Signing up for violin lessons: Discussion topics for new students and parents
In this post, I’ll share some of the first conversations I have with students when they are signing up to take violin lessons.
Playing the violin is not an easy skill to master. As a teacher, it is important to be as honest as possible with your students in order to help them manage their expectations and prepare for that journey. As a student, it is important to be honest with yourself about whether you are excited and able to commit to the task. Or, as the parent of a young student, you should be aware of what you are signing up for along with your child.
So, here are a few of the topics that should be covered in the initial conversations about whether to begin learning the violin. The language of this discussion is aimed for parents of young children, but the concepts apply equally well to beginning adult students!
1. Plan on a Long-Term Time Horizon
The first important topic is to manage expectations of progress. When we think about the violin journey for a new student, we don’t plan in weeks or in months. We imagine the journey in years. The first piece I ever remember falling in love with was Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. I started playing violin when I was around 4 years old; I think I performed this piece when I was around 13 or 14 years old. That’s a 10 year time horizon!
To give a rough idea of timelines, the first entire year of violin playing is generally dedicated to developing a comfortable posture, basic sound production, and finally the ability to perform simple folk tune melodies. The second and third years of violin playing will begin to open up the expressive ability of the student. Somewhere in this time period, we can hope to hear the student playing with a sense that really sounds like it is coming directly from the heart! Between 5–10 years, we will begin to see that the student is communicating fluently through their violin. This is when the hard work pays off.
This means that patience is critical. One of the great things a teacher (and parent) can do is encourage the student to enjoy the journey of learning while they are on the path to that instrumental fluency; for this reason, a genuine love of learning and practice is necessary in the student.
2. Prepare for Investments and Commitments
As we set long-term goals for the student, we need to be aware of what will need to happen on a day-to-day basis in order to achieve reasonable progress. Here are three type of ongoing “investments” you should plan for.
2a. Time Commitments
In order to make progress at a reasonable rate, most teachers will recommend about 30 minutes practice per day for the first 1–3 years. After this, you will probably want to increase your practice time to 45–60 minutes per day. Consistent, thoughtful repetition is the most critical factor in training fine motor functions like precise placement of the left hand fingers. As a parent of a young child, you will also need to budget this time in your own schedule! Every child’s path is different, but it will typically take at least a few years of adult-supported practice until the young student is able to have a high-quality practice session without their parent alongside them.
2b. Financial Commitments
In most cases, learning the violin will cost money. The biggest cost is for lessons. For now let’s imagine a rough schedule of 30 one-hour lessons per year, charged at $75/hour ($2,250/year). We will add to this the cost of renting/buying a violin for around $40/month. Finally, there will be miscellaneous purchases like new strings, bow rosin, sheet music, etc. Let’s estimate this total at $10/month. So, in this example, you should be prepared to budget somewhere around $240/month on average over the course of your violin career. Immersive music programs may include group classes and music theory classes, which will increase the cost of learning the instrument. All of these prices will vary by location and by program, but regardless the message is the same: make sure that your monthly/annual budget allows for all the costs of learning.
2c. Emotional Commitments
Lastly, we should not forget the emotional commitment which is required for a student (and parent) to dedicate themselves to learning an instrument. When the student is very young, the parent will need to find ways to help develop a healthy, daily practice habit. This may require a great deal of emotional work and creativity. As the student gets older, they will need to manage the emotional ups and downs, as with any long-term project — incredible joy when learning a beautiful piece, and frustration when a performance doesn’t go as planned. As a parent, you should consider both the personality of the child as well as the parent-child relationship when deciding the right time (or whether at all) to start learning the instrument.
3. Create a Nurturing, Musical Environment
Now that we have established our long-term commitment and our day-to-day investment, we’ll talk about some ways in which a parent can prepare the home environment in order to help their child be as successful as possible. In general, the more that a student sees people around them showing an interest, the more excited they will be about learning and practicing their violin.
Daily Listening: First, like learning a language, the more a student is surrounded by music, the easier it will be for them to learn how to play. Beautiful sound quality, good intonation, and musical phrasing are all concepts that a student will best learn by listening. As a parent, you should plan to listen regularly to violin music with your child — before bed, in the car, etc. If a parent doesn’t signal interest in violin music, it will be very hard for the child to develop that appreciation independently.
Music Concerts: Attending concerts shows the student how music can be shared in public communities, reminding them that the music-making and violin playing is part of the fabric of our society. Attending a great concert is a moment of renewed motivation and inspiration, and students will also be able to see the musicians as role models that they can aspire to. If possible, families and students should attend live, high-quality concerts as often as they can.
Group Classes: Participating in group classes is an integral part of most standard musical programs, including El Sistema and the Suzuki Method. There are technical benefits (sound quality, technique observation) as well as emotional benefits (motivation, peer support). If there is a local group class or ensemble that matches the student’s level, I would highly encourage the parent to learn more and explore that opportunity.
Learning the violin is a rewarding journey — if you stick with it, it can be one of the most rewarding pursuits of your whole life. You’ll join a centuries-old tradition of music-making, you’ll be able to bring joy to people around you, and you’ll have a lifelong companion in your instrument. Maybe eventually you’ll even pass your knowledge onto the next generation.
— Benjamin Bregman
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