Have you ever wondered what happens in a group music class? Curious about what students learn? Wondering if a group class is suitable for a complete beginner?
Merit’s Instrumental & Vocal Music program offers group classes where students build instrumental technique, musical knowledge, and performance skills with supportive peers under the guidance of Merit’s celebrated faculty. Join us as we take a look inside Iris Wei‘s Beginning Suzuki-Alegre Violin classes and Bob Sherman‘s Beginning Guitar classes to discover everything you need to know about group classes!
Beginning Suzuki-Alegre Pre-Twinkle Violin Class
As the young students file into the classroom, they go about their set routine with little prompting. They unpack their violins, rosin their bows, rubber-band their sponges to their violins, then line up in front of Ms. Wei to tune their instruments. Once tuned, they form two lines, and then they’re ready for class.
Ms. Wei’s Beginning Suzuki-Alegre Violin class is a structured, engaging environment. The energetic class is comprised of eight students ranging from six to twelve years old, excited to learn and share their knowledge.
As it’s still early in the semester, today’s 55-minute class is dedicated entirely to building a solid foundation, and that begins with holding the instrument. A large portion of class is spent practicing the eight steps to properly go from rest position to playing position, with students taking turns leading the class in the process.
Learning to hold a violin correctly might not sound like a lot of fun, but Ms. Wei is a master of creativity to keep the kids engaged. Whether balancing a rubber band ball on the violin to make sure they are holding it level or gathering around the teacher to identify improper techniques she demonstrates, the excitable group is clearly having fun, even when they don’t get it right the first time.
“Is it bad to mess up sometimes?” Ms. Wei asks when one student gets frustrated. “No!” the class choruses, while seven-year-old Tyler sagely adds, “This is a safe place to make mistakes.” This is one of the beauties of learning an instrument in a group environment: the students can learn from mistakes together while supporting each other and building a community of trust.
But the students aren’t the only ones learning during class. In the Suzuki Method, parental involvement is imperative. Not only are the parents present for class, they actively participate. Parents correct their children’s technique, answer questions when called upon, and join in on games. This gives parents an understanding of the proper techniques so they can guide their child during at-home practice. As class draws to a close, they review what they worked on in class, and Ms. Wei assigns them homework for their at-home practice.
Beginning Guitar Class
Mr. Sherman’s Beginning Guitar class is engaging and fun like Beginning Violin, but in a much different way. While the violin class is guided by the international Suzuki methodology, Beginning Guitar follows a curriculum designed specifically for Merit. The students learn to read music, play scales and chords, and much more.
The sound of open strings rings in the air as Mr. Sherman begins the class with tuning. The four students in the class, ranging from ages seven to thirteen, strum their instruments and hone their musical ear as he makes sure they are all perfectly in tune.
The class covers a wide breadth of material in only 55 minutes, from counting rhythms to learning new chords. As they play simple exercises while saying the note name out loud, Mr. Sherman plays alongside them, adding more complex variations to enhance their learning experience and keep the simple songs exciting.
Fun activities are woven seamlessly into the curriculum. The students light up when Mr. Sherman asks if they want to write a song together: they decide on an arpeggio pattern from their book, then they go around the room with each student picking the next chord. When Mr. Sherman puts it all together and plays it for them, the kids are thrilled with their new masterpiece!
Mr. Sherman’s adaptive teaching style keeps the students engaged. He entertains their random questions while gently steering the focus back to the lesson, making it a fun and productive learning experience for everyone. He says, “Helping beginner students establish good habits while fostering a love for music is immensely challenging and fulfilling.”
As the end of class approaches, they play several simple songs together, even learning a new one to add to the list. Then, Mr. Sherman assigns songs to practice for their homework before they pack up their instruments.
Group music classes offer a dynamic and supportive environment for students to learn and grow. While each class is unique based on the instructional style, they are all designed to allow students to build essential skills while enjoying the process. These classes not only provide a foundation in instrumental technique and musical knowledge but also foster a sense of community and shared learning. For beginners, group classes are a wonderful way to embark on a musical journey. When you join them at Merit, we help guide each family through every step of the way for years to come.
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