Set your child up for success in music

Being part of the school band can be one of the most rewarding experiences a child can have but, as with any extracurricular activity, what your child gets out of it depends on how well they are supported to succeed.  

Being in the band is not a ‘set and forget’ activity: children need a supportive environment at home and school to reach their potential.
Valuing and respecting the processes around practice, lessons and rehearsals as a family helps to increase your child’s confidence in learning their instrument and their engagement in the band. It’s also incredibly important for the success of the band as a whole!

Valuing and respecting the processes around practice, lessons and rehearsals as a family helps to increase your child’s confidence..."

Set your child – and the band – up for success with these tips:

• Be punctual: We want our band rehearsal environment to be positive, fun, supportive and motivating. When students arrive late to tutorials and/or rehearsals, this negatively impacts that vibe, along with student and band progress. The most successful bands are those that work as a team, and a big part of that is showing respect for band members and your tutor by arriving on time.

• Get organised: We understand students have a lot to remember every day – books, uniforms, lunch boxes – Argh! Make band days easier by setting reminders in your phone the night before, not in the morning rush hour for your child to pack their music folder and band book in their school bag. (Students need to bring music folders and band books to ALL lessons and rehearsals, with sheet music stored in an A4 plastic-sleeved folder).

​

• Be prepared: Practice is personal; rehearsal is relational. I often explain to students that practice is your personal preparation time that needs to happen before rehearsal. Rehearsal is the relational time where we work on songs together. This means when one person is unprepared, everyone is affected. Be prepared as an individual so that we can thrive as a group.

We can have high expectations of our children without pressuring them. High expectations, combined with a supportive environment, help children strive to improve, which leads to increased confidence, motivation and a sense of achievement.  
 
Let’s set the bar high with individual organisation and preparation so that we can give our band the best chance of success!  

What tips can you share around being prepared for music practice, lessons and rehearsals? Please leave a comment below!