<p>Hi - I am a mom of 4 kids (aged 4, 6, 8, and 11) currently living in London and returning to NYC this summer. In London my kids are in a program where they have a private lesson during the week and on the weekend they have orchestra, theory, and chorus all on Saturday. It's incredibly convenient and so far has allowed everyone to have two instruments and all of the classes with easy family logistics. I am hoping to find a similar program in New York and I wondered about the logistics of Mannes and Manhattan School for Music - are the lessons and classes all on the weekend or are they during the week? Are they at all accommodating to families ie scheduling private lessons on the same afternoon?</p>
<p>The children have call backs at MSM and auditions at Mannes tomorrow (except the 4 year old) so I will be able to ask questions then, although I'd rather not give the impression that I'm making a decision based on making things logistically easy even though that is at least partly true!</p>
<p>If it helps, the 4 year old is only starting piano (the London program has a wonderful sibling Dalcroze/singing program on Saturday morning so she does that while her siblings are in their classes), the 6 year old plays piano 1st instrument violin 2nd inst, the 8 year old plays violin 1st inst piano 2nd inst, and the 11 year old plays oboe 1st inst piano 2nd instr. The oldest three are all in an orchestra and the oldest two are in a chorus as well.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for your help</p>
<p>Sorry, I meant they have call backs/auditions this weekend - Saturday and Sunday - not tomorrow (Friday).</p>
<p>Hey there! I went to Mannes Prep last year. While I can’t speak on MSM’s program, Mannes tends to schedule everything on Saturdays - lessons, classes, and orchestra. Perhaps some people had lessons on other days, but we all had ear-training, proper theory, Philharmonic/Symphony/similar institutions for younger kids, etc. on Saturday. As for having private lessons all on the same day - I’m not sure. It will depend whose studio your children end up in, but I believe most teachers prefer having their lessons on Saturdays. </p>
<p>I cannot really predict when your children’s days will start - some begin earlier than others - although those with orchestral commitments (as it seems apply to all of your kids except for perhaps the younger two) do end at the same time. If they’re not in orchestra, they’ll be in chorus, I believe, and I do think that runs at the same time as orchestra.</p>
<p>Thanks averageviolist, that’s really helpful! Can I ask you a different question? My 8 year old sees the viola in her future (switching from violin). If she starts with a violin teacher at Mannes would they be opposed to her switching? and at what age did you switch?</p>
<p>Haha, actually - the viola teacher I had was actually known for having her violin students switch to viola under her tutelage. I switched the summer before I began lessons in 10th grade (I just completed 11th). They actually provide scholarships for underrepresented instruments like viola.</p>
<p>Thanks, that’s really good to know.</p>