When it comes to music education Toronto is a city that has options. As Canada’s largest metropolitan area, it has long been home to a vibrant arts community that includes internationally recognized musical talent. This means that there is no shortage of professionally trained musicians who can offer classes to all different age groups on a wide range of instruments.
But this abundance also comes with a downside, which is that it can be hard for discerning parents to make the right choice when it comes to finding an instructor for their children. You’ll be familiar with this problem if you’ve ever searched for guitar lessons Toronto: there are so many qualified teachers available that choosing the right one can be an awful lot of work.
It’s certainly important to take your time and make an informed decision when it comes to finding music lessons for your kids, but there are a few rules of thumb that can help you winnow your options down.
Here are a couple of things you should look for when enrolling your children in after school music lessons:
Find a School with University-Trained Instructors
Many music instructors advertise their services by saying that they are professional musicians. While this sounds good — most parents want to make sure their kids are learning from people with extensive real-world experience in their subject — “professional” can actually be a hard thing to nail down.
It’s much more important to look for a school that has university-trained instructors on staff because these credentials mean something concrete: a classical music education rigorously covers theory, performance, history, and other topics that are essential for learning.
For example, Toronto's most awarded music school has built its success on a roster of over thirty music instructors who can give children of all ages a solid grounding in voice, guitar, piano, and drum technique because they have achieved high levels of education themselves.
Look for Schools that Provide Performance Opportunities
Mastering an instrument can be difficult, and students need motivation to keep them going. The best music schools understand this, and build student performance into the structure of the program so kids always feel they are working toward something.
Gaining performance experience doesn’t just help kids practice and improve their skills, though — it also helps them build confidence more generally, and makes them more comfortable performing challenging tasks in front of an audience. This will be of great value no matter what kind of work their future holds.
Toronto has a long history of producing world-class performers, and if you think your child might have what it takes to carve out a career for themselves in the world of classical, jazz, or popular music — or you simply want them to experience the benefits that come with music education — taking your time to find the Toronto arts academy that offers the highest quality education is worth it.
Making sure the school hires properly credentialed instructors and helps students actually develop their performance chops are two of the most important things to watch out for when choosing music lessons for your children.
