Frequently Asked Questions
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HOW SOON CAN I START?
Enrollment is always open, so you can start anytime! There are no conditions to begin other than an eagerness to learn and an open mind. Come as you are, and we will make sure you start on the right note. All ages and abilities are welcome! WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE FOR A CHILD TO BEGIN CELLO, GUITAR, PIANO, VIOLIN, OR VOICE? The best age to begin cello, guitar, piano, voice, or violin is when the child is excited to play and developmentally ready to learn. In our experience, most children are ready to start between the ages of four and six. The reason we can begin lessons at an earlier age than most schools is our specialized training which works with students to utilize their aural, visual, kinesthetic, and cognitive learning skills. We use many fun activities to learn, such as singing, movement, visuals, and creative exploration. Research has shown that it is essential for a child to have a positive early experience with music. Therefore, we carefully evaluate each student to ensure that they are ready. If a child starts too young, it may be difficult for them to follow the lesson either physically or behaviorally. This can lead to a less joyful experience that reduces their motivation and love of music. When a child is truly ready, they will instead experience the lesson as a fun and creative exploration of the instrument. They will follow the teacher’s instruction because it makes sense to them, and they will want to practice because they will be able to learn songs they love in a reasonable period of time. |
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WHAT COMMITMENT IS REQUIRED?
Our school is open year-round, and we are continually enrolling new students. While we recommend that you give lessons a 1-year trial, you can drop lessons at any time so long as you let us know by the 15th of the month. All you have to do is connect with our friendly admin staff to fill out a withdrawal notice.
DO YOU OFFER TRIAL LESSONS?
Absolutely! We want you to have a great experience, so a trial lesson ensures that you and your teacher are a good match. All students come for a 25-minute trial at a discounted rate of $25. Afterwards, you will learn about our programs from our administrative staff. If you want to sign up, you will fill out the application materials and a director will call you to help ensure you are ready for great music lessons at Orpheus Academy!
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT IN MY FIRST LESSON?
We will start learning your favorite music! Your teacher will provide you with the technical and musical foundation to learn in a way that is best suited to you. For example, with very young children, we teach mostly through singing, movement, and games. With older children and adults, we will provide a clear explanation followed by tailored practice suggestions. Whatever we teach, we do our best to make it work for you and your individual needs.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME FOR MY FIRST LESSON?
Just your interest, excitement, and an open mind! We will provide all the music and instruments in the first lesson. If you need to rent or purchase a cello, guitar, piano, or violin, we can help you make an informed decision during the trial lesson. If you have studied music before, it may be helpful to bring the music you were previously working on, but this is not required.
Our school is open year-round, and we are continually enrolling new students. While we recommend that you give lessons a 1-year trial, you can drop lessons at any time so long as you let us know by the 15th of the month. All you have to do is connect with our friendly admin staff to fill out a withdrawal notice.
DO YOU OFFER TRIAL LESSONS?
Absolutely! We want you to have a great experience, so a trial lesson ensures that you and your teacher are a good match. All students come for a 25-minute trial at a discounted rate of $25. Afterwards, you will learn about our programs from our administrative staff. If you want to sign up, you will fill out the application materials and a director will call you to help ensure you are ready for great music lessons at Orpheus Academy!
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT IN MY FIRST LESSON?
We will start learning your favorite music! Your teacher will provide you with the technical and musical foundation to learn in a way that is best suited to you. For example, with very young children, we teach mostly through singing, movement, and games. With older children and adults, we will provide a clear explanation followed by tailored practice suggestions. Whatever we teach, we do our best to make it work for you and your individual needs.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME FOR MY FIRST LESSON?
Just your interest, excitement, and an open mind! We will provide all the music and instruments in the first lesson. If you need to rent or purchase a cello, guitar, piano, or violin, we can help you make an informed decision during the trial lesson. If you have studied music before, it may be helpful to bring the music you were previously working on, but this is not required.
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WHAT WILL I LEARN IN MUSIC LESSONS?
Our teachers understand that every student is an individual, with personal musical needs and goals. We make it a priority to tailor how we teach and what we teach to your individual needs. In addition, our teachers have detailed curricula that will smoothly guide you to success in developing all the skills you need to excel at your instrument. When you enroll for lessons, your teacher will ask you about your favorite type of music and create a plan to help accomplish your musical aspirations. Together, you will achieve your goals! WHAT STYLES OF MUSIC CAN I LEARN? We teach all styles: rock, pop, jazz, country, blues, and classical. We combine the important fundamentals with the music YOU want to play. With over 35 teachers at Orpheus Academy of Music, you are sure to find a great match. |
I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO READ MUSIC. WILL YOU PROVIDE PRACTICAL AND THEORY LESSONS?
We make learning music theory and music “sight-reading” fun and easy! Kids learn important musical skills including ear-training, sight-reading and music theory in "Musicianship" group classes with their peers. This allows students to focus more effectively on their songs and technique in private lessons. For adults, our method books, online videos, and highly trained teachers make it easy to learn!
WHAT IS THE KODALY METHOD?
The Kodaly method is a philosophy of music education that develops a complete musician through the finest musical experiences. This approach emphasizes a graded introduction of musical concepts, the use of great music (not “kiddie" songs), and a total sensory learning experience. Each concept is learned through aural, visual, kinesthetic, and cognitive activities so that the student has complete mastery over the music. We use this approach to ensure that every student develops as a complete musician, with the ability to read, understand, and perform all musical concepts.
We make learning music theory and music “sight-reading” fun and easy! Kids learn important musical skills including ear-training, sight-reading and music theory in "Musicianship" group classes with their peers. This allows students to focus more effectively on their songs and technique in private lessons. For adults, our method books, online videos, and highly trained teachers make it easy to learn!
WHAT IS THE KODALY METHOD?
The Kodaly method is a philosophy of music education that develops a complete musician through the finest musical experiences. This approach emphasizes a graded introduction of musical concepts, the use of great music (not “kiddie" songs), and a total sensory learning experience. Each concept is learned through aural, visual, kinesthetic, and cognitive activities so that the student has complete mastery over the music. We use this approach to ensure that every student develops as a complete musician, with the ability to read, understand, and perform all musical concepts.
WHY DO STUDENTS NEED TO TAKE THEORY CLASS?
Our group theory classes benefit student development in a variety of ways:
WHAT ABOUT LESSONS IN THE SUMMER?
We continue to teach private lessons throughout the summer while providing additional make-up lessons to accommodate busy summer schedules. We also put on awesome summer music camps! For a full camp schedule, refer to our summer camp page for more information.
IS IT NECESSARY TO PRACTICE AT HOME?
Home practice is the best way to make steady progress, but don’t worry! We make home practice easy, fun, and highly effective through our detailed practice sheets, parent education classes, and thorough communication. Most kids start out with just 5–10 minutes of practice a day and gradually increase the time as their pieces get longer.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD ONE PRACTICE? EVERY DAY?
Regular practice is an important part of making steady progress. We emphasize how to make practice fun and effective so that the student is drawn to practice and can easily see their results. Orpheus director, Dr. Klondike Steadman, regularly teaches classes at Orpheus and around the country on the topic of “Loving Practice & Developing Discipline,” turning what can be an onerous chore into a positive and rewarding experience.
WHAT PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE?
We put on at least one public recital per semester as well as monthly performance classes throughout the school year. Specific performance opportunities include our collaborative Friendship Concerts, our Halloween Spooktacular, Valentine's Recitals, Summer Showcase, Spring Recitals, Composer Showcase, and more. We have also hosted special recitals at premier venues including Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the State Theatre in downtown Austin, the event space at KMFA, and more.
Our group theory classes benefit student development in a variety of ways:
- Students develop their internal musician – improving their sense of pulse, pitch, and rhythm.
- Students learn to interact musically with other kids their age in a fun environment.
- Students learn essential musical skills like sight-reading, improvisation, and dictation.
WHAT ABOUT LESSONS IN THE SUMMER?
We continue to teach private lessons throughout the summer while providing additional make-up lessons to accommodate busy summer schedules. We also put on awesome summer music camps! For a full camp schedule, refer to our summer camp page for more information.
IS IT NECESSARY TO PRACTICE AT HOME?
Home practice is the best way to make steady progress, but don’t worry! We make home practice easy, fun, and highly effective through our detailed practice sheets, parent education classes, and thorough communication. Most kids start out with just 5–10 minutes of practice a day and gradually increase the time as their pieces get longer.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD ONE PRACTICE? EVERY DAY?
Regular practice is an important part of making steady progress. We emphasize how to make practice fun and effective so that the student is drawn to practice and can easily see their results. Orpheus director, Dr. Klondike Steadman, regularly teaches classes at Orpheus and around the country on the topic of “Loving Practice & Developing Discipline,” turning what can be an onerous chore into a positive and rewarding experience.
WHAT PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE?
We put on at least one public recital per semester as well as monthly performance classes throughout the school year. Specific performance opportunities include our collaborative Friendship Concerts, our Halloween Spooktacular, Valentine's Recitals, Summer Showcase, Spring Recitals, Composer Showcase, and more. We have also hosted special recitals at premier venues including Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the State Theatre in downtown Austin, the event space at KMFA, and more.
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WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
We have two convenient locations in Northwest Austin and Cedar Park. Our Austin location is conveniently located in the Northwest Hills Neighborhood on Far West just a few blocks west of Mopac. Our Cedar Park location is conveniently located near the communities of Avery Ranch, Leander, Round Rock, and Cedar Park off of Parmer Lane. Learn more on our locations page. WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS? Our front desk staff is available to answer your questions Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 8:00 pm and Saturday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Private music lesson times depend on each instructor's availability, but most teachers are available from 3:00 – 7:30 pm, with some early afternoon and late evening times offered too. |
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HOW OFTEN ARE LESSONS?
All private lessons are held once a week, on the same day and time for either 30, 45, or 60 minutes. Musicianship group classes are also offered once a week, on the same day and time for 45 minutes.
WHAT OTHER COSTS ARE THERE?
There is a one-time registration fee of $35 (maximum 1 per family) and an annual $75 activities fee to cover our many performance opportunities. Books are extra, but we stock them in our studio and your teacher will help you know what you need to purchase. Most students purchase about $25 worth of books per year. There are no other hidden costs.
All private lessons are held once a week, on the same day and time for either 30, 45, or 60 minutes. Musicianship group classes are also offered once a week, on the same day and time for 45 minutes.
WHAT OTHER COSTS ARE THERE?
There is a one-time registration fee of $35 (maximum 1 per family) and an annual $75 activities fee to cover our many performance opportunities. Books are extra, but we stock them in our studio and your teacher will help you know what you need to purchase. Most students purchase about $25 worth of books per year. There are no other hidden costs.
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WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOUR INSTRUCTORS HAVE?
Our instructors are the most highly qualified in Central Texas, with plenty of experience, advanced degrees, and most importantly, a passion for teaching. Many of our teachers come from around the country to teach at Orpheus Academy of Music because of our reputation for excellence in the field of music education. In addition to their experience and training, our teachers attend workshops every year to keep their skills sharp and broaden their repertoire. Our instructors strive to relate their teaching to each individual student’s learning style. Many of our instructors have gone on performance tours and have years of professional experience. Beyond their credentials, our teachers are warm, friendly, and strive to know each student and their parents on a personal level. Our teachers all pass a teaching background check and criminal background check. We search high and low for the BEST teachers, so you don’t have to! |
WHAT IF I WANT TO SWITCH TEACHERS?
If you are not connecting with your teacher for any reason, we are happy to help you make a change! You do not have to feel bad for switching teachers or instruments. We are here to help you have the best experience possible. And that includes finding the right teacher with the right style for you.
DO YOU OFFER ADULT LESSONS?
Yes, we have many adult students! We know how busy adults’ lives can be, and we can tailor the lesson experience to the amount of practice you have time for. Many of our adult students enjoy meeting up once a month to listen to each other perform at our monthly “Adult Impromptu” informal music parties as well.
If you are not connecting with your teacher for any reason, we are happy to help you make a change! You do not have to feel bad for switching teachers or instruments. We are here to help you have the best experience possible. And that includes finding the right teacher with the right style for you.
DO YOU OFFER ADULT LESSONS?
Yes, we have many adult students! We know how busy adults’ lives can be, and we can tailor the lesson experience to the amount of practice you have time for. Many of our adult students enjoy meeting up once a month to listen to each other perform at our monthly “Adult Impromptu” informal music parties as well.
WE DON'T HAVE A PIANO. IS A KEYBOARD OKAY FOR HOME PRACTICE?
Yes! The best keyboards have 88 keys and “weighted action,” but any decent keyboard will do to start. As you progress, you may want to get a better instrument to express yourself, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it!
Yes! The best keyboards have 88 keys and “weighted action,” but any decent keyboard will do to start. As you progress, you may want to get a better instrument to express yourself, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it!
