Music Lessons and Instruments for the Kids
Tuesday, August 7th, 2007The beginning of the school year is also, for many children, the beginning of music lessons yet again. Though some of them fight the concept, since they do not realize the value of the lessons when they are young, most will appreciate what they had absorbed later on in life.
If the instrument of choice in your family is a piano, the price of owning one is hard to fit into most budgets. However, right now is the moment when the major piano stores in the city are having their sales. Quelle surprise! The timing is just right for us – and for them too.
The terrific thing that happens at this time of year is that those camps and schools which had rented pianos from these businesses are now finished with them. The companies take them back and sell off the stock of these gently used instruments to us.
Italmelodie, 274 Jean Talon St. East at Henri Julien Ave. Phone: 514-273-3224. Hours: Monday to Wednesday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m, Thursday and Friday 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Rentals closed on Sunday).http://www.italmelodie.com Sale dates: August 9 to 12. The pianos from their grand sale are not located at their store listed above (or below), but at the Ecole de Musique Vincent d’Indy. You must call for an appointment (514-276-3333) so there will be someone to assist you in choosing an instrument for your particular needs and pocketbook. The sixty or so Yamaha or Kawai pianos have been used at CEGEPS and schools and are from trade-ins at their store.
If you miss the sale, you can shop at their stores. You can buy, rent, trade-in, take courses or put together an orchestra at this music city. From sheet music, DVD’s of artistic methods and books to an entire piano room, right up to P.A. systems – it’s all here. Acoustic guitars, stringed instruments, electronic keyboards, percussion, digital pianos, DJ needs and anything else that makes music put a song in your heart can be found here, from a $1.99 kazoo to a $100,000 grand piano. Other location: 3354 boul. St-Martin O. (450-681-4131).
Archambault, 500 Ste. Catherine St. East at Berri St. Phone: 514-849-6201. Hours: Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m .to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. http://www.archambault.ca Sale dates: August 24- September 2. After you have stepped through the Art Nouveau portals of Montreal’s oldest (1896) and largest music emporium, head to the second floor, where you’ll discover a grand salon of a piano department. It is here that the Yamaha pianos from camps at Orford and Lanaudiere are being cleared out. There are pianos from their regular stock on sale as well. In the past the prices were about 25% to 30% off of a new one, and on occasion you could score one at 40% off. The rest of the store is a feast of four floors and 45,000 sq. ft. of musical supplies, from sheet music to a full store of CD’s and books. Other locations: Place des Arts (514-281-0367); Brossard, 2151 boul. Lapinere (450-978-9900); Les Galeries d’Anjou (514-351-2230).
Pianos Prestige, 6078 Sherbrooke St. West at Hampton Ave. Phone: 514-482-5304. Hours: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. http://www.pianosprestige.ca Sale dates: August 11 to 31. The whole store goes on sale here, with specials from the Steinway family: Boston and Essex brands (starting at $3,900 including tax and tuning). Used pianos start at $2,500 and include tax, transportation and tuning. It’s mostly a new piano business selling Steinway family (Boston, Essex), Bosendorfer from Vienna and Mendelsohn brands. There is a 12-month rental program of the house brand pianos (Mendelsohn) which start at $2,900 if you buy them outright, or you can rent one at $140 a month for 12 months. If you buy a piano here you can always upgrade to a better one and get a credit for the price you paid. They sell a PianoDisc player system which can be put on any piano. A repair service is also offered, and this is also a good place to come for sheet music – and don’t forget to look in the clearance bin.