How Young can kids start learning the tenor sax?

by Richard Skinner
(South Wales UK)

As a grandparent I wonder how old children need to be before they start to learn to play. I have been reading a novel by a well known (UK) author in which a boy age 6 has reached grade 7 on his tenor sax. The book indicates elsewhere that he has not got particularly large hands and therefore I am sceptical that this would be feasable. My grandaughter can play just a few notes on an alto sax at age 6 but to play full scales for grade 7 with all the left hand finger streaching needed would seem improbable for a six year old. I apologise if this is not the sort of question you like, but start them young is a good motto.