Summer Can Be a Season of Exponential Growth

As summer approaches, the familiar rhythm of school and activities gives way to a more relaxed tempo. But think of it this way: in nature, summer is a season of growth and vitality. Plants, which have been dormant through the winter suddenly burst into life in Spring, then mature in Summer, and this is a perfect metaphor for what can happen with musical skills during the summer as well.

Learning music is like nurturing a plant; regular care leads to growth, while neglect, even temporary, can cause it to wilt.

To put it simply, regular care is vital to a plant’s health, just like consistent practice is essential to learning a musical instrument! It might be tempting to put music lessons on pause, but before you consider a summer without scales and arpeggios, consider this: by pausing music lessons, your student will not only lose momentum, but regaining what they’ve lost over the summer can become a discouraging challenge to regain in the fall. This break can lead to a noticeable regression in skills and a diminished connection to the musical instrument, be it piano, singing, guitar, drums, or any other instrument.

Summer, with its relaxed schedule, presents a unique opportunity for students to dive deeper into their musical journey, explore new genres, or even compose their own melodies. By continuing lessons, students can maintain their progress, keep their skills sharp, and stay engaged with the creative process. This ensures that when fall arrives and the kids get back into school and other extracurriculars, they're not just picking off where they left off, or worse still, having to relearn some of the things they’ve forgotten over the summer. Instead, they are steps ahead in their musical experience.

And just as a gardener harvests the fruits of their labor at the end of the growing season, students who continue music lessons through the summer also reap significant rewards. These students not only retain what they've learned but have often developed new music skills and a greater passion for and a deeper connection to music.

The summer months shouldn't be seen as a hiatus from learning music and taking lessons, but rather as an opportunity to thrive, just like in the natural world. By encouraging your student to continue music through the summer months you will be helping them set the stage for a more fruitful musical journey.