Should my child start with private lessons or a group class?
It is the question most Springfield parents are asking when they search for "piano lessons." For a child between 3 and 9, the honest answer is usually a class first, then private lessons later, on an instrument the child chose from experience. Here is the comparison, row by row, with the private lesson case stated fairly.
Side by side
| A CMA class | Private lessons | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Written for ages 3 to 9. Activities built to hold a young child's attention, in short varied turns. | Most private teachers prefer to start children older. Thirty minutes alone with an adult asks a lot of a 5 year old's concentration. |
| Focus | A whole foundation: keyboard, singing, harmony, rhythm, ensemble, guitar, recorder, ear training, theory and composition, in one curriculum. | One instrument, usually piano, studied in depth from the first lesson. Excellent for an older child who already knows which instrument they want. |
| Setting | A small group. Children learn with and from each other, and the group is part of the method. Classes run about an hour. | One to one. Lessons usually run thirty minutes. |
| Length and cost of a class | About an hour a week. Tuition for an hour at CMA is usually about the same as, or less than, a half hour private lesson. See Tuition for how paying works. | Usually a half hour a week, priced per lesson or per month. |
| Parent participation | You are in the room every week, learning the same material. A weekly musical date with your child, and practice at home you do together. | Parents seldom attend. Practice at home is supervised rather than shared. |
Both paths lead to a musician. The difference is which one fits a 5 year old, and which one fits a 12 year old.
A class first, then lessons
A child who finishes a CMA course and then starts private lessons arrives already reading music, already playing the keyboard with both hands, already hearing what is on the page, and already sure which instrument they want. Private teachers notice. The national CMA organization reports that private teachers like taking CMA graduates because they often progress quickly. One teacher who does both says it best.
“As a private teacher I found that my young beginning students at CMA learned more, had more fun, and were more confident than private students who had been taking lessons for the same amount of time.”
What parents who chose the class say
“My daughter, Molly, recently graduated from the CMA program, and I can honestly say it was one of the most valuable investments that we have ever made. She was given excellent instruction in piano, music theory and ear training, and most importantly, a love for music! A wonderful bonus is that because it is parent/child, I too 're-learned' how to play piano.”
“I wish all education could be like Children's Music Academy where my three children have felt special, successful, and competent.”
“My research has shown the activities at CMA to be appropriately matched to young children's skills, and that students feel highly challenged and successful.”
The questions behind the search
When should a child start piano lessons?
A child can start learning music at 3, and the years between about 4 and 8 are when the ear develops most easily. For those years a class that teaches keyboard inside a whole curriculum usually serves a child better than a private piano lesson. Private lessons on a chosen instrument fit well once a child has that foundation, often around 9 or 10.
Is a group class really as effective as one to one teaching?
For a young child, usually more so. A class holds attention through variety, uses the group as part of the learning, and covers far more ground than one instrument. The child who leaves a CMA course has a trained ear, reads music, and has played several instruments.
Can my child do both?
Many graduates do. A CMA course first, then private lessons on the instrument they chose. Doing both at the same time with a 5 year old is more than most families need.
What does a CMA class cost compared with a private lesson?
An hour of class at CMA usually costs about the same as, or less than, a half hour private lesson. Tuition is paid monthly across the school year. See Tuition for how paying works.
See which class fits your child
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