I have been teaching Classical Guitar to a select number of students throughout my performance career.  I was the founder of the The Darien Music Center and have taught traditional Classical Guitar as well as the Suzuki Method.  My students have ranges from age 5 to 85 with the emphasize on customizing the teaching method to the student.

Philosophy and goals
As one of the parents in my studio aptly put it, “Oh! It’s not just music lessons.” Since the goal of my teaching is the growth of the child as a whole person through the study of music, I would not know how to go about teaching “just music.”   My students, their parents and I as their instructor pursue a common goal, the good of these children, using an uncommon approach--studying classical guitar.

We are so goal-oriented, we sometimes forget that end results (playing a guitar concerto, for instance) are really artifacts of a process. As the founder of the internationally acclaimed Suzuki Method, Dr. Shinichi Suzuki said: “Process, not product.” In the process, children discover themselves and grow strong. This is true of all music study.

why music?
Music study has been used over the centuries to develop character and intellect. Plus, recent studies show that children studying an instrument score far higher in abstract reasoning skills. Since the process of mastering an instrument necessarily takes place over years (an infinity in the eyes of a child! and maybe for the parents, too, come to think of it...) it teaches students the value of persistence and gives them a taste of its rewards. They also learn to play remarkably well.

the difference between an after-school acitivity and studying a musical instrument

With an after-school activity, no practice at home is expected and virtually no home assignments are given. The child explores various aspects of his world ("Fun with Bugs", "The Instruments of the Orchestra", "The History of Tennis, the Sport of Kings", "Orienteering: How to Read Maps", etc.) There is little parental involvement, which frees up the parents for other pursuits while leaving their kids in a good environment with supervision. During the session the children benefit from social interaction with others and exposure to whatever topic is being offered. We are blessed to live in a community with so rich an offering of these wonderful activities.

Music lessons involve a committment of time, attention, parental structuring and oversight of a consistent year-round practice schedule and the expense of an instrument and good private teacher, preferably one with a great deal of experience and a pleasant personality. The benefits are tremendous, proven time-honored and create a skill for life which is deeply satisfying and enjoyable.

the methods
children aged 5 to 7
My own version of the Suzuki Method, which involves the student, teacher and parent in each lesson and the parent in each practice session, is available for those intrigued by this approach (often called “the mother tongue method”.) For families in a position to invest time and effort in this method, the result is phenomenal. 

children 7 and up
A traditional classical guitar method is offered to students. This is when they learn to read sheet music. Students soon find their musical skills are so strong that all kinds of music are accessible and that their musical abilities give them real pleasure.

In many cases, a family with young children opts for the traditional instruction method, which does not require the parent be present for lessons. This is poplular with busy families, and though parents need not attend lessons they are responsible for structuring and overseeing a nurturing practice environment. Five practice days a week is strongly recommended for this program. 

why it works

Simple: practice. That and lots of support from parent and teacher. More studies show the brain literally does not develop its gray matter in areas which correlate to the ability to see consequences long-term (in particular the prefrontal cortex) until age 18 or later! Until then children go on emotion and peer pressure, all driven by intelligence residing in a developing brain. Which is exactly why as smart as they are they will not understand when you say “You need to practice. Don’t you see?” No, they can’t, not yet, so thank goodness they have you, the parents and us, the teachers.

the program
Five practice sessions a week is the minimum for this program: anything else is setting these children up for failure, since with less practice they just cannot make enough progress to feel good about themselves.

fun stuff
Public performance, though not required, is always encouraged for the acknowledgment and sense of community it instills. We have two recitals every year at the Bruce Museum, sometimes with other informal events along the way. A favorite was performing at the Maritime Aquarium --in front of the shark tank. The recital/pizza party at Whole Foods was a big success, too. And this summer we performed our Garage Band Concert at the Maritime Center Garage, during the 2009 Norwalk Harbor Festival.

the point
Playing an instrument yields many lasting advantages. It is a wonderful investment in a child’s future. And it is good for the soul.