Don't be a fool-use the summer time wisely!

Many parents assume they will "save money" by stopping music lessons for the summer. 

This is actually quite a short-sighted decision.  If you take summers off, it's a fact that actually will set the student back at least two months.  Therefore, during the entire fall period, the student would spend having to re-learn old concepts.   If a student has to spend time learn something TWICE, then the parents have wasted their money.

There are so many elements of learning the violin...technique, notes, rhythm, posture...it takes a long time to develop these things. It's exactly like learning a language:  if you take a second language throughout the school year, then decide to drop it for the summer, you will forget a lot.  Same with exercising...if you have a strict exercise routine during the year then take the summer off, your body will not be in the same shape as it was once you decide to resume your workout.  

During the school year, it's more difficult to practice consistently and be prepared every week for lessons because of school and other extracurricular activities.  So don't be a fool-use the summer time WISELY! Use this time to get ahead and blossom in your music career!

As a violinist, I progressed the most during the summer.  I enrolled in private lessons once a week AND weekly group lessons.  Many summers I also enrolled in an over night, full week string camp at Fredonia University, and it was fun!   It was nice not having the stress of school to distract me and that allowed me to get ahead and focus on my violin lessons. It also made my violin lessons during the summer much more enjoyable since I didn't have to worry about anything else.  By the time I went back to school, I was that much more ahead than the other students who did not take lessons over the summer.  Growing up, I have seen other students in my orchestra majorly regress because they did not enroll in any type of lessons during the summer time.  

I do believe summer time should be a time to relax, lounge around, and simply enjoy the sun!  Don't worry, you'll have time for that too and when fall rolls around you'll be learning, not re-learning!


~Regina