Dear Parents, 

Learning a musical instrument such as the piano, guitar, ukulele, or voice is a family investment; not only a financial investment, but an investment of time. It takes persistence, dedication, and heart to learn an instrument. In my opinion, each component is as important as the next and approaching music with this philosophy will have the biggest impact on your child’s love of and ongoing participation in music.

My purpose is simple: to help you and your child get the most out of the investment you’ve made in music lessons and to set the stage for your child to develop a lifelong passion for their instrument in a safe in home studio.

Through these lessons I will nurture your child’s ability to create their own music through composing, to improvise, to wonder, to ask questions, and to be curious about music. I will help your child learn music that’s relevant to them and that they want to learn, alongside giving them a well-rounded experience of the great repertoire of the past. 

Once your child has developed a passion for playing, we will integrate learning to understand the harmonic construction of music, how to play from chord charts and lead sheets. We will use exams, community performances, and recitals for their desired purpose when relevant, in consultation with you and your child; at all times keeping in mind the goals you have set with your child.

In my 15 years as a music educator, I continue to be saddened by the number of children who I see quitting lessons prematurely and never touching their instrument again due to well-intentioned, but often misguided, pressure and advice from their instructors. I also find that just about every adult I meet, who took music lessons as a child, but gave up in their teens, expresses sadness that they never continued lessons.

By drawing on my own experience and those of the educators with whom I work every day, I want to make sure this doesn’t happen to your child. You’re committing a huge amount of time and money to this part of your child’s education and I want to make every second count.

I will provide your child with a well-rounded, modern, creative experience of music that’s in-line with their goals and related to the music they love. I want to ensure that the next generation of students continue to create music and love their instrument for the rest of their lives. Your child have their lessons in a learner center, welcoming, safe comfortable in home environment where they are able to create and explore with out judgement. The friendly environment eases performance and social anxiety. 

Enrolling in music lessons is a huge commitment of time, energy and money. It will require a commitment from your children, as well as you, their parents. You’ll need to help your child find time in their schedule to intentionally practice. This will take lots of energy to keep them motivated, as they embark on an art that involves considerable, but delayed gratification.

And then there’s the financial cost. I know that many of you have made significant financial sacrifices in order to give your child this experience. But don’t let this put you off; the benefits your child will gain from music lessons will far outweigh all the costs, as long as we keep a few things in mind.

Lastly, as you shift your mindset from one on one lessons to group lessons I want you to understand the remarkable benefits this will give your children. I’ve done extensive research in this area and it is proven that through group lessons, your child will develop at a faster rate through learning side by side with their peers. Group lessons will foster an internal accountability for your child and also help develop performance skills in preparation for larger audiences in the future. In a group setting we will be able to collaborate as a community of musicians while we learn and create music.

To accommodate your child’s needs, we will select a 30- 60 minute lesson for them depending on age and skill level. In a group setting I want to allow time for sight reading, theory, and composition. During the group lesson each student will continue to receive one on instruction in my in home studio. We will also spend a few minutes at the end of each lesson creating a plan of action for practicing during the week.

You’ve started on the path to helping your child enjoy an involvement in music. Now let me help you give your child the best chance of developing a lifelong relationship with music making.

Alicia Glaser                GlaserMusicAR@gmail.com                702-835-2623