Most of you who are considering signing up with Marsman Music are doing so for your kids, to give them an excellent grounding in music they’ll carry with them for life. I can attest that this is exactly what has happened for my son and daughter. My son studied piano with Johnson, and my daughter took vocal lessons, and both of them developed a love of music they’ve carried into playing in a marching band that plays in community parades. I’m firmly convinced it all really began with the wonderful teachers they had at Marsman, who patiently nurtured their sight reading skills, musicianship, and confidence as performers. Their instructors struck a perfect balance between nudging, refining, and celebrating their successes. But I’d only be telling you half our story if I stopped there. I’ve been studying music at Marsman too since September 2011, and it’s been a truly joyful experience. Taking music lessons as an adult can be challenging given all the demands on one’s time, but if you’ve been thirsting to learn to sing or to play an instrument, there’s nothing better. With Tanya and with Johnson, I studied piano for the first time in my life – in my 40s – and can now play at the RCM Grade 5 level, which has given me a wonderful new pastime I can pursue whenever I’m in the mood. When practising piano at that level became a bit too demanding for my schedule, I switched to vocal lessons and now study with Caitlin. What a blast! Together we’ve tackled some truly gorgeous, technical pieces from the Royal Conservatory, but on weeks when I’m running on fumes, we sometimes mix things up with some old pop songs or tunes from the movies. Whatever I’m up for trying, my instructor is right there with me, gracious and accommodating. If you’re into a little performing, there’s lots of room for you on Marsman’s recital stage, too, alongside musicians of all ages. Trust me, if you’ve been seeking to bring more music into your life, it’s never too late, and I can’t recommend Marsman’s team highly enough.
