Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

When it comes to our children and music lessons, some of the generally asked questions are :

At what age should my child start attending music lessons?

Is the younger they attend music lessons, the better?

Is there anything that we can do that can help nurture their love for music?

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The other day I chatted with DR Billy Kristanto, a Ph.D in Musicology, and I asked him these few questions.

Here’s the interview (it’s conducted in Indonesian)

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And here’s a general summary of the interview :

Question:
Some parents send their 2 and 3 year-old kids to music classes. Is the sooner they go to music classes, the better? What’s your view on this? How soon should we send our kids? 

Answer:
On average, I’ll say at the age of 5 to 6. But then it’s a personal thing, and every one is different.

Evgany Kissin started learning at the age of 2, but that’s a special case. There are those who start learning at the age of 9. Some start at the age of 15. So to me, on average, children can start at the age of 5 to 6.

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Question:
Can we say then, someone who starts learning music early does not necessary he/she will love music?

Answer:
That’s right. A child may still be in a ‘playful phase’, and when we force him to learn music in a non-conducive way, the child may feel bitter towards music itself.

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Question:
Are there tips on what parents can do to encourage the love for music in children?

Answer:
Parents need to introduce music to their children, be it through CDs, films, or something. And from there, a child will be more open and more keen to try playing music.

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Question:
What’s your view on the ‘Tiger Mom’ approach that emphasises the need to learn at least one musical instrument?

Answer:
That approach has a point, though I too believe we must treat each child uniquely. We believe that when we deal with little children, authority is needed too (Eg. Parents can’t just say to their small children, ‘It’s all up to you’, for everything).

Sometimes children simply may feel lazy (unmotivated). They naturally like to do what they like to do. So that’s when a certain level of discipline is needed for them.

Question:
Last question, can we spot musical talents, if any, in our children? Are there ‘signs’ for us to observe or something?

Answer:
It would depend on the parents (ie. If they’re non-music people, then it’ll be tougher for them to spot musical talents in the children). But then again, music teachers can always help and advise if the child’s musical talent / skill can be nurtured or developed further.

Regardless of whether the parents are music or non-music people, sending children to learn music (or letting them be exposed to music) is a good thing because it widens the worldview of the child (ie. The child does not necessarily need to be musicians). And, there’s a study that discovered how children who play music / are exposed to music are doing better (more efficient) at school.

[End of interview]

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Be it in music or in other areas, each one of us is blessed with different talents.

Let us continually explore, develop and use our talents for the glory of our Creator.

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Btw.

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Have a great long weekend, everyone!