Music Lessons

 by TPSMTS Team

Supporting Your Child’s Musical Journey

Four ways to encourage and help your child in music

 

As music therapists and music educators, we are so thankful for the support that we continuously receive from the parents of our students. We often see how invested and involved you are in your child’s growth and progress.

Parents frequently ask us how they can best support their child’s musical journey.

Here are some ways that you can support your child in their music lessons or sessions:

Communication

It is important to keep in contact with your teacher/therapist about your child’s progress. Clearly communicating with us what you and your child’s goals are and is working and not working throughout their musical journey will help us figure out more quickly what teaching and therapy style works best.

 

Practice, practice, practice!

Most students have one lesson a week, and usually by the following week the concepts taught in the previous lesson have been mostly, if not completely, forgotten. Practicing throughout the week will help your child to not only retain the concepts learned, but to also improve at a much faster pace.

 

We often suggest creating a practice schedule with your child to help ensure consistent practice time throughout the week. Especially with our younger students, sitting down to practice with them (even if you don’t play piano yourself) is a great way to spend time with them and helps them to stay engaged.

 

Consistent practicing leads to improvement, which is motivation in itself for many of our students!

 

Performances and exams

Playing for others, whether it is for family members at home or complete strangers in a concert hall, is often intimidating for a lot of our students. However, musical performances and exams not only gives your child a goal to work towards (also a great way to motivate them to practice), but also teaches them many skills that can help with their future endeavors.

 

Exams, specifically, provide students with feedback on their playing level and are a great way to set goals for lessons.

 

Performances help students to be more comfortable with public speaking and presentations, teaches them to recognize and celebrate their accomplishments, and teaches them to be able to make mistakes in front of others. TPSMTS offers our students an opportunity to participate in the End-of-the-Year Party & Recital every year (you can read more about how we prepare for the recitals AND peek at our virtual recitals from 2020 and 2021!), but feel free to arrange for informal, mini “recitals” at home as well!

 

Encouragement

Most of us understand that encouragement, especially for children, is very important for growth (read more about our thoughts on growth mindset here). However, we cannot stress enough how crucial it is for their musical learning process. Make sure that you acknowledge every little milestone with them. Whether it is learning a new note to finishing their book, every bit of encouragement means a lot to your child.

 

Of course, verbal praise and rewards are effective, but you can also show your appreciation by asking your child to show you what they have learned or maybe to play for you their favourite songs. You can record videos of their playing to send to other family members. Learning a new instrument is hard, but acknowledgement of all their efforts goes a long way in both their improvement and enjoyment of the learning process.

 

Every student’s needs are unique, so if you have questions about your child’s progress, please let your teacher/therapist know. We are more than happy to give you tips to further support your child’s musical journey!

If you are interested in music lessons and/or music therapy sessions for your child (or yourself!), please reach out and contact us.

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 by TPSMTS Team

Music Therapists Need Music Therapy, Too: A Reflection

How music helped soothe an exhausted and stressed music therapist.

Music Therapists Need Music Therapy Too: A Reflection
Written by Tamara Leszner-Rovet

 

Speaking from my experience, I have been laser focused over the past 2.5 years in supporting my students/clients (both that I work with directly and indirectly), their families, our team, and my own family through all the ebbs and flows of this pandemic.

 

I have been running on fumes. I have been in a constant state of exhaustion which has shown up in my physical and mental health. I have been feeling so “done,” burned out, and my motivation to practice self-care has gone by the wayside.

 

I have found that finally going back to “normal,” while it is absolutely wonderful in itself, has been even more exhausting (in some ways, more than the pandemic itself!). This has shown, yet again, how deeply this pandemic has affected everyone in various ways. It has been just joyful to see normalcy and people finally living again. Still, it has been extremely hard to readjust.

 

I had the privilege of listening to one of my long-time students as they prepared for our “End-of-the-Year Party and Recitals” a month ago. They will be off to university in the fall, and this was one of our last lessons together. After working with this student since they were a young child, this almost felt surreal.

 

As they did a practice performance run on this particular day, playing two pieces by two of my favourite composers, watching the sun hit the trees just right through their bay window, I felt my body relax for the first time in a long time. I was able to sit back, enjoy their music, and realize just how truly exhausted I have been.

 

As a music therapist and music teacher, often at the end of a long clinical day we want to do anything but listen to music after singing, performing, and listening to other people’s musical preferences all day long.

 

On this day, the student became the teacher. This amazing student gave back after all the years we have spent fostering a love of playing the piano, of music in general, and cultivating a passion that I know will continue far beyond our lessons together. I do not believe in that moment this student realized how much I needed what they gave me.

 

For a few minutes, all the stress I had been feeling just melted away. For a few minutes, the world was still and I felt a sense of calmness I had not experienced in a long while. For a few minutes, I experienced joy and a sense of hope.

 

And as I drove home with tears streaming down my face so grateful for this experience, I realized that every minute of hard work and laser focus has been worth it.

 

Those few minutes renewed my passion for the work I do and what the future holds. Now more than ever, music therapists need music therapy too.

 

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 by TPSMTS Team

Should I learn more than one musical instrument?

Why learning multiple musical instruments can be beneficial and fun

Written by Jane Hong

 

There have been many studies to demonstrate the benefits of how learning music affects the brain. Learning a musical instrument can lead to greater levels of patience and discipline, increased confidence, improved motor skills, and the list goes on.

This creates the question: Should you learn more than one instrument? Some think that learning two instruments at once would be confusing or too much to handle.

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 by TPSMTS Team

When should my child start piano lessons?

Five ways to determine if your child is ready

Written by Gabriella Serruya

 

A question we get asked often from prospective families is how old a child should be to start piano lessons. There are different schools of thought on the right age to start piano lessons. Some methods start with children at quite a young age (3), while others think that waiting until a child is 10+ years old to start with formal lessons.

 

I think that somewhere in the middle is the right time (around 4-8 years of age), but this will all depend on the individual child.

 

Here are 5 ways to help determine readiness for piano lessons:

  1. A child should be able to sit during their lesson for 30 minutes (at least) in duration. The lesson is usually broken down into small segments with frequent movement breaks and other “off the bench” musical activities for younger students, but being able to concentrate for 5-10 minutes at a time is important.


  2. Being able to read is helpful. It’s not a deal breaker, but it makes learning this new language called music easier since English and music share an alphabet. It also makes things easier for independent practicing. They can read the practice notes their teacher gives them and know which songs to practice and how to practice them. Parents are always welcome to help out with practicing but it can make things easier if the child can do it on their own, especially if they are older.


  3. Children need to be able to practice at home at least 4-5 days per week (which can be a challenge!). This takes a lot of work on both the child’s and the parent’s part. How does your child do with homework completion? If it’s a struggle, then it might not be the right time to add something else to their schedule that is similar to homework. If the child has a love of music or has expressed interest in playing the piano, practicing will likely be easier to accomplish.


  4. Being able to differentiate between the left hand and right hand is very helpful! However, even under pressure even adults make mistakes on which hand is which! We do a lot of work one hand at a time at the beginning to make things easier.


  5. Having a piano or electronic keyboard at home is extremely important when you start lessons. If you have one at home and your child is playing it without prompting, they may be ready for lessons. Trying to pick out a song by ear is a good sign, but even singing a song and playing random notes is good. This shows their interest and possible readiness to start lessons.

 

Although 4-8 years old might be the “right” time to start piano lessons, it’s definitely not a hard and fast rule. I’ve had students start as early as 3 and as late as 78, so it’s never too late! Just remember that while they are getting all the benefits of a music education, the goal at all times should be fun and enjoyment.
 

Resources:

What Is the Best Age to Begin Piano Lessons? (by the Hoffman Academy)

Should Adults (and Teens) Take Music Lessons? (from the TPSMTS blog)

 

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 by TPSMTS Team

Should Adults Take Music Lessons?

Learning a musical instrument – at any age – has a myriad of benefits and rewards.

 

There have been many studies and articles that advocate for music education in children, listing benefits ranging from brain development to better performance in other school subjects, just to name a few. Because many benefits of learning music are related to a child’s development, we often overlook or dismiss the benefits of music lessons for adults.

While it is true that learning music (just like any other skill) can be easier to learn as a child, many adult students have found music lessons to be equally beneficial and rewarding as well!

There are many reasons why adults shy away from the idea of taking music lessons.

 

Reason #1: “I’m scared of making mistakes.”

Adult students are often more aware of their mistakes and may be more self-conscious about playing in front of others, even their piano teacher.

 

This is a great opportunity to gain more confidence, which is something that will transfer to your workplace, as well as how you interact with other people!

 

Reason #2: “I’m too old to pick up a new skill.”

In addition to being more aware of their mistakes, adults may not be able to develop the required coordination as quickly as children, which makes it even more frustrating when they make mistakes.

 

On the other hand, adult students often understand concepts much more easily. This allows them to move through the music theory part of music lessons very quickly, allowing both teacher and student to focus more on the playing aspect of the lesson.

 

Many studies have also shown that knowing how to play an instrument helps with decreasing the chances or rate of deterioration in both physical and mental functions as a person ages. Music lessons help exercise an adult’s brain and motor skills, keeping you healthy both mentally and physically.

 

Reason #3: “I don’t have time. I’m stressed enough already!”

Adults have very busy lives. Most music educators are very understanding of this! They will work with you to make goals that are achievable based on your needs.

 

However, setting regular practice sessions during your busy week is a great way to develop self-discipline. At the same time, practice sessions can act as opportunities for self-care.

 

People often find music relaxing and playing an instrument can help you express and process negative feelings and stressful situations. At the same time, finishing a song can bring a great sense of accomplishment and pride.

In short, it is never too late to pick up an instrument! There are many benefits to taking music lessons regardless of how old you are.

Although TPSMTS primarily works with children and adolescents, we warmly welcome adults as well!

 

Feel free to reach out and learn how to get started today!

 

 

Resources:

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 by TPSMTS Team

What does a Typical Music Lesson Look and Sound Like?

Written by Gabriella Serruya

 

There are many ways to organize a music lesson. There are some key components though that occur at most lessons. These include scales/technique, songs that are being worked on, new material, theory, downtime and often sight-reading and ear-training activities.

 

Music Technique

Some teachers start each lesson with technique – I don’t always do that. I tend to fit it in between songs. For many students, technique isn’t always fun to play, but it’s necessary. The technique exercises strengthen our fingers, help our hands move confidently around the keyboard, and encourage speed.

 

How much music?

For my students, I try to have 3-4 songs going at a time. One song that is fairly new, one that is getting close to being “finished” and 1-2 between those two! This gives a variety of levels of difficulty. The new song is generally the hardest. We don’t know it well enough to even hum it, it’s slow, and it doesn’t sound like much yet! The song that’s close to being finished is generally the easiest to practice. It’s comfortable, we can hum it, and we know when we are playing things correctly (or not!). The songs in the middle are just that. There are some parts that we know and still some new parts to learn.

 

New Material

New material can come in a couple different forms. Generally it’s the new parts of the songs. Sometimes it’s the addition of musical details – staccato, dynamics, other articulation. Either way it can be challenging! Sometimes I bring some completely different music to the lessons. This we call the “fun” stuff. It’s generally easier than the usual music so students get more immediate gratification – the song is finished quicker! This year, many of my students have learned Hallowe’en songs – something different to mix things up a little!

 

Music Theory

Theory is an important part of lessons. In the early years, it reinforces note recognition and timing, as well as dynamics and articulation. There are lots of books out there, but I prefer individual sheets. I used them to help with anything that is confusing or needs working on. I enjoy searching out themed sheets to use! It makes it seem more fun!

 

Downtime & Exploration

Downtime is a surprisingly important part of the lesson. Most students need a few minutes in between songs or after every couple of songs to give their brains a small break. Sometimes it’s chatting about what’s happening in their world, sometimes it can be a music game. Other times, it looks like playing their instrument creatively. For example, listening to how the piano sounds with the pedal down, playing high or low notes, or making “mystery” chords.

 

Sight-Reading & Ear-Training

Last is sight-reading (working on reading unfamiliar music so students can strengthen their note-reading skills) and ear-training (connecting what we see on the music to how we hear it). Both are extremely important for building a musical foundation.

 

Each lesson generally follows a predictable format so students know what to expect each lesson. We fit a lot into those lessons every week. We aim to have fun as much as possible while working hard.

 

As always, lessons are tailored to the particular students’ strengths and needs to ensure a positive and rewarding musical experience! If you or someone you know would benefit from music lessons, you can learn more here.

 

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 by TPSMTS Team

5 Musical Instruments to Make at Home (with Instructions!)

Get crafty and create music with these DIY Instruments!

Written by Yu Kwei Chan

Here are some creative instruments made from everyday items for a fun activity at home, to use during your music therapy sessions (especially if you are receiving sessions via Telehealth), or to begin building your very own band to make music with your family and friends!

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 by TPSMTS Team

We pivoted once, now we pivoted twice: Adjusting to our “new normal”

Written by Tamara Leszner-Rovet

How our music therapy practice and piano studio is moving forward

As you have seen on the blog over the past few months, we have been discussing our transition to Telehealth (online) lessons/sessions. We have discussed in detail the benefits we have seen, and what we have learned using this new platform to ensure our students/clients maintain a sense of normalcy, routine, and their motivation and progress during this unpredictable time.

 

Toward the end of May, we were given the go-ahead to begin resuming in-person lessons/sessions with strict health and safety protocols in place, as set out by our regulating college and public health.

 

This transition was slow, first starting with “urgent” students/clients who for a variety of reasons, could not be seen on Telehealth (online) through this time. About a week later, we were able to begin transitioning all our students/clients who were comfortable back to in-person lessons/sessions.

 

Very quickly, we needed to pivot again and put clear contingency plans in place to ensure the safety of our teachers/therapists, students/clients, and their families. Here are some examples of the health and safety measures that are now a part of our “new normal”:

 

Frequent hand sanitizing and hand washing:

Whether we are seeing students/clients in the studio or in their home, the first thing we do is ensure they wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after each lesson/session. Our teachers/therapists do the same.

PPE:

All our teachers/therapists are required to wear a mask during every lesson/session. We strongly encourage students/clients to wear masks as well, but in some circumstances this is not possible. If this is the case, our teachers/therapists wear face shields in addition to masks for everyone’s protection.

 

Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning!

In each studio and in the bathroom, you will find a litany of cleaning supplies used before and after each lesson/session, as well as during lessons/sessions to make sure that any used instruments and/or supplies, frequently touched surfaces, etc. are cleaned and disinfected promptly.

Checklists

If you are visiting the studio, you will see checklists around the entire space: entryway, stairwell, hallway, treble clef studio, bass clef studio, bathroom, and waiting room. There are checklists for all the possible items, surfaces, etc. that could be touched in each area, and students/clients and their families can see when everything was last cleaned.

 

Studio safety

Our studio is definitely quieter these days! We are allowing students/clients in one at a time (with some exception to siblings), typically with an accompanying adult waiting outside. We are starting to implement staggered start and end times as well. The waiting room is no longer a hub for coffee, snacks, toys, games, or a place to “hang out” while lessons/sessions are being conducted.

At all times, we respect the varying comfort levels of each student/client and their families. Telehealth (online) lessons/sessions continue to be available for families who prefer this platform, and/or for families to utilize until they are comfortable resuming in-person lessons/sessions.

 

Though this “new normal” has brought a lot of changes to how we run our day to day operations, there is no question that our teachers/therapists and students/clients alike have been so happy to start seeing each other in-person again!

 

As further restrictions begin to ease, we look forward to continue resuming in-person lessons/sessions with all our students/clients as the summer goes on, and into the new school year!

 

As always, we wish everyone continued health and safety amidst these extraordinary times!

 

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 by TPSMTS Team

Six Takeaways from Telehealth Music Lessons/Music Therapy Sessions

What the TPSMTS Team Has Learned Through Telehealth (Online) Lessons/Sessions

Tamara’s Piano Studio and Music Therapy Services (TPSMTS) has now been conducting Telehealth/Online lessons and sessions amidst these extraordinary times for 8 weeks now.

Our teachers and therapists have learned many new skills and dedicated time to furthering our techniques through this process!

 

1. Our students and clients continue to focus.

There have been many students/clients that we initially thought moving to Telehealth lessons/sessions would be difficult for. Despite our initial reservations, we have found that students/clients we thought may struggle have been doing quite well! We have found that some of our students/clients are actually focusing better with Telehealth lessons/sessions!

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Transitioning to Telehealth (Online) Music Lessons/Music Therapy Sessions

Providing a sense of normalcy and routine in uncertain times.

Written by Gabriella Serruya

 

During these extraordinary times, many businesses and services have unfortunately been halted or cancelled. This affects our daily routines, but not as much as it does for the children we work with.

We know that most children with developmental delays strive on having normalcy and routine with their activities, and not being able to go to school or have regular services throws a wrench in their growth and development.

Many services have moved to an online or virtual platform to continue providing services, and TPSMTS has done this as well. While Telehealth lessons/sessions will not have the same impact and effect as in-person lessons/sessions, they still have many benefits.

 

During this uncertainty in most parts of our lives, the thing that TPSMTS been able to keep consistent is our music lessons/sessions through Telehealth (online) lessons/sessions.

Online lessons/sessions are giving students/clients a small element of routine in an otherwise crazy time.

Telehealth lessons/sessions are provided through a video chat application that allows for real-time interaction and (virtual) ‘face-to-face’ communication. Through the use of a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant platform, services can be provided in a safe, fun, and consistent manner.

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