our teaching philosophy

WHY WE LOVE WHAT WE DO

The art of music is so deep and profound that to approach it very seriously only is not enough. One must approach music with a serious rigor, and, at the same time, with a great, affectionate joy.

~Nadia Boulanger

French Composer, Conductor and teacher of many of the great 20th century composers & musicians.

Outstanding Faculty = Outstanding Program

The teaching faculty at Rose City Music Academy is a great source of pride and is truly the key to our program and philosophy. These professionals have received performance degrees from the finest institutions, play with the area's most compelling ensembles, and have established themselves as experienced and widely studied teachers. All have collegiate training in music. A teacher with a honed skill and enthusiasm for their subject creates an unparalleled lesson environment. Students of all ages pick up on the passions of those around them, and our faculty with their many styles and backgrounds share a passion for excellence in music.

GROUPS Strengthen students' musical roots

Group experiences can be a wonderful way to plant the love of music in a child. Children learn from and are inspired by watching their peers. Music is an expressive art, giving children a vehicle for their own creative spark. Our groups focus on fun, while maintaining the good posture & techniques taught in private lessons. We offer instrument-specific groups, and mixed groups like chamber music and music theory.

Musicians who play in groups also learn more, practice more, and are more likely to keep playing. To encourage our students to join in a group lesson, we do not add any fees to our tuition. In other words, if your child is enrolled with us for private lessons, they can choose any 30-minute group free of charge! Students from studios outside our academy are also welcome and often join our groups. 

Partners Make Practice Fun! 

We believe music lessons benefit students from a very young age and offer lessons for young children. Our faculty welcome parents in lessons and will encourage them as practice partners through age 9 for most children. In most cases, siblings are also welcome as long as they can listen without distracting the student. This means parents will observe lessons, perhaps taking notes and definitely helping the child to remember which things to work on during home practice each week.

The daily practice partner is essential for students even up to 11 or 12 years of age. They can be any parent or adult who can be there to help with practicing.
Partners are particularly valuable for more advanced students, tweens and adults. We strongly encourage developing these ties and are happy to facilitate connections among our many client families. The recital receptions are also a fun place to meet musicians with similar interests, perhaps from your own neighborhood. 

Practicing is A wonderful Habit

In the early months of study, students should focus on establishing consistent practice habits. In the first 15-week term of lessons, 15-20 minutes every day is a good goal for younger kids. Most teachers ask students to practice for a time equivalent to their lesson length once they have set up a daily habit. So a student taking 30-minute private lessons will commit to 30 minutes every day at home reviewing what the teacher has given them in the lesson. This time can be broken into two shorter sessions in each day. 

New research seems to confirm almost daily that learning a musical instrument is great brain training. Between diligent practice leading to perseverance and expressing thoughts beyond words becoming challenging fun, studying music is something everyone should consider!
 

Recitals are motivating and fun!

We schedule recitals often throughout the year. Within every term there is a "recital week" during which there will be at least two days available for students to perform together for their friends and family. We also cultivate relationships with retirement homes, libraries and other communities where we have more casual performances on a regular basis. Students often have their own recitals celebrating the completion of a set of songs (a book recital) or the achievement of other goals and our faculty members encourage and help plan these milestones.