Flute:
I begin children that are ages five and six on the recorder and move them to the flute once they have gained a basic understanding of breathing, tonguing, notes, and rhythms. Young students whose hands and arms are not big enough to play a standard sized flute can begin on a flute with a curved head joint. Some flutes include both a curved headjoint and a straight headjoint, giving your child room to grow without having to buy a new flute. These can be special ordered through your local music store.

Piano:
I start piano students at age five, but it has been my experience that children make the quickest progress when they begin studying piano at age seven.

What if my child is too young to begin lessons at your studio?

There are many programs available today that offer group music lessons for younger students, and a few teachers also give private lessons to young children. You can also effectively give your child a head start on your own by exposing them to as much good music as you can. Play classical music for them throughout the day in addition to other styles of music that interest them. You can also hang colorful posters with information about instruments, composers,  or music history on the walls. Finally, let your child play around on the piano or keyboard (good for volume control) for fun. What sounds like noise to you can be a valuable discovery process to them, and will help them to develop control in their fingers and hands.