About Private Cello Lessons
Alberta School of music offers private cello lessons from age 5 through to adult. Occasionally, we may accept younger based on the maturity of the student. From beginner to advanced levels, our lessons are tailored to the individual student. As you can imagine, each individual student starts their musical journey at a different age, maturity and commitment level. As such, we recognize the importance of teaching the STUDENT and not just cello as a subject. Whether your goal is to play academically or to learn the basics for pure enjoyment, our teachers will work with the goals of the student in mind.
Students will learn the fundamentals of music and their instrument through established methods. Our teachers often use a variety of teaching materials to cover all the best that each method has to offer. As with the other instruments, your cello lessons will include all aspects of music, including proper posture, positioning, notation reading, rhythmic understanding, aural training, composition, and technique. Students will discover a wide range of repertoire as they progress and will be exposed to music theory and music history learning throughout their studies.
Students must have their own cello before beginning cello lessons. Please be sure to bring your cello and recommended books weekly to your lessons. Music books will be recommended by the instructor after meeting with the student for the first time. Please refer to the FAQs below if you require a cello.
All lessons take place once a week at one of our school locations. Lesson durations can be booked in 30, 45, 60 and 75 minute intervals. Lesson duration ranges based on age, music level, and goals. Our front desk can assist you in deciding the duration of your weekly lesson.
Private Lesson Tuition:
Yearly Rate
30 minutes per week – $32.50*/session
45 minutes per week – $48.50*/session
60 minutes per week – $65.00*/session
75 minutes per week – $81.25*/session
*Based on weekly lessons at the same time and day for the duration of the school year
Single Lesson Rate
30 minutes per week – $36.00**/session
45 minutes per week – $54.00**/session
60 minutes per week – $72.00**/session
75 minutes per week – $90.00**/session
**Purchase individual lessons and book them as needed
Cello Lesson FAQs
Do I need a cello before I start cello lessons? Yes, your lessons are only once a week. An instrument at home is required so that the student can practice the new concepts learned and progress continuously.
I need to get a cello. Where do I start? This is a huge topic, so feel free to reach out to our front desk staff if you require additional assistance in making a decision. There are two local shops we recommend for renting or buying stringed instruments.
- Aeolian Strings (https://www.aeolianstrings.com/)
- V A Hill Fine Strings Ltd (https://www.hillsfinestrings.com/)
Before diving right into buying a cello, know that there are different sizes of violins. The physical size of the cello is crucial for building and establishing healthy posture for a cello student. For younger students, as they physically grow, they will also outgrow their cello.
Purchasing your instrument is an option. However, there are also options to rent your instrument monthly. With monthly rentals (from both shops mentioned above), your rental fee can be used as credit towards buying out the instrument if/when you are ready to purchase. Alternatively, purchasing your instrument from one of the above mentioned shops also allows you to be able to ‘trade up’ (with additional fees) if you outgrow your cello.
How much practicing is expected at home? This is a conversation to have your instructor. The beauty of private lessons is that the teacher can cater to the student’s needs, including how quickly the students wants to progress or by working with the student to come up with a plan to practice with a busy schedule outside of music lessons.