How young is too young?

[kimberly-rowe]

I’m building my teaching studio and have been asked to start a four-

year-old on the harp. I’ve never taught someone this young. At what

age is it appropriate to start someone out on the harp?

[unknown-user]

If it were my child, I would want to start building some basic musical

concepts before tackling an instrument.

[Mindy Cutcher]

Age four really is too young. I would suggest waiting a year or two when eye-hand coordination is better. At that time teach the basics of music with harp instruction by playing a lot of games.

[Mindy Cutcher]

Ideally, kids should start at about 8 or 9. They seem to have enough concentration at that age, but are still young enough to listen to your every word!

[susan-bennett-brady]

I’ve had students as young as four before, but found it quite difficult. There was little progress until around age 8. I think an 8 or 9 year old can do in a month or two what a 4 year old takes years to accomplish. I do however think it’s good for them to be exposed to the harp. I will usually suggest to an eager parent of a 4 year old to have the child start listening to the Suzuki tape and other harp recordings,attend harp concerts,(especially with young performers)and observe my group classes. I’ve also had alot of success with students who have had the Yamaha music classes or piano lessons before beginning the harp.

[unknown-user]

I started a 4-year old out on “Brian Boru’s March,” (both hands on the melody) with great success!

[unknown-user]

There is a fascinating web page devoted to the journey of a 5 year old learning the harp.

[unknown-user]

Noone seems to have mentioned the fact that until a child is ready to recognize the written word (read words) they will not be able to be taught to read music. The physiological exercise is identical: being able to translate what the eye sees into logical meaning. Only the symbols are different, i.e. translating letters or translating notes. Just as a baby cannot be “taught” to walk, neither can a child be “taught” to read until the brain response is developed enough. And I dearly hope we are finally not backing away from teaching reading instead of saying to the parent, “Have the child study piano for a year or two and then contact me again”. This is surely a “cop-out” and once the parent starts the child on Piano chances of their returning to the harp teacher are very, very slim!! Good luck on developing your teaching studio, Kimberly! They say you never really know your craft until you try to teach it to someone else!!

[Kathleen Elarte]

I have recently rented a Salvi harp to the mother of a three-year

old who studies the Suzuki method. The Suzuki teacher is an expert

and I do not question her judgement. She did not feel the three year old too young and so I rented her the harp which I brought to the teacher to examine (for weight, feel, tension & whatever else she felt necessary). Seems to be working out alright as I have had no negative feedback as yet.

Kathleen Elarte

Vixen

[unknown-user]

I have a daughter (now 7) who could play amazingly well at three.

[unknown-user]

I had a woman call me and say “I want my 7 yr old daughter to play harp.”

[unknown-user]

I teach elementary music in Texas. We have a fairly complete Orff program. I am also a harpist. I am a firm believer that young kids should have a lot of Orff/Kodaly/singing/ movement before they tackle any musical instrument’s potential frustrations. They will have developed much musical perception before having to deal with the technique of any instrument especially the harp which is really built for larger hands. There are many “Kindermusik” type day care centers or private schools where Orff is in place.

[unknown-user]

Children tend to soak up information.

[unknown-user]

I will be following the responses to this question very carefully as I have a 15-month old granddaughter whose growing awareness of and interest in my harp fascinates me. In her most recent visit, standing beside the harp, she began plucking the strings with her thumbs, holding on to other strings with her fingers.

[unknown-user]

I have the same question about harps, well sort of but since each child develops differently and this is independent of age per se I’ll phrase it this way instead:

“At what POINT may a child appropriately begin to learn the harp?

[Author]

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