Here at NZMSM, we offer lessons to students of all ages, 6-60, 8-80+!
Adults are welcome to inquire about private lessons on any of the instruments we teach.
There is always a place for you at our school!
For more information about adult learning opportunities,
please reach out to our manager Erin at 027-589-6131 or nzmsm.northcanterbury@gmail.com.
To assist you in deciding if you would like music lessons, we have come up with some frequently asked questions:
1. What age should my child start taking lessons?
This is a great question! The best age depends on the instrument and the teacher.
For kids 7-10, guitar, ukulele, violin, drums, and voice are great options. As long as they have the strength in their fingers (and lungs), any of those instruments are available.
For ages 10 and up, wind instruments, including flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, and trombone, are all viable options. Students have to have the lung capacity to produce a quality sound (and also, we don't want to damage their teeth growing in), so we wait until about this age before starting on wind instruments.
If you have a question about what age and instrument is right for your child, please feel free to reach out and we are happy to discuss your options.
2. I want to learn an instrument, but I don't know if it's worth it because I'm too old. Should I?
The answer is you are NEVER too old to try something new! If it is your heart's desire to learn to play the saxophone, it doesn't matter if you're 10 or 100! If you've always wanted to be a concert pianist, then it's never too late to start!
Reach out to us if you are wondering about pursuing a lifelong dream of being a musician. Additionally, if you would like to learn about group opportunities, visit our link Our Adult Options.
3. My child just started taking lessons. Do I need to go purchase that instrument?
This is another excellent question.
This depends on the instrument, but eventually, the answer is yes (unless you are taking voice lessons... good luck buying a voice!).
Now does this mean you have to go out and buy a grand piano for your 6 year-old child who just started piano lessons? Absolutely not, unless you really want a grand piano and were looking for an excuse to buy one. If you are unsure if their desire to play piano will last more than a couple years, buying a keyboard or a digital piano is definitely a good option both financially and practically.
If students are playing ukulele/guitar, we do encourage them to buy their own because the investment is worth the upfront cost.
The main things is that your child (or you, if you are taking the lessons) has the ability to practice at home in their non-lesson time. If they do not have access to an instrument outside of lessons, their ability to progress will be hampered and we want students to reach their maximum potential.
4. My child plays sport on afternoons and weekends. Can he still take music lessons?
We have many different lesson options including lessons during school time, depending on the school they attend. Check the tab called Our Schools to learn more about that.
If you homeschool your child, we do have teachers who teach lessons in their homes during the day, so we can work with you on that as well.
We do also have teachers who offer lessons after school hours, if that works with your schedule.
5. What kind of payment options do you have?
This is a bit of a complicated answer because it differs from teacher to teacher. Some teachers offer term by term payments and others invoice monthly. Others can do a pay at each lesson option, though we try not to do that if possible. If you have specific payment needs, please reach out to us and let us know your situation and we can see what option is right for you. We want music lessons to be accessible to anyone and everyone. To get an estimate about what lessons might cost, see our link Our Prices.
6. No one in our family is musical, but my child wants to take lessons. Will she be any good?
This is a genuine question we get from time to time. The main thing to know is: Music is not a genetic trait.
Yes, some people are born more musically gifted than others. And some amazing musicians may come from musical families, but still more musicians are first generation musicians and chose to create their own musical legacy. But if no one in your family ever pursues music, the family will never have a musician!
The most important thing for you to know is that everyone has the potential
to become a musician.
Don't see your question here? Please feel free to reach out to Erin, our Manager, and she will assist you with any questions you have. Email at nzmsm.northcanterbury@gmail.com or call 027-589-6131.
