What if music lessons were a play-date? Or quality parent-child time?
WHY
Now on
Scene: Meeting an audience member after a performance where I, Jason Cohen, play music.
Them: You know, I used to play piano (or any other instrument).
Me: But you don't anymore?
Them: (looking away, sadly) No...
Me: Let me guess. Your parents forced you to take lessons, your teacher was aggressive/mean/boring, you equated music with pain and hard work, you quit. Now you recognize that you wish you had not quit music.
Them: How did you know?!
This conversation is far too common and I am setting out to change how we think about childhood music lessons.
HOW
How do I intend on doing that? By making music lessons COLLABORATIVE, STUDENT-DRIVEN, and FUN.
COLLABORATIVE by working with the student, not simply pointing out what they are doing wrong.
STUDENT-DRIVEN by asking what they student wants to learn (which style, how they intend on using their musical ability) and noticing how they learn. Some students want to spend half an hour at a piano bench, some want to practice rhythms by dancing.
FUN by creating an environment where music lessons are a release of creativity and a social event, not an assignment.
WHAT
In home lessons in piano, guitar, ukulele, and drums for any age. I work on a monthly subscription package that allows for weekly lessons. See my packages below.
Skype lesson plans available upon request.