no much job for musician.?

November 6, 2005 at 08:02 PM · In a couple years he will develop other interests too. Encourage him in whatever he chooses himself, but make sure he isn't just trying to please you. In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing. Remember he's only 10 right now. It should be his life and his choices, not yours. Just assist and support.

November 6, 2005 at 08:45 PM · I wouldn't worry. Remember he's 10! Really, in my experience the real learning doesn't start until high school (although you need preparation before, it by no means has to be as intensive.) Even in high school (at least for me, it was what I would call intensive). Intensive starts in university.

And about schoolwork, I dont know how your son is, but (also in my experience) he should be able to get plenty of practice and schoolwork in. If he doesn't get the time to practice now, he will not have time again until maybe after he is done post-secondary.

My parents were like that to me. They always wanted me to focus and focus and focus. Every year was more important than the last. By the time I finished high school, I had very few other skills and interests. Its horrible. Now that I am in university I barely have time to eat my lunch some weeks, let alone do anything else.

And as far as post secondary goes, some faculties (i am in engineering for instance) get very very very difficult. Chances are if you try and push him into something like that and he doesn't enjoy it, he won't want to pull through which is absolutely essential. I absolutely positvely wanted to be an engineer when I first started. Now, in my 3rd year, that "enthusiasm" has been poked and prodded over and over again, and now its just more of something I enjoy when I am not being pounded by work, but sometimes have second thoughts about it. Some days, some months, I wake up hating it. And remember, that was me loving it before I went in.

All I have to say, is let your son use the spare time he has now to practice. He may never get another chance for a very long time. He is only 10 after all. He has plenty of time to decide. Also, try to avoid getting your son to end up doing something to please you. Successful is fine, but it has to be something they like or they may end up hating themselves. (like me some days!).

Anyways, yeah.

November 7, 2005 at 05:15 AM · I sometimes wish I had been pushed when I was that age...now I am having to work very hard. Two hours a day should be enough at his age, three hours at age thirteen, if he is bucking it at fifteen, then maybe it is time to consider letting him make his own choice. It seems to me few ten year-olds really know what they want to do in life and what it will take to get them there. If you make him practice now, then he will have the choice later whether or not to go into music, but if you don't make him practice, he won't have a choice later, it will be to late.

November 7, 2005 at 07:19 AM · "It should be his life and his choices, not yours. Just assist and support"

Jim, this is excellent advice.

You too Brian.

Preston

November 7, 2005 at 09:56 AM · I agree, too.

Here's the best thing my dad ever told me regarding career choices. He said I had the ability to do whatever I wanted in life--that I was smart enough to be a doctor if that's what I wanted, and that I was talented enough to be a musician if that was the road I wanted to take. He made sure I understood that I had every opportunity in front of me, and he was certain that I could do whatever it was I put my mind to. That was the best support and encouragement I could have gotten, to have a parent who was more certain of my abilities than I was myself. Looking back, I can see what a huge gift it was for him to say that. He must have seen the improbabilities of making it as a musician, and financial security was very important to him. I guess he knew that letting me choose my path was most important. Way to go, Daddy!

November 7, 2005 at 01:14 PM · And how many people have actually noticed that even engineers can be unemployed???

November 7, 2005 at 05:54 PM · Love and support your child with whatever field(s) they choose. That's what will make the biggest difference when it comes to success and failure. If you create "your" dreams in a 10 year old, then expect some difficulties. But if you aid, assist, and push him in his "own" dreams, he will automatically be driven far more than if you're consistently pushing and pulling your agenda.

-Ross

November 7, 2005 at 08:19 PM · Thank you for all your comments.

I do not how old are all those good player start to choose their career as a violinist. Anne-Sophie Mutter said she wanted her parents to buy a violin a ago of 3. It seems she started to choose to be a violinist a ago of 3.(I doublt)

Violin is a devil instrument. Obveriously you have to start to play as a child. I wonder whether child can make this choose.

My son's teacher who is regular adjudicator at International violin competitions said if he want to be perfesional violinist, he need to work hard now.

It seems that parents need to make some decision now.

thanks

November 7, 2005 at 09:10 PM · If your son shows interest and aptitude for the violin now, there's no reason why you shouldn't guide him in that direction. Music translates into all other areas of learning, so you won't do him any disservice by asking him to work hard at it.

Just realize that there may come a time when he decides that he doesn't want to be a professional violinist. Even if that happens, I doubt that he'll regret the time he spent practicing now.

And yes, a child can make the choice. I chose to start playing at seven (I was eight before my mom found me a teacher). I was lucky enough to have parents that supported my decision.

November 8, 2005 at 07:30 AM · Since I was in prep school, I have wanted to be: A fireman, a policeman, a detective, a computer engineer, a sound technician, a music teacher, a music performer, a music teacher, a music performer. As you can see, our choices can and do change over time.

Encourage your son to continue playing the violin. It's great that he's doing it well now, and it gives him strong prospects in the future if he does want to continue with it - it's more likely that he will do very well. Don't get me wrong, the music industry is hard to get into (where else do you get 60-100 applicants for one position?). However, there are lots of aspects to music, and just because one doesn't happen, doesn't mean a different one won't.

February 5, 2006 at 06:58 AM · Keep your son practicing but also don't neglect his schoolwork. My parents always made sure that we put time into music lessons and school, and as a result, by high school we could do just about anything we wanted--college, conservatory, whatnot. But if he's not enjoying the violin practice, don't make him do too much--1 hour may be plenty for someone not that into it. If he enjoys it, then encourage him to practice more.