Flute / Fife lessons

[Zephy]

I'm hoping somebody might be able to help me or share their experiences...

My 6 yo daughter has asked to learn the flute so I have bought her a fife to start with but am now stuck on what to do for lessons. How much are they? I don't want to spend a fortune and really just need somebody to show her how to play it and, if she enjoys it, we can go from there...

I think I read an old post about somebody teaching when they were a teenager (unqualified) and thus charging appropriately. I think this sounds perfect and think I would prefer an enthusiastic teenager wanting some extra pocket money rather than subjecting her to something more formal.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Know of anyone who might fall into this category? We're in Telegraph Hill, not ED, and I thought I could approach Haberdashers' Aske's to see if there are any interested sixth form pupils but would this be frowned upon? Is it even allowed?!

Any thoughts (public or pm) much appreciated...

Thank you!

[enjoy]

My daughter plays the flute and I just wonder if a fife (like a piccolo) is harder to play.

Sorry for not being helpful regarding teaching.

Ask Pickle here in the forum, she might be able to give advice

[Coach Beth]

You could try the East Dulwich Academy for Performaing Arts - they do 30 minute individaul flute lessons for ?17.50 on a Saturday morning - the teachers are all graduates of music colleges like Trinity College of Music. or if you pay ?25 per week they can do the full 3 hour morning which includes music theory, wind band, individual lesson and keyboards. But I think that the min age is 7 for that - probably best to start her with the 30 minute flute lesson.

http://www.eastdulwichacademy.org/

[Pickle]

If she wants to play flute, you are best to start her on recorder. Much easier to play, and many of the fingerings are similar to flute, so when she's old/big enough the switch isn't too difficult. I played recorder for 3 years before moving to flute aged 10. My son started recorder at 5, and will move to his choice of main instrument at around 9/10.

[Pickle]

Just to add, Enjoy is correct, a fife would be much harder to get a decent sound out of than a flute - smaller doesn't mean easier when it comes to woodwind instruments unfortunately.

[Zephy]

Thanks everybody, some very useful advice.

I did think about getting a recorder but it was the horizontal-ness of the flute which first attracted her so just went ahead and bought the fife without thinking. Knew I should have consulted here first!

It does seem incredibly hard to make a sound though and I don't want to put her off so perhaps we will start with the recorder after all. Back to the shop then...

Thanks again!