Often parents ask me the question, "Is it harder to learn violin or piano?"  Even among teachers, we have had this conversation. 

When I hear that question, my answer is often just another question: Why do they want to know? Also, what difference does it make?

The question is often based upon a parent or prospective student trying to decide the choice of an instrument.  Parents often say they want their child to learn piano first because they themselves can see the notes and feel it gives a basis for any musician. While this is true, the important input to the decision in choosing an instrument comes from the student. What personality is the student?  Do they like to sit and do individual activities or are they more active and a "team player?" Is standing up and running around preferable to sitting and reading a book or making lego structures? Does the student like high sounds or low sounds, or does the student like to be the center of attention or be more of a supportive member of a group? 

The difficulty of an instrument is really quite equal. It takes about ten years to master an instrument and become an advanced player able to approach the repertoire of any instrument's most advanced pieces. Some students get there sooner or later depending upon how much time they practice. The students who advance faster are most often the ones who practice regularly and consistently with significant amounts of time. No matter what ability they may have, talent only comes to those who put in the time. 

Why not choose the harp, the flute or the guitar as the instrument to explore?  The affinity of the person to the instrument determines the student's willingness to invest their time and energy.  A child interested in the guitar will overcome the hurdles of the learning experience because they chose the guitar. If the parent chooses the instrument against the wishes of the child, I have seen that eventually the student gets what they want and the student will switch to the instrument they desired in the first place.  The attraction to the instrument is key in choosing the right one. Then comes practicing over a period of about ten years.

There are many ways to discover instruments--mostly by attending free or low-cost concerts or rehearsals works very well.  We invite people to attend our solo recitals, but there are also videos on our Facebook page, Youtube channel, or our outreach performances.  This Sunday SSN cello and guitar students will perform at the Newton Holiday Craft Fair at Newton South High School on Sunday, Dec. 4th from 1 to 2 pm.  Rose Hegele of our Musicianship Dept. will be leading a holiday singalong across the street in front of the Waban Library on Sunday, Dec. 4th from 4:45-5:15 pm (free hot chocolate, too!)  Finally, consider signing up for an introductory lesson package of 4 individual lessons---and explore an instrument yourself.  

Sachiko