Lessons for Adults

OVERVIEW
Music House welcomes and nurtures adults at any stage of musical development who want to discover or strengthen their connection to music making. Whether you took lessons in the past, are trying lessons for the first time, or already play an instrument and want to develop your overall musicianship, we are devoted to helping you discover your most gratifying musical path. Music House recognizes that taking music lessons as an adult is very different from taking music lessons as a child.

Adults tend to have high expectations and can be quite self-critical—it’s that thing that we do! People returning to music years after childhood lessons often describe themselves as being “tied up in knots.” Adults wanting to try music for the first time find themselves having second thoughts, wondering if it’s unrealistic, worrying about investing in an instrument and not having enough time to practice. Music House understands that in order to have a successful outcome, the path to music learning must first be cleared of obstacles. First and foremost we will come up with compassionate, doable strategies to put any concerns you may have  to rest . Then, your exciting adventure can begin!

For a FREE consultation to discuss your musical needs, call 917-923-4957 or

email Music House !

HOW IT WORKS
The first session is designed to clarify your goals, determine your learning style, and allay any concerns you may have. The next step is to help you discover or rediscover your innate musicality. At the piano, problem solving exercises will connect you to your “inner musician”; a gentle improvisation will open your creative channels; and guided explorations of the keyboard—a musical “map”—will lead you to an understanding of how music works. In addition, if you already know which instrument you want to study we will begin that as well. If not, you may opt to spend time exploring the variety of instruments provided in order to find what is right for you. At every step, the process will be aligned with your needs, natural musical inclinations, and circumstances in order to help you find the most appropriate, gratifying and sustainable musical path possible.

If you already play an instrument and want to gain a better understanding of how music works, the emphasis will be on the musical “whole”: how all the elements are connected (note reading, playing by ear, using melody and harmony creatively, etc.) and how this understanding can help you become an empowered musician as well as an instrumentalist.

Lessons are scheduled individually to fit your schedule!
You may opt for a weekly lessons, one lesson twice a month, or an intensive immersion, i.e.2-4 sessions a week for a finite period such as one month at a time. Whatever works for you will work at Music House!

EXAMPLES

Finding the right instrument
The choice of an instrument is personal.
Some people feel expression through their breath, others by drawing a bow. Some need to plunk piano keys, others are inspired by strumming. And it is never too late to find an instrument to partner with in a nurturing, gratifying musical experience! At Music House students are given the time and support to spend time trying a variety of instruments in order to discover is right for them. Making an informed choice of which instrument to learn turns instrument learning into a far more meaningful experience for learners of any age!

• Example: When Joyce was a child, her parents had her take flute lessons. She never connected with the flute and hated to practice. After two years of criticism from her teacher and arguments with her parents about practicing, she was allowed to quit, convinced that music was not for her. But one Joyce reached adulthood, she realized that she didmiss music, and when she turned 40, Joyce began to consider lessons again. At Music House she was able to spend time trying different instruments. The first time she got her hands on a guitar, Joyce understood why the flute had never worked for her: She was a strummer! Once she felt this bond, Joyce felt motivated to practice. After a year, she joined a Garage Band, and had a thoroughly gratifying experience.

Discovering a musical porthole
Music House nurtures all types of musical potential.
Everyone has musical potential, but everyone is musical in a different way. Some people are drawn to learning how to play pieces on one or more instruments, while others feel a connection with creative activities such as songwriting and improvisation. Some adult students find a balance between the two to be therapeutic. Whether a student’s passion is improvising on the xylophone, figuring out tunes by ear at the keyboard, or learning how to accompany simple songs on the guitar, Music House superglues the learning to their enthusiasm. Music House is committed to helping every learner discover their musical spark and grow music learning from the inside out.

• Example: From a young age Joe loved music. He was constantly making up little songs and experimenting with sounds on the piano. So his parents decided to start him on piano lessons. Within four months, Joe had lost all of his musical enthusiasm and the lessons were abandoned. But Joe grew up wishing he had music in his life. When he came to Music House in his mid-thirties, he realized for the first time what the problem had been. Joe didn’t want to be a “pianist”—he wanted to use the piano to create songs, experiment with sound, and improvise. Once he found the encouragement and acquired the tools to do what he loved, Joe’s time at the piano became an essential part of his life.
  
  

Learning to play by ear
Playing by ear leads to empowerment.
Learning to play by ear is one of the most gratifying and empowering ways to develop musicianship. Playing by ear is the equivalent of singing on an instrument. Once you understand how the instrument works and where to find the notes, you can play by ear. Learning to play by ear gives students indisputable proof that there is musicality inside them.

• Example: For Marian’s fiftieth birthday present to herself, she decided to try music lessons for the first time. She had never tried any instruments at all, so when we sat down at the piano and I suggested that she could figure out the beginning of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” by ear, she looked at me in utter disbelief. But when I gave her a 3-note menu (C - D - E), told her the starting note was E, and asked her to make the piano “sing” the song, Marian took a breath, agreed to try, and after some trial and error—success! From there, she figured out the song on the xylophone and ukulele, developed the confidence to expand her horizons to more tunes on more instruments. Music became a place she could “go to” at home: a gratifying activity that belonged to her.

FAQs

“I’ve always wanted to learn the piano, but... Is it too late?”
There’s more to piano than performing on the stage at Carnegie Hall! Late starters can easily learn to play by ear, discover how to use chords to accompany songs, transpose to different keys, improvise, and learn how to read and write music in a way that is not only painless, but empowering and FUN! It isnever too lateto late to learn piano, and you will beamazedat what you will be able to do!

“I’m kind of a perfectionist. When I can’t get something right, I tend to give up.”
The Music House methodology breaks down whatever is being learned into tiny, easily attainable steps that ensures success at each level before moving on.

“Will I need to have my own instrument?”
Many adults who are contemplating music lessons feel apprehensive about investing in an instrument. Music House provides an ideal environment where there isno need to purchase an instrument right away. Students are able to spend as much time as they need trying different instruments to make sure they find the instrument that’s right for them, and one that they really want to learn.

“My time is limited. How much will I be expected to practice?”
Adults do not always have the luxury of free time to do things for themselves. Music House’s unique, personalized, and flexible approach works around each student’s needs. How much time students are able to devote to music outside of their lesson is entirely up to them. At Music House, musical goals can be achieved within the restraints of work and life obligations.

“The Music House approach is not to teach canonized technique, but to make students aware of their own unique musicality. Meryl introduced me to the world of music as a child, not as a technical system with "right" and "wrong" answers, but as an infinite field of expression where curiosity is encouraged and rules are meant to be broken. The Music House system not only planted the seed that let me become a professional composer, but gave me the tools and confidence to start exploring my own creativity. The Music House system made me both a better musician and a better person, as it has done for thousands of others.” 

—Kirk Pearson (24)