Sharon Music Academy

User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I have two children attending Sharon Music Academy. My daughter is a winner of international piano competition and my son is more interested in soccer and hockey. Both are getting the same level of attention, both are growing as musicians and I know that both children are getting the best possible music education. I wish my son would spend more time practicing, but I know that he receives foundation that will allow him to achieve anything he would want. And not only in music. The most important thing is that both kids are learning to love and understand music and I definitely see how this positively affects their lives. I feel so lucky that we can have the best music education locally and don't need to travel to Boston.

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User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

We highly recommend the Music Academy indeed!: My daughter has been taking piano lessons at the Sharon Music Academy for almost five years; my son , at age 7 is in his first year of piano. I can honestly say that my kids are getting a unique music education through the Music Academy, for two main reasons: they have come to understand and show, at a young age, the artistry and depth of feeling that comes with the experience of making music. Technical accuracy and music theory is a foundation of their training, but somehow it is as background, supporting but not dominating their experience.

I have listened quietly during virtually every lesson my children have taken, and I am continually struck by the use of metaphor and storytelling to help my children learn. A visual picture is painted for the student – an interesting story or image which gives them context and meaning for each piece. And boy does this work! The children are captivated and motivated to create the picture themselves with their music. As the mood of every piece is created through metaphors, vivid descriptions and/or discussions of the composer’s intentions, somehow it seems to translate directly into the child’s fingers – an amazing thing really. Even when Sophie began her lessons at age 6, she played simple yet beautifully moving, melodic compositions – no “baby” pieces. She learned how to hold her hands, wrists and arms to create her own presence and power, over what was then, a relatively enormous piano.

This style of teaching I believe not only encourages kids to love to play their instrument, but creates very impressive artists and musicians. The bar is higher, no doubt, at the Music Academy, but the study and practice pays off with abound; without wanting to sound elitist, I believe you do see and hear a real difference with these kids. My own 10+ years of piano lessons gave me what I thought was solid music education, but I never became anywhere near good as my daughter is already at age 10.

We highly recommend the Music Academy indeed!

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User Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Never again!: After 4 years taking piano in Sharon Music Academy, both of my kids realized that it DOES NOT work for them. They asked me on the multiple occasions to stop sending them to classes in Sharon Music Academy, and, finally, we had to agree with them.

There are several reasons why we decided to stop the lessons. The teacher (also the owner), Tanya, does not pay enough attention to an average kids. She has couple of stars kids plays and wins various competitions. This is where the bulk of her attention and dedication is focused.As for the rest of her pupils she applies the effort very mildly.

She never insists the kids to practice at home, even after my explicit request. When she notice the kid comes unprepared, she would never expresses her displeasure. Rather she would insist that this is OK to come unprepared as they can work on the piece in class. Her lessons look more like fun then a routine. The kids do not get the message that they have to work hard and practice a lot play a good music. The music is foremost a hard work, not just fun.

For first couple of years Tanya does not even require the kids to learn the score. What she does instead is places their fingers on the keys, so the kids would memorize the score on the keyboard . When however the child has difficulty remembering a piece, they are helpless. If a kid even wants to practive themselves - they helpless also! Luckily I studied a music in the past so I was able to practice with my kids and give them some help. After 4 years of classes I credit my kids' ability to sight read the score only to myself, not Tanya.

Should we decide to resume our kids' music education, we will never consider going back to Sharon Music Academy.

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