Most of us are familiar with the word ‘prodigy.’ We immediately think of child composers who created fantastic sonatas and arias at a tender age, and impressed the crowds with their musical grandeur before they ever hit puberty.
In general, the trope of the precocious child is a common theme in the parenting world. People living vicariously through their children want to believe that their little ones have these superb capabilities and unusual skill sets – and in a way, they are right. No student is the same as someone else. Each one is marvelously, wonderfully different! We are proud to help so many of these budding musicians to find their way on a fascinating trek through a world that societies have interacted with over the centuries.
It's okay to want children to succeed. That's desirable. But some parents are tempted to take these ideas to the extreme in trying to pursue objectives that might not make sense given a child's age and inherent approach.
There is a reason that we have music fun tied into our curriculum. Children, for the most part, are not out to conquer the world. They want to be amused, entertained and engaged. Sometimes that's at odds with this idea of the prodigy or genius. Sometimes it’s more about nurturing a young child’s will, giving him or her the tools that he or she will choose to use.
That's why we take care to stress music fun and autonomy in our studio.
You’re going to get further encouraging a child's own sense of wonder at music than trying to fit your student into some pre-existing concept of what a musician is or can be.
We encourage parents to be involved and rejoice at their student's capabilities. We suggest that you get rid of any arbitrary bar that you have for measuring their success. Instead, we welcome you to be inspired by your child's musical journey!
Recitals and other events are way to showcase student learning in a way that's positive and supportive. Also, at home, parents can stay engaged with their student’s learning and enjoy the fruits of what their young musicians have learned.
So in a sense, everyone's child is a prodigy. All come to the table with their unique skills and talents and take their own journeys through the world of music – a world that we believe is rich beyond belief. For more, take a look around the web site and get connected with a premiere music learning school in the Orange County area.
