MUSIC AVENUE
About
Daytime and evening classes for children, adults, and seniors. Qualified and Experienced Teachers for all ages and abilities from 5 to 105 depending on the instrument. Friendly and Professional service and advice. Convenient parking. Private lessons are available.
Learning music is the gift which lasts a lifetime. Whether you see yourself as a budding professional or just want to enjoy playing at home. It has been shown that learning music at an early age helps with academic achievement in other subjects, particularly for students with learning difficulties, autism, dyslexia and so on. These benefits extend into later life and for senior students, promoting mental acuity and 'wellness' in later years.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
This will vary depending on the instrument, but generally we would establish your initial level of knowledge and experience and get a feel for what you are trying to achieve.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
All our teachers are experienced. Their qualifications range from Berkley to The Royal Schools of Music and London College of Music to Fellowship of the Technics Music Academy.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Pricing depends on whether the lesson is Individual or Class and whether you take advantage of our prepayment option.
How did you get started teaching?
Again this will vary depending on the teacher. For myself I started Organ playing at age 6 and was teaching from age 13 before joining the Royal Air Force. Subsequently I ran a Music Academy in Telford, England with my Wife Ruth (who also teaches). In 2008 we moved to the US and opened Music Avenue to offer similar services in Florida.
What types of students have you worked with?
We work with students of all ages and abilities. We specialize further with students experiencing both learning and physical disabilites. We have taught students who are blind, deaf, missing digits and across the range of learning disabilities from ADHD to Autism. We firmly believe that ANYONE can learn to play and enjoy music on some form of instrument and you are never to young, or too old, to start learning!
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
We hold a Student Christmas Recital each year at Aston Gardens - a local retirement community. This is not intended to showcase our most talented students, but rather to give every student the opportunity to perform in a public arena, thereby developing confidence & performance skills. Of course we also hope that residents, parents and friends also enjoy coming to these events, but the focus is on the students. These events are not compulsory, however, despite the occasional bit of arm twisting :)
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Look for someone that knows how to teach - not necessarily how to play! Some excellent players make spectacularly poor teachers lacking the patience and ability to explain their skills to others. Also be wary of a teacher that tells you ' You can Learn in ONE Lesson '. A musician never STOPS learning - if we didn't there would be no new music - and practice is something the teacher cannot do for you, but the more you do the better and more confident you'll get.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
This is a bit like trying to impart 30 years experience in one sentence. My best advice is to start off by asking for advice. As an example: "I'm left handed, what sort of left-handed guitar do I need?" Well in most instances, I wouldn't recommend a left-handed guitar at all. Logically a standard guitar is already played with the strongest hand and more dextrous hand (the left in this instance) on the neck. For most left-handed people, therefore, we would recommend trying a standard guitar first. You'll also get a greater choice of guitars and will not struggle with trying to convert chord boxes and tabulature to 'left-handed'. Of course there are some very famous guitarists who play left-handed like Jimi Hendrix and Paul McCartney......but there are far more who don't.