Affordable flute lessons for complete beginner
Hello,
My 10 year old daughter would like to start learning the flute this fall. She is a total beginner, with next to no music experience. We are looking for something in the El Cerrito, Albany, Berkeley area on Saturday afternoons. The catch is affordability. I get that music lessons tend to be expensive, but I am hoping to keep the price reasonable, especially as this is really just a casual hobby for her, not something she plans to pursue at a more serious level. We're really just looking for a fun introduction to the flute, music in general, and musicianship, without a lot of pressure, heavy duty commitment, or huge financial investment. Is this an unrealistic expectation? All advice welcome!
Jul 24, 2016
Parent Replies
Hi! I understand that your daughter does not intend to become a professional musician, but in my experience taking up a new instrument successfully requires consistent practice and weekly lessons. It's like learning a new language: frequent practice is key to reaching a point where one can actually produce the right sounds (to make a melody, or to express yourself in words). So whatever you do, you should find your 10-year-old a teacher whom she'll see weekly.
As it happens, our child's piano teacher is primarily a flutist, and at least half her pupils study flute with her. After five years, we couldn't be happier with her, and we also consider her fees for weekly half-hour lessons to reasonable. Her studio is located opposite Live Oak Park in North Berkeley, and her name is Jane Webber. You can reach her at JWebber.music [at] gmail.com (she's very good about checking her emails).
P.S. If your daughter is not away for the whole summer, I suggest started before school starts up again.