The 8 most important tips if your child wants to learn the cello and you want to give them the best possible support

Many parents are delighted when their child wants to play the cello of their own accord. However, if they have little to do with music themselves or don’t play an instrument, there are often many questions that I will try to answer in this article:

At what age should children start learning the cello ?
It is assumed that 6-7 years is a good age to start playing the cello.
There is the possibility of attending an early music education course at a music school for children aged 3-6. The aim is to introduce children to making music and to give them their first contact with musical instruments.
At some music schools, early education courses are now also a prerequisite for instrumental lessons.

How do I find a suitable teacher for children who want to learn the cello?
Ask other parents whose children play the cello or the child’s music teacher, you can often get a recommendation this way. Ask at the local music school. There are teachers who teach privately, as well as music students, and the Tonkünstlerverband offers a directory of instrumental teachers.
It is important that the chemistry between teacher and pupil is right and that the teacher can inspire the child.
It is best to arrange a trial lesson.

How much do cello lessons for children cost?
Check the websites of the music schools and ask private teachers. The prices vary greatly depending on whether the lessons are given individually or in groups and whether they last 30, 45 or 60 minutes per week.

How much do I have to practise cello at the beginning?
At the beginning 15 to 30 minutes a day to make progress. And if you notice progress in yourself, that is of course the best motivation.

What should parents pay attention to when their children are practicing?
The most important thing is to build practicing into the daily routine, preferably always at the same time. Then, at some point, it will be like brushing your teeth and you won’t have to constantly argue about when, whether and how much to practise.

Where can you get a children’s cello and how much does it cost?
For beginners, I always recommend renting an instrument from a violin maker first. You get the right size, the instrument is optimally adjusted and if something should go wrong, you have a contact person on site.
If the child needs the next size, you can easily change to the next size.
You can find more detailed information about the rental process here.
In my workshop, a children’s cello costs €25 per month without insurance and €30 with insurance.
The offer includes cello, fixed case, bow, colophonium and parquet protector.

What other initial equipment do I need and how much does it cost?
-a music stand, from 20€
-Sheet music (on the recommendation of the respective teacher)
– Tuner or app for tuning: I have had good experiences with Simply Tuner

What else do I need to consider?
Keep the cello in a place where the humidity and temperature are as constant as possible (45-60% is ideal), i.e. not near a radiator or in a draught. This will keep it in tune better.

Here you can find another blog article on the subject: Is playing the cello difficult?