MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – As schools and extra-curricular activities shift online, music lessons are no exception.
Deb Kithanis owns Saving Grace Music School and said they decided to go virtual back in mid-March to keep students, parents and instructors safe.
While many of their students continued their lessons virtually, the majority are waiting until the school reopens.
“We do have 38 kids right now waiting until we open back up to come back in,” Kithanis said.
She says many of those students didn’t have internet or access to a device with a camera.
Kithanis says the main challenges with virtual music lessons are poor internet connection and sound.
“In order to have really good sound with your student, everybody has to buy stuff,” Kithanis explained. “Of course that’s not an option; we don’t know how long we’re going to be doing this.”
Another challenge; increased preparation.
“We’re busier than we’ve ever been in that we have to prepare a whole lot more to do these lessons, ” Kithanis said.
Despite the changes, she plans to continue virtual classes even when the pandemic passes as she sees some students thriving in the new lesson environment.
“We have one student who has severe anxiety and she is blossoming under this so there are kids who are actually better under this circumstance,” Kithanis explained.
