Dear Parents,

What an exciting year we will have in music! Students will be learning many wonderful new skills and playing and singing lots of new songs. You may notice that as the novelty of being in orchestra wears off, your child will have a harder time motivating himself to practice new skills. Many of the skills that students are learning take lots of repetition and practice to master. You may notice your child getting frustrated by a song if he or she has a hard time mastering it right away. This is completely normal and the frustration will pass as muscles build up and flexibility increases through practice. As we are looking forward to the rest of the school year, here are some practice tips to help your child.

-Set aside a place for practicing. Make sure there is good lighting, a music stand and the student is practicing in an area where he or she will not be distracted. Make a CD player available to practice using the CD.

-Set a practice schedule. It is easier to remember to practice when there is time set aside in the day for it. If you’re on a tight schedule, set a timer to go off.

-Help your child to remember music, equipment, signed papers, etc. by organizing them the night before class. It’s hard to make progress without an instrument or music!

-A parent should sit in on some of the practice sessions in order to see what the student is learning. Students love to show off their skills!

-Encourage your student to practice. Please do not use practice as a punishment. Remember that your child still needs encouragement to brush his or her teeth, make the bed, etc., and will need to be reminded to practice as part of their school homework.

-Practicing several times a week is more beneficial than a long practice session only once per week, and builds muscles better, too!

-Try to be patient with your child and offer encouragement when the going gets tough. It does get easier!!! Find something nice to say and say it!

-Create a musical atmosphere in your home by listening to recordings or watching concerts on TV. Talk about how much you enjoy music.

-Remember that no beginner plays an instrument beautifully! Be patient - expect gradual improvements.

I appreciate all your support! Your partner in musical education, Barbara Colaianni