly, based on how they carry themselves, it’s sometimes hard to tell if they just genuinely dislike children, if they aren't passionate about their craft, or if they're simply bringing too much personal baggage into the classroom. It can be quite unsettling.

There are plenty of other schools out there where kids actually look forward to their lessons—places where instructors treat students with genuine respect and provide proper certification upon completion. There is absolutely no reason to subject a child to the unprofessional behavior of certain staff members when better options exist.

It’s truly heartbreaking to see, because most kids have this incredible, natural spark for playing an instrument and don't mind the practice at all; it's just these kinds of personalities that end up turning them off from music entirely.

To the parents of young musicians out there,

I find myself reaching out for a bit of guidance.

My ten-year-old daughter has been studying violin at her local elementary school here in the States for about two years now. She was actually the one who insisted on picking up the instrument in the first place, though she didn't get much say in choosing her instructor 🙂. To be honest, things just haven't clicked with this teacher from day one, and we’ve reached a bit of a breaking point; she’s currently adamant about quitting violin altogether because the thought of sitting through another lesson with this specific professor is simply too much for her. She was quite clear, though—she still loves the music and wants to keep playing, provided she can switch to a different teacher. If she stays with the current one, she’s done. I’ve always held the belief that once you commit to something, you see it through to the end, but I also recognize that there’s a limit to how much pressure a child can take before they just burn out, and I certainly don't want to deal with a frustrated, unhappy kid. Have any of you dealt with something similar? Is it really appropriate for a child to have a say in which mentor they work with? Furthermore, how does one handle the conversation with the outgoing teacher without making things awkward, and what is the standard procedure for switching instructors within a program?

Many thanks 🙂.

Is he really the only violin instructor at the elementary school?

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Look, if you want to make a move, go straight to the Department Head and ask for a change, but you’ve got to act fast—do it right before they finalize the schedules for the next school year. It’s actually a pretty straightforward process if you catch them at the right moment.
If the Department Head happens to be the exact same teacher you’re trying to get away from, then skip the middleman and head up to the Principal. Just be honest about it; tell them the kid isn't vibing with the current teacher and that there just isn't any chemistry there.

Could someone help me make sense of how the final grade for a core subject—specifically an instrument—is calculated at the end of the year? Does the final mark pull from all the grades entered in the online portal throughout both semesters, or is it strictly based on the final exam given by the three-member committee? Or is it a combination of both? Thanks!

The final grade isn't just some automated calculation; it’s based on the teacher's assessment at the end of the school year—much like how they wrap things up in an American elementary school—along with a review from a grading committee. This committee usually consists of the teacher in question sitting down with two other colleagues to hash it out.
The final mark doesn't have to be a simple mathematical average of everything logged in the digital gradebook, and honestly, more often than not, it isn't.

Does this mean if a student has mostly A's and C's all year long, without ever getting an F, they could still end up with a failing grade at the end of the term? I'm asking because, from my perspective, it feels a bit off. If a teacher decides to give a failing grade for personal reasons, even if the kid never actually earned an F during the school year, is that legally allowed under our school district rules?

Look, if an exam goes totally sideways—I mean, if they’re sitting right on the edge of passing and their grades have been sliding downhill toward the end of the school year—there's a decent chance the teacher might just cut them some slack. We aren't talking about failing them outright, but more like, "Alright, let's just settle on a D."
That said, I'm with you on the idea that grades throughout the year really ought to be more transparent and realistic. A teacher sees firsthand how much material a student is actually absorbing, so they should have a pretty good handle on what kind of grade that kid is actually going to pull during the final exam.
If you find yourself staring at an exam grade that feels completely unfair, you can submit a written request for a retake within a 48-hour window. Just keep one thing in mind: once you go that route, it technically becomes a classroom exam, which means—though it's a bit of a long shot—they could theoretically grill you on anything covered during the year, not just the specific exam material.

And honestly, if there's some kind of deep-seated friction or just general bad blood between a student and a teacher, it's probably better to just ask for a different instructor if the school allows it. At the end of the day, not everyone is going to "click," especially when you're dealing with one-on-one lessons.

frozenpilot29 said:Does this mean if a student has mostly A's and C's all year long, without ever getting an F, they could still end up with a failing grade at the end of the term? I'm asking because, from my perspective, it feels a bit off. If a teacher decides to give a failing grade for personal reasons, even if the kid never actually earned an F during the school year, is that legally allowed under our school district rules?

I honestly don't know how they handle grading for music classes—and frankly, I don't really care (I actually think music should be pass/fail anyway)—but I am genuinely curious about what kind of "personal reason" would lead someone to give grades like A, B, or C all year, only to slap a failing grade on the final report card.

Wouldn't that professor basically be making a fool of themselves? I don't know how else to put it, but if they were giving out A's for performances throughout the semester, wouldn't it look ridiculous to their colleagues if the student suddenly plays a "failing" piece right at the end?

It’s actually incredibly easy to mess this up if the teacher isn't being objective, or if they’re just green and don't really know what they're doing yet. Or maybe they just sit there during the school concerts instead of walking around and actually listening to how the other kids are playing. Sometimes they fall into that trap of thinking, "Oh, my students aren't really that bad," and then they go ahead and start handing out participation trophies or participation grades halfway through the first semester. Then, by the second half of the year, reality hits them like a ton of bricks—either the kid isn't putting in the work, or they're falling way behind the curriculum, or they simply lack the skill, or one hundred other things could go wrong—and suddenly they've dragged an unprepared student right into the middle of a big exam.

Christian Lee13 said:It’s actually incredibly easy to mess this up if the teacher isn't being objective, or if they’re just green and don't really know what they're doing yet. Or maybe they just sit there during the school concerts instead of walking around and actually listening to how the other kids are playing. Sometimes they fall into that trap of thinking, "Oh, my students aren't really that bad," and then they go ahead and start handing out participation trophies or participation grades halfway through the first semester. Then, by the second half of the year, reality hits them like a ton of bricks—either the kid isn't putting in the work, or they're falling way behind the curriculum, or they simply lack the skill, or one hundred other things could go wrong—and suddenly they've dragged an unprepared student right into the middle of a big exam.

That's exactly why I was asking about personal motives; I was thinking along the lines of what you just mentioned.
If there's a mountain of "participation grades" while the student objectively hasn't mastered the material or practiced at all, and three different teachers all reach the same conclusion, then it's clearly not just one teacher's personal bias.

Personal bias would be more about handing out higher grades than someone actually deserves throughout the school year.

(Though, honestly, I don't really see the point of grading music at all. To me, it should just be a matter of whether they know the piece or they don't, and whether they're improving or they aren't.)

It’s absolutely mind-boggling when a kid wins a major national award and gets called a once-in-a-generation talent by other instructors, yet somehow walks away with a mediocre C grade. As a parent who also went through music school, I love seeing my child stay passionate about playing, but it feels like this teacher is doing everything possible to crush that spark. To me, it looks like pure retaliation because the student opted out of certain regional or national competitions this year, effectively denying the teacher that ego boost of self-promotion. That grade doesn't hold any weight anymore; if it were up to me, he’d be getting a hard zero.

I should also mention that the kid probably would have competed, but things were just too chaotic at home to really focus. A family member's health issues basically dictated our entire lifestyle for months.

Why aren't you just sitting down with the teacher to actually hash things out and see what's really going on? Once you get the full story, you'll be in a much better position to make an informed call on whether or not you want your kid staying in that classroom. Right now, we’re all just stuck looking at your side of the story, which makes it pretty much impossible to figure out the actual reality of the situation.

Hey everyone!

I’m a total novice when it comes to music, but I have an 8-year-old girl—she’s in 2nd grade—who really wants to pick up an instrument. Now suddenly I need to know everything, and I know absolutely nothing. 😁 Sorry for the long rant here, 🙂

I checked in with the local Juilliard-style conservatory, Zlatko Baloković, and there’s a tiny chance a spot might open up for flute this year. If it does, we might get an audition, and if we pass—God willing—that would be amazing... 😁
if not, they suggested starting with basic music theory classes...

To start off, does anyone have experience with this school, the teachers, or anything else? Any info helps. 🙂

On another note, my daughter is a bit hyperactive—she’s great in school, but she definitely struggles with focus and concentration... it's not dramatic, she doesn't have a diagnosis or anything, just my own subjective take as her mom... given that music school isn't just playing around, but a real school in every sense of the word, I'm torn. I want to give her the chance to develop those skills if she actually shows talent and drive, but at the same time, I worry it might be too much. I don't know if it's smarter to jump into the flute now if the opportunity arises, or maybe wait one more year... 🤔

Also, my niece goes to the local community arts center, and I noticed their prices are lower... I did a little Googling and it seems like Zlatko Baloković is on the pricier side compared to others. Don't all schools charge the same? How does that work?

If anyone is actually enrolled at Zlatko Baloković, I'm a bit confused about that introductory theory class. Their website says it's once a week for 45 minutes at price $400, but the lady I spoke to mentioned a slot from 6:45 PM to 8:15 PM—basically a full block session. Which one is it, and what's the actual cost? 🤔

Does it make sense to push through that intro theory now if she’d just end up taking standard theory next year in 1st grade?

Generally speaking, which instrument would you recommend as "easier" among guitar, violin, flute, or maybe clarinet?

And last thing—what kind of prices are we looking at for decent, student-grade models for these instruments? From what I can see, this is not a cheap hobby... which one ends up being the most expensive to play? 🕺

Thanks in advance!! 🙂

Hey there,

Does anyone have a solid list of private music schools in NYC that actually follow a formal curriculum? I’m looking for places where the training is legit enough that you could actually transition into a public conservatory or state school after finishing a year or two.
I really want to avoid those hobbyist spots where some college kid is just teaching kids how to play chords for extra cash—I need actual professionals who know their stuff here.

I'm mostly looking at schools on the West Side.

Thanks!

redridge13 said:Hey there,

Does anyone have a solid list of private music schools in NYC that actually follow a formal curriculum? I’m looking for places where the training is legit enough that you could actually transition into a public conservatory or state school after finishing a year or two.
I really want to avoid those hobbyist spots where some college kid is just teaching kids how to play chords for extra cash—I need actual professionals who know their stuff here.

I'm mostly looking at schools on the West Side.

Thanks!

The Juilliard School has approval from the Department of Labor, though honestly, I haven't the slightest clue if their curriculum matches the public schools exactly since I don't know what those state programs even look like.😁

But yeah, once a kid finishes a year and gets their certificate, they can move over to a public school without much trouble.

The only catch is it isn't on the West Side—it's located way up by Mount Rushmore.