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Image by Sharon McCutcheon

 Our Virtual Music Academy 

Why Virtual Lessons?

Do you have a budding musician in the home? And yet, a good teacher is lacking in your area, or the commute is just one more thing to add to your busy day. Don’t delay your child’s musical experience. Virtual lessons are your solution. Your child’s musical training is essential. In addition to gaining the joyful skill of creating beautiful music, the study of music develops the brain, training it to work on many levels simultaneously, and engages both hemispheres of the brain, developing those electrical connections needed for fuller thought processing. Our teaching methods highlight the benefits of an online experience. In addition to their individual lessons, our students gather virtually each month to perform for one another and to participate in music appreciation experiences and music theory games (Kahoot, Pictionary, Jeopardy). These experiences introduce, explain, and reinforce music concepts crucial to reading music.

Expanding Horizons

Your child’s musical training is essential. In addition to gaining the joyful skill of creating beautiful music, the study of music develops the brain, training it to work on many levels simultaneously, and engages both hemispheres of the brain, developing those electrical connections needed for fuller thought processing.

Our music program addresses all three levels of learning music, which you may find remarkably similar to the steps of learning any language:

1.

Learning the musical alphabet and music reading:
We start simple and move boldly into more advanced reading techniques as the student advances over the years.

2.

Understanding the compositional tools of the music: Like grammar, we need to understand how music is composed. Once we understand and master certain building blocks (like scales and chords), music becomes easier to perform.

3.

How to communicate with music: Just like oration or public speaking, we now are ready to perfect the skill of performing with persuasive expression.

Our teachers are ready to carry out these steps with your child virtually.
Check out our teacher’s professional musical accomplishments on our Music Faculty page
.

Virtual Music Programs

Scheduling Documents:
Calendar 2021-2022

Individual Music Lessons
For those who prefer one-on-one lessons, our Music Academy offers lessons of excellence. Our goal is not to teach the pieces, but rather the skills that allow a student to learn music quickly on their own. 
 
We teach a variety of instruments,
including:
  • Piano
  • Voice
  • Trumpet
  • Trombone
  • Euphonium
  • Clarinet
  • Flute
  • Oboe
  • English Horn
  • Guitar
Students will learn:
  • Timing and Rhythm
  • Technique
  • Sight-Playing
  • Fingering
  • Ear training and sight singing
  • The art of practicing efficiently
  • The art of memorization
  • The art of performance

A unique feature of our approach includes a virtual Monthly Music Fest every fourth week. Each month at our Monthly Music Fest, students meet for 1 hour and 30 minutes to perform for one another, play speed games to fine-tune their music theory skills, learn more about the great composers, and develop friendships. What a great opportunity to combine world-class instruction with interactive activities to develop the extraordinary in every student!
 
Virtual Individual lessons are available Monday - Friday, 2 PM - 8 PM. 
Registration:
To register and set a lesson time, please complete the following registration forms and email a picture or scan to georgia@thethinkingkid.org. We accept students all year long and prorate tuition and materials costs appropriately.
Individual Students (above Pre-K):
Child Individual Lesson 2021-2022 Registration
Child Individual Financial 2021-2022 Agreement
Child Individual Attendance 2021-2022 Agreement
Get to know our faculty on our Music Faculty Page.
Tuition:
  • 30-minute lessons for 33 weeks of individual instruction,* includes music: $1200/10 low monthly payments of $120 per month.
  • 45-minute lessons for 33 weeks of individual instruction,* includes music: $1550/10 low monthly payments of $155 per month.
  • Tuition will be prorated for those who join later in the term.
  • Materials Fee: $50 per year, includes all music, additional fees, and other learning aids.​
More Information:
We offer a 25% discount for those who take individual lessons for two separate instruments!
*Instruction includes Monthly Music Fest every fourth week in place of an individual lesson.
**25% discount applies to second set of individual lessons of equal or lesser value.​
Image by Patrick Tomasso

Individual Music Lessons

Suzuki Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello

Suzuki Strings

The Suzuki Violin & Viola School offers a worldwide respected curriculum based on the teaching method created by the Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki who believes, “If a child hears fine music from the day of his birth and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline and endurance. He gets a beautiful heart.”

The MGCAA Virtual Suzuki Program includes:

  • Private lessons starting at 6 years old

  • Correct posture and holding position

  • Ear training and listening

  • Tonalization

  • Learning music by heart

  • Memorization of solo repertoire

  • Monthly group lessons to supplement individual lessons

  • Regular public performances and recitals

  • Retaining and reviewing repertoire​

Further details about the Suzuki program:


Every Child Can Learn

More than fifty years ago, Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki realized the implications of the fact that children the world over learn to speak their native language with ease. He began to apply the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music and called his method the mother-tongue approach. The ideas of parent responsibility, loving encouragement, constant repetition, etc., are some of the special features of the Suzuki approach.

Parent Involvement

As when a child learns to talk, parents are involved in the musical learning of their child. They attend lessons with the child and serve as “home teachers” during the week. One parent often learns to play before the child, so that s/he understands what the child is expected to do. Parents work with the teacher to create an enjoyable learning environment.

Early Beginning

The early years are crucial for developing mental processes and muscle coordination. Listening to music should begin at birth; formal training may begin at age six, but it is never too late to begin.

Listening

Children learn words after hearing them spoken hundreds of times by others. Listening to music every day is important, especially listening to pieces in the Suzuki repertoire so the child knows them immediately.

Repetition

Constant repetition is essential in learning to play an instrument. Children do not learn a word or piece of music and then discard it. They add it to their vocabulary or repertoire, gradually using it in new and more sophisticated ways.

Encouragement

As with language, the child’s effort to learn an instrument should be met with sincere praise and encouragement. Each child learns at his/her own rate, building on small steps so that each one can be mastered. Children are also encouraged to support each other’s efforts, fostering an attitude of generosity and cooperation.

Learning with Other Children

In addition to private lessons, children participate in virtual group performances every month at which they learn from and are motivated by each other.

Graded Repertoire

Children do not practice exercises to learn to talk but use language for its natural purpose of communication and self-expression. Pieces in the Suzuki repertoire are designed to present technical problems to be learned in the context of the music rather than through dry technical exercises.

Delayed Reading

Children learn to read after their ability to talk has been well established. in the same way, children should develop basic technical competence on their instruments before being taught to read music.​

Virtual Individual violin lessons are available Monday - Friday, 5 PM - 8 PM.
 
Get to know our faculty on our Music Faculty Page.
Registration:
Please complete the following forms and email completed documents to georgia@thethinkingkid.org:
Individual Students (above Pre-K):
Child Individual Lesson 2021-2022 Registration
Child Individual Financial 2021-2022 Agreement
Child Individual Attendance 2021-2022 Agreement
Tuition: ​
  • 30-minute lessons for 33 weeks of individual instruction,* includes music: $1200/10 low monthly payments of $120 per month.
  • 45-minute lessons for 33 weeks of individual instruction,* includes music: $1550/10 low monthly payments of $155 per month.
  • Tuition will be prorated for those who join us later in the term.
  • Materials Fee: $50 per year, includes all music, additional fees, and other learning aids.
More Information:
We offer a 25% discount for those who take individual lessons for two separate instruments!

​*Instruction includes Monthly Music Fest, which includes a virtual group experience,  (1 hour and 40-minute lesson) every fourth week in place of the individual lesson for that week.

**25% discount applies to second set of individual lessons of equal or lesser value.
violin.jpg

More Information

The following information provides more details about our program. The excellence and fun achieved through our unique program works virtually with great success!

FAQ

FAQ

How will my child receive their new music books?

We will have your child’s music books delivered directly to you.

What if my child wants to learn a song that is not in their music book?

We will search out a version of that song of the appropriate level and email you a copy.

What online platform do you use for teaching?

We use Zoom. Our teachers will reach out to you with their personal Zoom link. This link will be the same each week. They will also text and/or email (whichever you prefer) a Zoom invitation to your preferred device as soon as they are ready for your child to join their lesson.

What does my child need to start lessons?

Your child will need their instrument and the books that we will mail to you.

How will you provide my child with their weekly assignment?

Our teachers will email our younger student’s assignments directly to the parents. Older students are asked to write their assignments in a journal or binder.

How can a teacher follow along with the music?

All our teachers have copies of your child’s music books.

I don’t have an instrument for my child yet. Can you help me?

Yes! We would prefer to help you choose your instrument, so please feel free to reach out to us, even if you are not yet signing up for lessons, so we can guide you towards the purchase of a good instrument. The difference between your child succeeding and quitting may hinge on the quality of their instrument. And quality does not always mean more money. So, please allow us to use our experience to guide you as you choose and purchase or rent your child’s instrument.

Boy Playing Trombone

More questions?

If you still have questions, feel free to email Ms. Georgia at georgia@thethinkingkid.org

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