Where to take violin lessons? Should I take private or group lessons?

When starting to learn the violin, we recommend our students to take a half hour lesson every week (45 min. or an hour is a little too long to start out). Typically, private lessons range between $30-50 for every ½ hour session or $120-160 per month (one ½ hour session per week). Meanwhile, group lessons range between $50-80 per month (one ½ hour session per week) and teachers teach between 3-6 students at a time.

Don’t forget to check your local recreation center or community college for subsidized violin lessons. Here in Riverside, California, we have a school that teaches violin and only charges $30 for their material fee.

So now you’re probably wondering whether you should choose between private and group violin lessons? This really depends on the student and your budget. If your son or daughter likes learning with other students, group lessons will be great. But if your son or daughter learns better on his/her own, private lessons may be better. We recommend that you pay month by month and not purchase any three month package deals until your son or daughter is sure he or she likes the teacher’s style of teaching.

Now, once you’ve decided between private and group violin lessons, it’s time to find a violin teacher. Here are the questions to ask the violin teacher before choosing them:

Can I have a free trial lesson to see if my son or daughter likes your teaching style? Typically, violin teachers allow a free trial lesson. This is a great chance for you or your child to gauge whether you like the teacher's style of teaching.
How long have you been teaching?
Are you playing in any orchestras or have any student recitals I can attend? Typically, professional violin teachers are either in an orchestra or have student recitals.
Cost per hour? This question is a MUST especially for private lessons, since prices range drastically
Do you write assignments on paper? Good teachers usually have a notebook for the student so they are aware of what needs practice/improvement over the week.