Summer is the most ideal time of year for music lessons. When free of the demands of schoolwork, students have time to make great strides! Here’s 6 reasons why summer is the best time for music!
1. Free time to practice
We all know that one can only learn to play a musical instrument with consistent practice. In summer, many students have an ample amount of time on their hands. Summer is the best time to make incredible progress on your instrument, or even try a new musical instrument!
2. Tension-free
It is a fact that we learn better, more thoroughly, when we are less stressed. In summer, we have a greater capacity for progress in music! Joy and enthusiasm are absolutely essential for learning to happen — literally, scientifically, as a matter of fact and research. Shouldn’t it be our challenge and opportunity to embrace learning at a time when we are most relaxed?
3. Protecting the investment
You have made a financial investment in music for your child. Students who do not continue their music study in the summer spend much of the fall trying to recoup the technique and knowledge they lost over the summer. It’s like paying for the same lessons twice. Not only are you protecting your financial investment through summer lessons, but your child will avoid the frustration that comes from a loss of skills.
4. Creativity and confidence
In summer, we have a unique opportunity for building creativity and confidence. A relaxed mind is a creative mind! The joy that comes from achievement also builds confidence in the student. This summer, why not work with your teacher to write your very own song, or learn to play a piece with another student?
5. A head start
Many students who participate in competitions and assessments use their summers to get a jump start on pieces for the coming school year. Compare a student who starts a piece 3 months earlier to their peer who took the summer off. You can imagine which one has the leg up on the competition! Students who have a challenging academic schedule also find it very beneficial to get a jump start on pieces, alleviating some of the pressures of the school year.
6. Explore new music
Summer is a fantastic time to explore new music or new music genres! Learn to improvise, play praise and worship music, tackle your dream piece…the musical world is at your fingertips in summer. It’s difficult to think of a more fun and relaxing way to fight that summer brain drain!
Taking time off from music lessons in the summer might seem appealing after a busy school year. However, these precious months of recharging the batteries offer one of the best opportunities to enjoy playing music without the pressures and distractions of other activities.
Ditch the cell phones…forget about social media…click off the TV. Instead, tap into your imagination this summer and become a creator of music at CAM this summer!