Family Spotlight:
Music: A Family Affair
Three families have been taking here at Milder Musical Arts for almost 20 years. We asked them a few questions to find out the secret to their musical success!
When did your family begin taking lessons at Milder Musical Arts?
 John Gee: We started with my older daughter Jennifer, when she was 4 years old, so that must have been about 1991. Then, Kimberly at the same age in 1995. Both went from Group lessons to Private lessons with Larisa.
Henry Dayringer: Michael started when he was in first grade so that would have been fall, 1991. He started private lessons with Larisa when she first started (when the Yamaha group lessons group got too small to continue). I started taking lessons from Larisa I think about two years later - so probably 1997. CJ started with voice lessons when he was in third grade in 1998.
Christiane Cruz: My first child started 17 years ago, and we've had two other children take lessons as well. When my youngest daughter went to school in Chile for 6 months, I took over her lesson at that time so I started lessons 2 years ago.
What made you take lessons along with your children?
John Gee: It was a combination of things. I was a complete musical beginner when this started. First, when we did Group lessons, as a participating parent, I too had to pick up note reading, rhythm, and basic keyboard. Eventually, I started to "peck out" some simple songs at home. Second, when the girls went into Privates, I continued attending their lessons, with Larisa. When they started doing more difficult songs, I too started to do moredifficult songs at home. This included some Big Note piano songs from one of my favorite musicals, Phantom of the Opera.  One day I was stymied by a note sequence in the song "All I Ask of You," and at the end of the girls' lesson, I asked Larisa if she would show me the fingering. She was very gracious and patient with me, and she spent several minutes helping me. From then on, at the end of a lesson, she would often give a couple minutes of her time to check how I was doing. After a few weeks of this, she said, "The School does not offer 15 minute lessons, but Beverly has agreed to let you do a 15 minute lesson if you want to." This seemed reasonable for me, so I accepted. Within a couple ofmonths, I realized that 15 minutes is not enough, and I changed to the more traditional 30 minute lesson and I have been doing that ever since.
What has made you stay in lessons all these years?
Henry Dayringer: I enjoy playing but I need the discipline of having to get ready for a lesson each week to ensure that I will practice and actually get better.
Christiane Cruz: I consider Larisa a friend and really enjoy her teaching me since I do not get to sit in on my kids lessons anymore.
John Gee: Taking the lessons with the kids made it convenient, almost painless from a time perspective. Larisa understood that I was there "for fun," and let me go as fast or as slow as I wanted.
Did you children ever go through a time when they did not want to practice?
Henry Dayringer: Oh my goodness, yes! When Michael was in about fifth grade, he just did not want to practice anymore. He was getting better but there were so many things to do.... We were paying annually so I told him he had to finish the year so we did not waste the money and, more importantly, he was going to have to tell Larissa that he did not want to take lessons anymore. He was pretty much afraid of her and did not want to tell her, so he just kept on with the lessons. By about seventh grade, it was no longer an issue. By high school, I could not have paid him to stop. In college, he took music theory and came close to minoring in music (as an electrical engineer!). One of his first large purchases after he got a job was a full size electric keyboard so that he could continue to play in his apartment.
What do you feel was the benefit to your child to have music in their lives growing up? 
Christiane Cruz: It certainly has given my college age children an appreciation for classical music performances, musicals, etc. Being in lessons from preschool on also taught them good study habits and perseverance.
John Gee: Being able to play beautiful music is the most obvious benefit. Having to learn time management, personal responsibility, performing in public, proper dress, setting goals...those are all great fringe benefits.
What do you think it meant to them to see you also taking lessons?
Christiane Cruz: I hope that they understand that you are never to old to try something new. Also that you should learn what you enjoy even if you might not achieve the level of accomplishment as others.
How has taking music lessons positively affected you as an adult?
John Gee: There's a sense of satisfaction, learning something that can be quite difficult. This creates an inner confidence that you can accomplish whatever you set out to do. Playing piano gives you a sense of inner peace, too. I often retreated to the piano when I needed to relax, to clear my mind.
Henry Dayringer: I always wanted to be able to play better than I did but thought that I would not be able to make any significant progress as an adult. I was wrong. I have gotten better.
Christiane Cruz: Beside the fact that the lessons are fun, I think they improved my hand eye coordination which was pretty very slow in the beginning.
Will you share with us one of your favorite family music memories?
To read the answer to this question and more, please click here for the full interviews from each of these families! |
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