Keeping interest in music instruction in Spring. March 18, 2026
Hi all,
At this time of year, traditionally I have a few children who express the desire to quit the instrument. The trend seems to have hit extra early this time. While in some cases it makes total sense, I would encourage you all to try to ride the wave (with individual dialogs with me, of course). Here are a couple of things that are important to try to do:
1) Participate in a group music event or ongoing class such as Saturday's Musicale and Fiddleheads classes or attending concerts and contradances or jam sessions. Group participation of some kind, any kind, is significantly important to any instrument learning endeavor.
2) Arrange lesson visits with my other students during the week.
3) Put spark in the incentive to play at home. For the younger ones, giving relatives a performance or adding a game element to playing their instruments might help. For older ones, changing it up, doing research into fun ways to inspire playing more; making sure they are playing music they love that inspires them can really help.
4) Completely avoid any kind of power struggle/chore dynamic associated with playing at home. If they are taking lessons and showing up to those regularly without missing them (and enjoying their time with me), they will make progress either way. But of course, playing at home and in the community really makes a difference to progress so we want to encourage that organically. This keeps the motivation and incentive with the students themselves so they aren't doing it solely to please me or their parents, which in the long run won't be good for their relationship with music.
5) Help me to understand your child's unique learning style can go a long way. I have a pretty extensive tool box at my side, but if I don't know there's an issue I tend to do what I do!
6) I have other ideas if those don't work. Get in touch and let’s sort it out!
Thanks. If you or your child are losing enthusiasm, try to remember that this is the traditional time of year that this happens and it's best not to stop if you can avoid it, as typically once you stop, it's hard to get going again and regrets may emerge later in life (I see it in adult students often). Though, of course, I or someone will always be available in the event that interest resumes. Also, the physical benefit of bowing a string instrument is so compellingly and singularly great for brain development, that I highly recommend keeping that going as long as is humanly possible. Early string training is also great training for another instrument that usually children have to be in 5th grade or higher to begin just due to size factors. Strings, keyboard, percussion, recorder (or pipe or bent flute) are among the instruments that can be learned before 4th or 5th grade. For continuity, try to stay on one of those instruments until they are big enough to be more selective among the broader options.
Let me know if you have any questions.
--Sarah
