Private Lessons

 

 

Private music instruction at AAA involves a 1:1 learning situation for each child.  Teachers identify student strengths and increase successful experiences.  Student involvement and progress is documented with notations in the student Practice and Progress book and also via PowerSchool.

All private instructors are willing to assist with Scholarship Auditions.  Students should inform their instructor of their scholarship interest by 7th grade.

 

SUZUKI PIANO (beginning age 3) 

The Suzuki method is an educational philosophy which strives to create "high ability" and beautiful character in its students through a nurturing environment.  The term "Suzuki method" is also sometimes used to refer solely to the Suzuki repertoire of sheet music books and/or audio recordings which have been published as part of its music education method.

“I want to make good citizens. If a child hears fine music from the day of his birth and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline and endurance. He gets a beautiful heart.”

—Shin'ichi Suzuki

It was invented in the mid-20th century by Shin'ichi Suzuki, a violinist who desired to bring some beauty to the lives of children in his country after the devastation of World War II.  Suzuki believed that every child, if properly taught, was capable of a high level of musical achievement. He also made it clear that the goal of such musical education was to raise generations of children with "noble hearts" (as opposed to creating famous musical prodigies).  The central belief of Suzuki, based on his theories of universal language acquisition, is that all people can (and will) learn from their environment. Thus, the essential components of the method spring from the desire to create the "right environment" for learning music (he believed that this positive environment would also help to foster excellent character in every student).  

More than forty years ago, Suzuki realized the implications of the fact that children the world over learn to speak their native language with ease. He began to apply the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music, and called his method the mother-tongue approach. The ideas of parent responsibility, loving encouragement, constant repetition, etc., are some of the special features of the Suzuki approach.

In the beginning, learning music by ear is emphasized over reading musical notation. This follows Suzuki's theory of language acquisition, where a child learns to speak before learning to read. Related to this, memorization of all solo repertoire is expected, even after a student begins to use sheet music as a tool to learn new pieces. There is no formal plan for the age at which reading should be introduced into the curriculum; this is left to the judgement of the teacher. The Suzuki method itself has no materials for the teaching of reading; instructors are encouraged to use whatever materials they deem proper.

 

 TRADITIONAL PIANO (beginning age 5)

 VOICE (beginning in 2nd grade)

BRASS INSTRUMENTS (beginning in 4th grade)

Brass instruments include TRUMPET, TROMBONE, FRENCH HORN, BARITONE HORN

GUITAR (beginning in 2nd grade)

Acoustic and electric guitars are accepted.

PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS (beginning in 3rd grade)

Students will begin learning with a practice pad and will eventually move onto  incorporating all drums (snare, bass, conga, drum set, etc.) and mallet instruments (xylophone, bells, marimba)

STRING INSTRUMENTS (beginning age 4)

String instruments include VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO, BASS

WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS (beginning in 3rd grade)

Woodwind instruments include CLARINET, FLUTE, ALTO SAXOPHONE, TENOR SAXOPHONE, BARITONE SAXOPHONE, BASSOON, OBOE