Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything You Need To Know About Learning At Youngstars

Whether you’re looking for music lessons for your child or thinking about starting lessons yourself, we’ve answered some of the questions we hear most often.

Getting Started

New to Youngstars?

We cater for children, teenagers and adults, with different classes and lesson formats depending on age and ability.


Some of our programmes are specifically designed for younger children, while individual instrumental and vocal lessons can continue from beginner level through to advanced and professional standard.

We offer a wide range of musical tuition and group programmes, including:

  • Piano
  • Acoustic & Electric Guitar
  • Ukulele
  • Singing & Vocal Coaching
  • Music Theory
  • Musicianship
  • Drumming & Rhythm
  • Choirs
  • Youngstars Bands
  • Music, Drama & Creativity Camps
  • Exam & School Music Preparation

We’re happy to help.

For younger children who aren’t sure where to start, Musicianship Classes or Ukulele can be a great introduction to music.

You can also talk to our team about which instrument might suit your child’s age, personality, interests and goals.

For younger children interested in guitar, we often recommend starting with ukulele for a year.

Ukulele is smaller and easier for young hands to manage, while teaching many of the same fundamental skills needed for guitar, including chords, rhythm, strumming and coordination.

It can be a great stepping stone to guitar when the child is readI

The easiest way to get started is to contact Youngstars Music School and tell us what you’re interested in, the age and experience level of the student, and any particular goals you have.

We’ll help you find the right lesson, teacher and format.

Lessons & Practice

How Lessons Work

Individual and duo lessons are 30 minutes. Group lessons are 40 minutes or longer, depending on the size and type of group.

We believe shorter individual lessons work particularly well for younger students, while group classes benefit from having additional time to learn and work together.

We offer different formats depending on the instrument and programme.

Individual lessons provide one-to-one, personalised tuition. Duo lessons allow two students, often friends or siblings, to learn together. Group classes are available for programmes such as musicianship, theory, choirs and bands.

Yes! Youngstars isn’t just for children. We welcome adults who want to learn an instrument or develop their singing, whether you’re a complete beginner or returning to music after many years.

You can learn simply for enjoyment, work towards a particular goal, prepare for a performance or develop your skills to an advanced level.

Yes. Many students at Youngstars study more than one instrument or combine instrumental lessons with singing, theory, musicianship, choir or band.

Learning different musical skills can complement each other and help create a more rounded musician.

For students learning an instrument, having access to an instrument at home is essential so they can practise between lessons.

If you’re unsure what instrument or equipment you need, speak to Anna and she will help you.

Regular practice is important, particularly for students who want to make good progress or prepare for exams and performances.

However, we don’t expect every student to practise for hours every day. Our teachers can recommend realistic practice goals based on the student’s age, level and ambitions.

This happens — especially with younger students!

That’s why we encourage a varied approach to music learning. If a student is working towards an exam, for example, we may also spend time learning favourite songs, exploring different styles or playing with other students.

Keeping music enjoyable is a big part of helping students stay motivated.

Exams & Performance

Exams, Performing & Confidence

Yes. Our highly experienced teachers prepare students for a range of exams and assessments, including:

  • RIAM Piano Exams
  • LAMDA Voice Exams
  • Academy of Popular Music Guitar Exams
  • Academy of Popular Music Voice Exams
  • Junior Cycle Music
  • Leaving Certificate Music Practical Exams
  • Music College Entrance Exams

However, exams aren’t compulsory. We believe in developing well-rounded musicians, so students can also work on other repertoire and musical skills alongside their exam preparation.

Yes — but performing is never compulsory.

We encourage students to perform when they feel ready, with opportunities throughout the year including smaller performances, Youngstars concerts, band gigs and larger events.

We believe in building confidence gradually, from the classroom to the stage.

That’s completely normal!

We never want performance to feel like pressure. Younger students can start with small, informal classroom performances before progressing to larger concerts when they’re ready.

The aim is to build confidence step by step, rather than throwing students into a big performance before they are comfortable.

Community & Workshops

Beyond The Weekly Lesson

Yes! We believe that making music with others is an important part of musical development.

Students can take part in Youngstars Bands, choirs, jam sessions, workshops and other group events, depending on their age, level and interests.

Playing with others helps develop listening, rhythm, teamwork, confidence and musical independence.

Being a Youngstars student is about more than just your weekly lesson.

Throughout the year, students are invited to take part in a range of workshops, masterclasses, open mic nights and special events, including songwriting, vocal health, guitar, rhythm, drumming and performance workshops.

Many of these are offered free to Youngstars students.

Practical Info

Policies & Logistics

Our lesson and cancellation policies are explained when you enrol. If you know you are going to miss a lesson, please let us know as early as possible.

See our enrolment policies for clarification on this.