Music Program

About Our Music Program

A Step Above Dance & Music Academy's music program is based on the same educational philosophy and goals that drive all our classes. Our private voice and piano lessons are tailored to suit each student's goals and technical development.

A Step Above Dance & Music Academy's highly-trained faculty are caring teachers who are as concerned with your child's self-esteem and well-being as with providing excellent music technique and training. Our students learn the importance of self-discipline, the beauty of music, and the power of the performing arts. Our music lessons develop creativity, strong musical skill, and self-reliance in a supportive, enriching, and nurturing environment.

Our family-friendly waiting room allows ease when waiting for your musician, and we have observation windows into each classroom so you can see your musician's progress.

A Step Above Dance & Music Academy's program begins in August and continues through May. Separate summer classes and workshops are also offered.

When registering, students and parents receive an information folder and handbook containing our special events calendar, student code of conduct, and other important information and helpful guidelines.

A Step Above Dance & Music Academy produces two annual concerts. The Fall Concert is held at the studio and the Spring Concert is held in a local theater. Every student is invited and encouraged to perform, but performance is not mandatory. Because music is a performing art, performing is considered a major part of a music education. Those who participate find it a truly confidence-building and exciting experience.

Our office staff will happily answer your questions regarding the details of our educational programs, scheduling procedures, or administrative policies.

6 Ways To Get The Most Out of Music Lessons

These guidelines will help you to have a successful, rewarding experience learning music. These are practical tips our music faculty have discovered from their experiences both as students and as teachers.

1. How Young is Too Young? Start at the Right Age.

Adults can start any instrument (including voice) at any time. Their success is based on how willing they are to commit to practicing. For children, starting at the right age is a key element to their success. Some people will tell you "the sooner, the better" but this attitude can actually backfire and be a negative. If a child is put into lessons too soon, they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and want to stop lessons. The last thing you want to do is turn a child off music just because they had one bad experience that could have been prevented. The following are some guidelines we have found to be successful in determining how young a child can start taking specific types of lessons.

3-4 year old Preschoolers love music. However, at this age private lessons do not work, as the child has not yet experienced the formal learning environment of kindergarten and does not have the reading and counting skills necessary for formal music training. If a preschooler has a strong desire to start music lessons, try a game-oriented group class designed to give preschoolers a foundation in music basics that will be helpful in later private lessons.

Private Piano: 5 years old (in Kindergarten) is the youngest age we will start children with private piano lessons. At this age children have begun to develop longer attention spans and can retain material with ease.

Private Voice: Middle school age is the youngest age for private vocal lessons. Due to the physical nature of voice lessons (proper breathing techniques, development of the vocal chords, and lung capacity) the younger body is generally not ready for the rigors of vocal technique.

2. Insist on Private Lessons when Learning a Specific Instrument.

Group classes work well for preschoolers and in theory. However, when actually learning how to play an instrument, private lessons are superior since each student can learn at their own pace. Additionally, the individual can be the primary focus of the teacher, as the teacher does not have to divide his or her attention.

3. Take Lessons in a Professional Teaching Environment.

Learning music is not just a matter of having a qualified teachers but also having an environment which is focused on arts education. In a professional school environment, a student cannot be distracted by TV, pets, ringing phones, siblings, or anything else. With only 1/2 hour lesson time per week, a professional school can produce better results since the only focus is learning music. Students in a school environment are also motivated by hearing peers who are at different levels. In a school, the lessons are not just a hobby or side-line for the teacher, but a responsibility which is taken very seriously.

4. Make Practicing Easier.

As with anything, improving in music takes practice. One of the main problems with music lessons is the drudgery of practicing and the fight between parents and students to practice every day. Here are some ways to make practicing easier:

Time: Set the same time every day to practice so it becomes part of a routine or habit. Generally the earlier in the day the practicing can occur, the less reminding is required by parents to get the child to practice.

Repetition: For a young child, 20 or 30 minutes seems like an eternity. Instead of setting a time frame, use repetition. For example, practice this piece 4 times every day, and this scale 5 times a day. The child does not pay attention to the amount of time they are practicing his/her instrument, but knows if he/she is on repetition number 3, he/she is almost finished.

Rewards: This works well for both children and adult students. Some adults reward themselves with a cappuccino after a successful week of practicing. Parents can encourage children to practice by granting them occasional rewards. In our school, we often use star stickers.

Praise: The most coveted award. There is just no substitute for a pat on the back for a job well-done. We also realize that we are all human and sometimes have a week with little practicing. In that case, there is always next week!

5. Use Recognized Teaching Materials.

There are some excellent materials developed by professional music educators which are made for students in a variety of situations. These materials have been researched and are continually upgraded and improved to make learning easier. These materials ensure that no important part of learning the instrument can be inadvertently left out. If you ever have to move to a different part of the country, qualified teaches and institutions will recognize the materials and be able to smoothly continue where the previous teacher left off.

6. Have Fun!

Music should be something that you enjoy for a lifetime. Try not to put unrealistic expectations on yourself or your children to learn too quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace, and the key is to be able to enjoy the journey.