TOPIC 3: HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG FOR LESSONS?

I'm asked this question often, and the answer usually lies more with the individual student than the physical aspect of it. But let me address some of those fears first.

There are many teachers who won't work with students until they are at least in their late teens. The argument is that their voices (and fingers for pianists) aren't developed enough for training. There is some truth to these thoughts, but not ones that would discourage someone from lessons. It is important to get an instructor who understands the limitations of youthful muscles and won't do harm to them. Training a young voice in particular takes a great deal more care than an adult student.

Vocal Development
The muscles in the voice are some of the last ones to stop growing. It varies from person to person, but is generally done developing in your mid thirties. The voice goes through growth spurts as other muscles do when you are in your pre-teen years. During this time, vocal range (even in the speaking voice) goes through great changes. Since the male voice grows thicker than the female voice, it is more noticable in boys. After this dramatic change, the voice continues to grow at a fairly quick rate through the teens and early twenties. It slows down in your late twenties and comes to a final range in your thirties.

So with that understanding, I guess some teachers think you should wait until your thirties to start lessons when the voice is fully matured. That is not the case. You simply need a teacher who understands the stage the voice is in and will treat it accordingly.

I have my own criteria that has nothing to do with the physical stage of the voice. So how do I determine when a student is ready for lessons? Two simple words... ATTENTION SPAN.

Learning something new requires a certain amount of attention and willingness to practice. A student who has this type of dedication does well with lessons. So if you're wondering if your child is old enough for lessons, ask yourself how strong the desire seems to be in them. If they have been successful in other lessons (dance, sports, etc.) then they should do well with music lessons.

Bottom line: No matter what age the student is, if they want to learn, that will always be the key to success.

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