Clarinet Student Parents

Your Role

Your support is vital to your child’s musical journey. Simple actions make a big difference:

• Show interest and encouragement
• Listen to their playing and celebrate progress
• Provide a quiet, comfortable space for practice
• Help establish a regular practice routine

Encouragement and consistency will boost your child’s success and motivation.

Equipment Required

Clarinet students require a few essentials to get started. See the clarinet resources for details.

• Clarinet in good playing condition with mouthpiece (rent, buy, or rent-to-own)
• Music stand for at-home practice
• Clarinet care kit including a cotton swab, cork grease, and reed case
• Reeds of a strength of 1 or 1.5 for beginners; stronger reeds as embouchure develops
• Optional tools: tuner and metronome for more advanced students
• Music materials: a study book and notebook will be provided at the second lesson for a small fee, with additional music as needed

Practice Expectations

Practice is where real progress happens. I will provide a practice record and encourage students to practice at least five days per week.

• Beginners should practice no more than 30-minutes as their muscles develop
• Intermediate students should practice 45-minutes to an hour to build skills and repertoire
• Advancing, motivated students may practice 1 to 1.5 hours including time for scales, studies and repertoire
• Consistent daily practice is key – playing regularly reinforces learning, while long gaps slow progress
• Breaks are important for learning, allowing the brain to integrate what has been learned while reducing fatigue. Gentle stretching during breaks helps prevent repetitive strain injuries
• To celebrate progress and encourage motivation, students are encouraged to share their music with parents at the end of each term

Lesson Arrival & Preparation

Please ensure your child arrives five minutes early so they can set up and begin promptly once the previous lesson finishes. This helps maximize lesson time and ensures they start focused and ready to play.

Questions? Contact Me

If you have questions about lessons, practice or how to best support your child, please contact me. I teach in my Vancouver home studio, in the Champlain Heights neighbourhood near the border of Burnaby.