If you’ve stepped into Wal-Mart lately, you’ve seen first-hand that the back-to-school frenzy is in full swing. Kids are agonizing over whether to choose the messenger bag or the leather satchel, and parents are wavering between soccer or drama club for their youngsters. It seems logical to embark on your child’s music education at the beginning of the school year, but will it be adding too much to an already crowded schedule?

Now Is The Time
The short answer is: The beginning of the school year is a great time to start music lessons. Why? Let’s take a look at five great reasons to take the plunge.

1. Capitalize on the back to school spirit. Kids are excited about starting something new. It’s time for a change, and beginning piano lessons while back-to-school fervor is in full swing will help students begin with a positive outlook.
2. Improve performance in school. Numerous studies show that music lessons improve student performance on standardized tests, especially in math. Music education is a great complement to traditional classroom learning, because it uses both the creative and the spatial-temporal parts of the brain at the same time.
3. Build self-confidence. Just as sports can build self-confidence by helping kids learn to overcome challenges and develop new skills, learning a new instrument can accomplish those same goals. When a student successfully performs that difficult piece in his first recital, his confidence gets the same boost it does when his team wins the basketball game.
4. Improve concentration skills. Playing a musical instrument requires the coordination of many different skills. Students must read the notes on the page and translate them into specific hand movements and breathing techniques, perform different functions with different hands, creatively interpret the mood of the piece, and in many cases commit the piece to memory. It’s a process that requires laser-sharp focus and concentration.
5. Open doors of possibility. Your child’s musical training will create opportunities for him that others will never have the opportunity to experience. Few people ever regret taking music lessons, but many regret not having had that chance.

Sure, you could start music lessons any time. But why not take advantage of a fresh school year to broaden your child’s horizons and give him the opportunity to learn a skill that will serve him the rest of his life?

This is a TBMA original article written for our Tampa Bay Music Academy readership.  If you find it to be helpful, we would love for you to re-post it on your blog.  Please contact us first for permission.  Visit our website home for information on finding a music teacher in Tampa, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Citrus Park, Westchase, New Port Richey, Lutz, Trinity, Keystone, or Tarpon Springs Florida who offers private piano lessons, guitar lessons, saxophone lessons, voice lessons, or music lessons in any other instrument proficiency category.  TBMA teachers (piano, guitar, voice, woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion) pride themselves in a reputation for an uncompromising commitment to excellence and special care taken for every student. We remain absolutely committed to providing an outstanding enrollment experience beyond any other in the region.  Call us today.  We look forward to hearing from you!