Rockschool Concert & Cristofori Star Student Awards 2026: What to Expect

Heading to the Rockschool Concert × Cristofori Star Student Awards 2026 on 9 November at Victoria Theatre? Here is what to expect and how to get tickets. What to Expect on Monday Night The Rockschool Concert × Cristofori Annual Star Student Awards 2026 is almost here! On Monday, 9 November 2026 at 5:00 PM, our students will take the stage at the historic Victoria Theatre to perform, celebrate their achievements, and share their passion for music and the performing arts. This evening is an exclusive collaboration between Cristofori Music and RSL Event Center, bringing our vibrant community together for an inspiring showcase. If you are joining us this Monday, here is a preview of what to expect. A Two-Part Evening for Our Students The event program will be into two main parts: From their very first lesson to stepping onto the stage, every performance represents hours of dedicated practice, courage, and personal growth. The applause from the audience is their ultimate reward. Good to Know Before You Go Date, Time & Venue Monday, 9 November 2026 at 5:00 PM (Doors open at 4:30 PM). Held at the historic Victoria Theatre (9 Empress Place, Singapore 179556). The nearest MRT stations are , Esplanade, City Hall and Raffles Place. Ticketing & Outlets Discount Tickets are $10 with free seating. Book directly on Eventbrite.sg.Click here for tickets while seats last! Cristofori families get 50% off using their outlet promo code at checkout or by approaching any outlet staff member. House Rules & Audience Info Recommended for attendees aged 4 and above. Non-flash photography and videography are welcomed. Please ensure phones are set to silent and aisles remain clear throughout the show. Support Our Performers Bring your family, your friends, and your warmest support. Whether you are a parent, a fellow student, or someone who simply loves live music, your presence in the audience means the world to every performer on stage. Come and celebrate the moment when learning becomes performance. We cannot wait to see you there! Thinking of starting your own musical journey with the Cristofori family? Book a free trial class today!

Learn • Practice • Perform • Exam • Enjoy: Discover the Cristofori Learning Journey

Discover the Cristofori learning journey: Learn, Practice, Perform, Exam and Enjoy. See how lessons, concerts, exams and tools support every music student. A Journey, Not Just a Lesson Learning music is not one moment. It begins with curiosity, grows through practice, shines on stage and, with time, becomes a lifelong source of joy. At Cristofori, we describe that journey in five steps: Learn • Practice • Perform • Exam • Enjoy. 1. Learn Every journey starts with a first lesson. Cristofori offers lessons in piano, keyboard, guitar, bass guitar, violin, drums and ukulele, as well as music theory, for learners from age 4 and up, with no upper age limit. Students can choose one-to-one lessons, or group classes for selected instruments at selected centres. Our teachers are all qualified musicians, valued just as much for their passion for teaching as for their credentials. Beyond regular lessons, students occasionally have the chance to attend masterclasses, and our annual Oxygen Music Festival includes enhanced music lessons as part of the celebration. 2. Practice Progress is made in the hours between lessons, so we help students practise well at home: 3. Perform Performing turns practice into something shared. Our students take the stage at events like our annual Musicale Grand Concert, our various Events such as Open House Performances, Student Recitals, competitions, our Oxygen Music Festival each year. 4. Exam Graded exams give students clear goals and a sense of achievement. Cristofori offers both ABRSM and RSL pathways, and students preparing for RSL exams can use the Exam e-Books on the RiFF platform, with audio, video demonstrations and even use them for their RSL Exams using Exam Mode. These examinations also offer benefits such as UCAS (university entry) points at grades 6-8. The goal of all this is joy: the joy of playing a favourite piece, sharing music with friends or simply sitting down to play at the end of a long day. Joy also comes from listening. The European Sound Piano Concerts are organised by True Music Singapore, one of the divisions of Cristofori Music Group, in cooperation with presenters such as Bechstein Music World and Cristofori Academy of Fine Arts (Petrof Gallery). The series brings internationally recognised pianists to Victoria Concert Hall, performing on C. Bechstein and PETROF concert grands. The 2026 season has welcomed Hans Suh, Ron Maxim, and Roman Borisov, and it closes on 11 November 2026 with Julius Asal. Book tickets for Julius Asal on Ticketmaster.sg. We encourage our students to attend, because hearing great artists play live is one of the best ways to be inspired to keep playing. Music does not have an end point, and we hope it stays with every student for life. Start Your Journey The best way to begin is to try. Cristofori offers free trial classes, so your child can meet a teacher and see what lessons are like. If you decide to continue, we offer various course packages ranging from 1-3 month Starter Courses to 1 year Packages. Fees and packages may vary, so please enquire for details! Book a free trial class today, or enquire at your nearest Cristofori outlet.

JBL Safe Sound: Protecting Young Ears While Enjoying Music

Learn how JBL Safe Sound headphones limit volume to protect young ears, and why they suit children who practise piano and other instruments at home. Protecting Young Ears While Enjoying Music Music is a joy for children, whether they are practising a new piece on a digital piano, listening to a favourite song or watching a video lesson. But as headphones become part of daily practice, many parents ask the same question: is it safe for their ears? That is exactly the question JBL Safe Sound was designed to answer. What Is JBL Safe Sound? JBL Safe Sound is the technology built into JBL’s range of kids headphones. It keeps the volume below 85 dB, so that young listeners can enjoy their music or practice without the volume creeping up to levels that could harm their hearing over time. Why It Matters for Young Musicians Headphones are a practical choice for music students. They allow children to practise a digital piano or electronic drum kit at any time of day without disturbing the rest of the household. But children rarely think about volume, and a long practice session at a high level is not good for growing ears. A built-in volume limit means the headphones can do part of that thinking for them, so parents do not have to keep checking. Made for Little Listeners JBL’s kids headphones are designed with children in mind: Check it out here! JBL Junior 320 Colorful, durable wired on-ear headphones with JBL Safe Sound for kids – JBL Junior 320 Wired On-Ear Headphones Healthy Listening Habits for Practice at Home A safe volume limit helps, but good habits matter too: Where to Find Them Find it at: RSL London @ Funan107 North Bridge Road #04-10 Funan Mall, Singapore 179105 Cristofori Piano Megastore @BedokBlk 3014 Bedok Industrial Park E #02-2150 Singapore 489980 Looking for an instrument piano to go with them? See our article on the CRISTOFORI CDP5, or ask about our Poppy Drum Lesson Packages which includes headphones in the package at any Cristofori Music School outlet. New to music lessons? Book a free trial class at Cristofori Music School today!

Rockschool vs RSL Classical: Which Music Exam Pathway Is Right for You?

Rockschool or RSL Classical? Compare the two RSL music exam pathways, the instruments they cover and how to choose the right one for your child. Two Pathways, One Global Framework If your child is embarking on their graded music journey, you have likely encountered RSL Awards (Rockschool). While historically recognized as the pioneer of contemporary music education, RSL today offers two distinct exam families under one unified qualifications framework: Rockschool and RSL Classical. Both pathways award fully accredited, equivalent qualifications recognized globally (including UCAS points for UK university applications at Grades 6–8). However, they train fundamental musical skills through completely different pedagogical philosophies. Here is an in-depth look at how they differ, how their exam marks are structured, and how to select the ideal pathway for your child’s goals. 1. Rockschool: The Contemporary & Session Musician Pathway Rockschool was built from the ground up for modern performance styles. Rather than focusing solely on traditional notation reading, it emphasizes groove, timing, improvisation, and session readiness. Choose Rockschool if your child: 2. RSL Classical: Classical Mastery with a Modern Outlook RSL Classical provides a fresh alternative to traditional examination boards (like ABRSM or Trinity). It preserves the rigorous technical foundations of classical training—tone production, sight-reading, and expressive touch—while introducing a broader, more inclusive repertoire. Choose RSL Classical if your child: Side-by-Side Comparison: Mechanics & Component Weightages While both pathways assess a student out of 100 total marks (Pass: 60 | Merit: 74 | Distinction: 85), how those marks are earned reflects each pathway’s training priorities. Feature / Component Rockschool (Contemporary) RSL Classical Performance Pieces 60 Marks (3 pieces × 20 marks each; usually played with backing tracks) 60 Marks (3 pieces × 20 marks each; traditional solo performance) Technical Exercises 15 Marks (Scales, arpeggios, chord voicings, rhythmic riffs) 15 Marks (Scales, arpeggios, technical studies, tone exercises) Sight-Reading or Improv 10 Marks (Choice between traditional Sight-Reading OR Improvisation & Interpretation) 10 Marks (Sight-Reading) Ear Tests 10 Marks (Melodic & Rhythmic recall; playing back by ear without singing) 10 Marks (Melodic & Rhythmic recall; playing back by ear without singing) General Musicianship 5 Marks (Questions on piece structure, music theory, and instrument tech) 5 Marks (Questions on musical terms, style, and historical context) Key Pedagogical Distinction: Rockschool allows students to choose Improvisation & Interpretation in place of traditional Sight-Reading starting from early grades, making it ideal for natural “play-by-ear” musicians. RSL Classical maintains a firm focus on sight-reading precision. How to Decide: 4 Practical Questions for Parents 1. What instruments are in play? Instruments like Drums, Bass, Electric Guitar, and Ukulele belong naturally to the Rockschool track. Violin sits exclusively in the RSL Classical or traditional track. For Piano and Acoustic Guitar, students can freely select either path based on musical preference. 2. Does your child prefer playing with a band or solo? Rockschool exam pieces are engineered with professional backing tracks, teaching the student to lock into a drum groove and keep precise tempo. RSL Classical pieces focus on solo acoustic expression, where rubato (flexible tempo) and solo phrasing take center stage. 3. What keeps your child motivated to practice? Practice consistency is the single biggest factor in musical progress. A child forced into classical repertoire when they want to play pop arrangements will struggle with practice discipline—and vice versa. 4. What are the long-term examination goals? Both RSL pathways award equivalent accredited diplomas and UCAS points. However, if your child is considering specialized conservatories or local school Direct School Admission (DSA) talent tracks, your Cristofori teacher can align their RSL pathway (or alternative classical pathways like ABRSM) with specific school requirements. Enhance Exam Preparation with RSL RiFF Whichever pathway you select, RSL supports student practice through the interactive RiFF digital platform. Included with RSL Exam e-Books, RiFF gives students access to: Not Sure Which Path to Take? At Cristofori, our experienced instructors teach both contemporary (Rockschool) and classical (RSL Classical & ABRSM) syllabi across our island-wide centers. We assess each student’s musical personality, technique, and personal goals to recommend the perfect fit. Book a Free Trial Lesson at Cristofori Today and let our teachers guide your child toward their ideal musical journey!

Inside RSL RiFF: Interactive eBooks for a New Generation of Musicians

Practice, Reimagined Sheet music has taught generations of musicians, but a printed page can only show so much. It can’t show how a passage should look under the hands, or let you slow a tricky section down, or switch to a backing track on demand. That’s the idea behind RiFF, RSL Awards’ interactive digital sheet music player, designed to make practising more engaging, flexible and effective for both students and teachers. What Is RiFF? RiFF is the engine that powers all RSL Music Exam e-books, which we call the Exam e-Books. It combines interactive arrangements, video demonstrations, audio tools and smart practice features in one place, so students preparing for their next graded exam can practise with everything in one platform. If you can use a smartphone or tablet, you can use RiFF. What Can It Do? See how the music should be played. Where available, RiFF offers high-quality video demonstrations with multiple camera angles, including close-ups of the hands and wider performance shots. Layout adjustments and a mirror feature help left-handed players follow demonstrations more comfortably. Learn the way that suits you. Students can switch between full score, TAB and chord charts, depending on their instrument, and choose between a full mix and a backing track to focus on the parts they need most. Practise smarter. Section markers, tempo control and easy navigation make it simple to work on one passage at a time. Learning aids such as note names, solfège, rhythmic breakdowns and chord visibility can be switched on when needed and off when ready. Watch the notes on the instrument. Real-time fretboard and keyboard views show exactly where and how notes are played. Prepare for the real exam. Exam Mode disables the visual aids to replicate printed exam conditions, so students can practise the way they will perform on the day. Prepare for the Real Exam The feature parents should know about is Exam Mode. When switched on, it hides the on-screen learning aids (such as note names, chord displays and fretboard views), so that the music appears just as it would in a standard printed exam book. It’s also how the e-book is used in the actual exam, so it’s worth practising with it. A few exam rules to remember: Getting Started in Four Steps Important: the e-book must be bought with the same email address that is registered to the candidate’s RiFF account. This will be verified during the exam. For the full walkthrough, read the step-by-step guide on RSL Event Center. Not sure whether an e-book suits you? Our printed book or e-book guide can help you decide. A Few Practical Tips Need Help? Come and speak to the team at RSL London @ Funan, 107 North Bridge Road #04-10, Funan Mall, Singapore 179105, or call (65) 6016 9395 / WhatsApp (65) 9830 9519. Please check the eShop for the current price of your grade book. RiFF works alongside lessons, not in place of them. Our teachers remain at the heart of every student’s progress, and tools like RiFF help make the hours between lessons more engaging. Curious about graded exams or the Exam e-Books? Speak to your teacher or enquire at your nearest Cristofori outlet.

What a 19th-Century Composer Can Teach Us About Music — and Life

More than 170 years ago, one of history’s greatest composers sat down and wrote a list of rules for musicians. His name was Robert Schumann. He was a pianist, a composer, and a deeply thoughtful person who believed that learning music was about far more than playing the right notes. While the list he wrote — called the Musical House- and Life-Rules — was originally published for young students, its wisdom is timeless. We think it is just as relevant today for players of any age. Whether you are a parent supporting a young beginner, a student working towards an exam, or an adult picking up an instrument for the first time or returning after years away, Schumann’s words have something to offer every step of the journey. It Is Not About How Long You Practise This might surprise you. Most people assume that more practice always means more progress. Schumann disagreed. “There are many who think they can achieve everything by spending many hours a day practicing mechanically right into old age. Make better use of your time.” What matters is not how long you sit at the instrument — it is how present and focused you are while you are there. Twenty minutes of genuine, attentive practice will do more than an hour of going through the motions. Practise slowly, pay attention to what you are doing, and step away when your focus fades. Rest is part of practice too. “If you have done your daily musical work and feel tired, then do not force yourself to go on working. It is better to rest than to work without freshness and pleasure.” Listen to Everything “Aural training is the most important thing. Make efforts from the start to recognize keys and notes. The bell, the window-pane, the cuckoo — investigate the sounds they make.” Schumann believed that the ear was more important than the fingers. Before reading music, before mastering technique, a musician needs to truly listen to the world around them, not only to their instrument. Notice the sounds in everyday life: the rhythm of rain on a window, the rise and fall of a spoken conversation, or the difference between a high sound and a low one. These small acts of listening build the musical ear that makes everything else possible. He also believed that a musician should be able to hear their music in their mind, away from the instrument: “You must not know your pieces only via your fingers; you must also be able to hum them away from the piano.” Try humming your piece while going about your day. If you can hear it clearly in your head — its melody, its rhythm, its character — you truly know it. Music Is Better Together Ensemble and Band playing are important to anyone’s musical journey and can teach us essential life skills: active listening, adaptability under pressure, non-verbal communication, and the art of working together toward a shared objective. “Waste no opportunity to make music with other musicians, in duos, trios etc. This makes you play fluently and with animation.” Playing alone is important. But something special happens when musicians play together — a liveliness, a responsiveness, an energy that solo practice cannot replicate. Look for opportunities to play with others — whether in an ensemble, a duet with a friend, or accompanying a singer. These experiences build musical confidence and listening skills, reminding us that music is ultimately a shared experience, not a solitary one. Technique Is a Tool, Not the Goal “Fancy passage work fades over time. Technical accomplishment is only of value where it serves a higher purpose.” It is natural to be impressed by fast, flashy playing. But Schumann wanted musicians to understand that technique — speed, accuracy, dexterity — is only meaningful when it serves the music. The goal is not to play difficult pieces; the goal is to communicate something real through the sound. “Try to learn to play easy pieces well and beautifully; it is better than a mediocre performance of a difficult piece.” This is worth remembering at any stage. A simple piece played with genuine feeling and musical understanding will always leave a stronger impression than a difficult one played without either. Stay Curious and Keep an Open Mind “Do not judge a composition on a single hearing; the things that first catch your attention are not always the best.” Some music takes time to love. A piece that seems boring or strange on first listen may become a favourite after several hearings. Stay open — to music you do not immediately understand, to composers you have not yet discovered, and to styles beyond what you are currently studying. Schumann also encouraged musicians to read, to walk outdoors, and to engage with the world beyond music: “As a respite from your musical studies, read a lot of poetry. Take lots of walks in the fresh air.” A rested, curious, well-rounded person will always be a better musician than one who does nothing but practise. The Bigger Picture “Without enthusiasm, nothing worthwhile can be accomplished in Art.” “The purpose of Art is not to acquire wealth. Just strive always to be a better and better artist; everything else will follow of its own accord.” “There is no end to learning.” These lines say everything that needs to be said about why we learn music. Not for certificates. Not for trophies. Not even, in the end, for a career. We learn music because it makes us more attentive, more expressive, more human — and because the journey of becoming a musician, and a good person is one that never truly ends. A Lifelong Journey Learning an instrument is one of the most rewarding things anyone can do at any age. It builds discipline, patience, courage, and a deeper connection to the world around us. Schumann understood this. His rules were not just about music; they were about how to live and grow as a person. At

45+ Years of Music, Memories and Milestones: The Cristofori Story

Since 1980, Cristofori Music has been bringing music to every home in Singapore. Explore 45+ years of lessons, concerts, pianos and the community behind them. 45+ Years of Music, Memories and Milestones Every story has a beginning. Cristofori’s began in 1980 in Joo Chiat, when Mr. J.B. Wong opened the company’s first Piano Technological Centre, a workshop devoted to piano repair and servicing. From it grew a simple belief: that music belongs in every home. That same year, Cristofori launched its first own-brand pianos, the P-4C and PC-5C, the start of a name that families across Singapore would come to know. More than four decades later, that belief still guides everything we do. From One Workshop to a Music Community Cristofori grew steadily over the years. By 2000, it was running more than 20 music schools, and by 2010 that number had passed 30. In 2020, it introduced online lessons and expanded into e-commerce, so that learners could keep making music wherever they were. Today, Cristofori is fully Singaporean-owned, with nearly 40 outlets and over 500 teachers across the island. Generations of Students Over the decades, generations of students have walked through our doors: children taking their first lesson, teenagers working towards exams, and adults returning to an instrument they once put down. Many have grown with us, and some have returned as alumni, performers and teachers. Pianist William Wei is one of them. He began as a three-year-old in a children’s group music class at Cristofori Funan and, in October 2025, made his homecoming concerto debut at the Esplanade Concert Hall, performing Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Shanghai Nine Trees Philharmonic Orchestra. Read our feature on the concert. Others have gone on to study music further, both at home and abroad. In 2025, we marked our 45th anniversary with the Cristofori 45th Anniversary with a year-long celebration honouring the generations of students, teachers and alumni who have been part of the journey. Stages, Concerts and Shared Moments Music is meant to be shared. From our annual Musicale school concerts to the Star Student Awards, our students perform on real stages, and our community has welcomed world-class artists to Singapore. These evenings are where lessons and practice become memories. Pianos and Instruments for Every Home What began as a piano workshop has grown into a destination for pianos and instruments, from digital pianos and drum kits to the Cristofori C5 upright and European names such as C. Bechstein and Petrof. Showrooms across the island let families try before they choose. Learning, Reimagined While our values stay the same, the way we teach keeps evolving. Today, students can pair traditional lessons with tools such as the CRISTOFORI e-Book app, powered by Piano Marvel, and the Cristofori A.I. Port, which adds smart learning features to an acoustic upright piano. Technology is a helpful tool, but the teacher and the piano remain at the heart of learning. Milestones The Journey Continues To everyone who has learned, taught, performed or simply listened with us over the years, thank you. Here’s to many more years of People • Passion • Possibilities. Start your own musical journey: book a free trial class today.

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1: Noah Zhou at Victoria Concert Hall

An Evening with Tchaikovsky On Saturday, 24 October, Victoria Concert Hall welcomed a sold-out audience for An Evening with Tchaikovsky, presented by BespokeArts. British-Chinese pianist Noah Zhou returned to Singapore to join conductor Amanda Kye Tan and the Last Minute Artist Orchestra (LMAO) for a programme of three Tchaikovsky favourites: the 1812 Overture, Piano Concerto No. 1 and Symphony No. 5. It was a return engagement of sorts. Zhou and the orchestra first worked together last November at SOTA Concert Hall, where he performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Read our post on that concert. The Programme The first half paired the ceremonial grandeur of the 1812 Overture with the evening’s centrepiece, the Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor. After the interval, the orchestra returned for Symphony No. 5 in E minor, with its recurring “fate” theme running through all four movements. The 1812 Overture The evening opened ambitiously with the 1812 Overture. Violas and cellos led the solemn opening hymn, and the music built towards the battle, with the French and Russian themes in direct confrontation. The tubular bells rang out for the triumphant closing section. Noah Zhou in Tchaikovsky’s First The First Piano Concerto asks a great deal of its soloist, from the famous opening chords to the dazzling finale. Zhou played with power and precision, with a big, full sound in the concerto’s chords and clear technical command in its virtuoso passages. One reviewer described the playing as Horowitzian, praising the octave passages in particular. As with any performance, listeners will respond in different ways, but the audience in the hall was warm: there was applause after the big cadenza that ends the first movement, and cheers when the finale came to its close. The Piano Zhou performed on a C. Bechstein D282 concert grand, brought in specially for the concert, with Bechstein Music World an official partner of the evening. The instrument more than held its own through the concerto’s heavy demands. Conductor and Orchestra Under Amanda Kye Tan, the Last Minute Artist Orchestra gave a solid account of a demanding programme, supporting Zhou with energy in the concerto. The orchestra, which brings together musicians from many backgrounds, took on three of the most beloved works in the repertoire. As the programme notes shared, several of the players were performing these pieces for the very first time, after years of hearing them in concert halls and on recordings. Two Encores Zhou rewarded the audience with two encores, offering a nice contrast. The first was Tchaikovsky’s Chant élégiaque, Op. 72, No. 14, a gentle, lyrical miniature that brought the evening back to a quieter, more intimate scale. The second was the Liszt–Horowitz arrangement of Hungarian Rhapsody No. 15, also known as the Rákóczi March, a virtuoso showpiece to send everyone home on a high. Looking Ahead BespokeArts’ next concert will be Greg Niemczuk in Recital: Chopin, The Poet of the Piano, on 16 January 2027 at 7 pm at the Bechstein Music World Event Hall, supported by Bechstein Music World.

Celebrating Excellence: Cristofori Annual Star Student Awards 2026

Behind every great performance is a long road: a first lesson, a first nervous note, and hundreds of hours of practice in between. On Monday, 9 November 2026, we’ll celebrate the students who have walked that road. The Rockschool Concert × Cristofori Annual Star Student Awards 2026 is an exclusive collaboration between Cristofori Music School and RSL Event Center, an evening where our students take the spotlight to perform, celebrate their achievements and share their passion for music. Not Just an Awards Night At Cristofori, we’ve always believed that performing is the heart of music education. Stepping on stage teaches courage, focus and resilience, and it turns months of learning into something shared with the people who matter most. The Star Student Awards recognise students who have shown outstanding effort and progress. For families, it’s a chance to see what all those weeks of practice have been building towards. Event Details Rockschool Concert × Cristofori Annual Star Student Awards 2026 How to Get Your Tickets Tickets are available on Eventbrite.sg: Book your tickets here! Save 50%: use your respective outlet’s code at checkout, or approach any staff member at your nearest Cristofori outlet. Enquiries: 8766 0639 Come and Cheer Them On Bring your family, your friends and your loudest applause. Come support our young musicians and celebrate the moment when learning becomes performance. Interested in starting your own musical journey? Book a trial class today.

Your Child’s Musical Journey Starts Here: Choosing the Right Cristofori Music Course

So your child wants to learn music. That’s wonderful news, and the next question is often the hardest: where do we start? With so many instruments, class formats and learning paths to choose from, it’s natural for parents to feel unsure. Here are five simple questions to help you choose the right course. 1. What is your child interested in? The best instrument is usually the one a child is excited about. Does your child hum along to songs, tap rhythms on the table, or love watching a particular instrument being played? Their curiosity is a good place to begin. At Cristofori, lessons are available in piano, guitar (acoustic, electric, classical and bass), violin, drums and ukulele, as well as music theory. Lessons are held at Cristofori outlets across the island. 2. How old is your child? We generally recommend starting from age 4 and up, and there is no upper age limit, so the whole family is welcome to learn. Younger children often thrive with playful, hands-on introductions to music, while older children and teenagers may be ready for more structured lessons and goals. 3. Are exams part of the plan? Graded music exams give students clear goals and a sense of achievement, and they can be a great motivator. Cristofori offers both ABRSM and RSL exam pathways: If you’d prefer to start with enjoyment and build from there, that’s equally valid. Our teachers can help you plan either path. 4. What learning style suits your child? Some children enjoy the focus of one-to-one lessons, which give every student a personal pace and plenty of attention from their teacher. Others learn best with friends, and group classes are available for selected instruments (such as guitar, violin, drums and ukulele). To find out more about available group classes, enquire at your nearest one. 5. How will they practise at home? Regular practice makes lessons far more effective, and the right tools at home help. If your family has an acoustic upright piano, the Cristofori A.I. Port adds smart learning features while keeping the real touch and sound, and comes with a free 1-year CRISTOFORI e-Book subscription. Read more about the A.I. Port. For other instruments, our showrooms and eShop carry everything you need for practice at home. Why Families Choose Cristofori Founded in 1980, Cristofori is a fully Singaporean-owned music school, with 38 outlets and over 500 teachers. Our teachers are all qualified musicians, but what we value just as much is their passion for teaching: patient, encouraging and invested in every student’s progress.  Students also get to perform on real stages through our various activities such as our Crescendo recital series, the annual Musicale Grand Concert, Preschool Music Concert  and the Star Student Awards, and to take part in the many competitions and activities we organise and join for them, including the Asian Supreme Drum Competition each year, as well as international piano competitions that begin with local rounds, giving qualifying students the chance to travel overseas for the global finals. “My daughter has grown so much in confidence ever since she joined Cristofori.” Mrs. Tan, parent of a 7-year-old piano student Read more testimonials. Take the First Step The easiest way to find the right fit is to try. Cristofori offers free trial classes, so your child can meet a teacher and see how they respond before committing. If you decide to continue, we offer course packages ranging from 1 month to 1 year. Fees and packages may vary, so please enquire for details. Book a free trial class today, or enquire at your nearest Cristofori outlet to speak to our team.