Taking apart a specific genre or traditional style of music and putting

it back together is a great way to understand it. In this episode, I'll

give you 2 examples of how to do that and then improvise with the

elements.

Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Most of us teach, perform and listen to Classical music. Many of us also

teach pop songs or jazz. But do you ever break outside of these walls?

And if you want to teach different types of music, how do you find it?

That's the question we'll unpack in today's show.

Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

As music teachers, we all want teaching studios that are dynamic, full

of life, and bursting with creativity. We want our students to arrive

for their weekly lessons feeling motivated and excited.

Yet, if we’re honest, there are times when this simply isn’t the case.

In this episode, I'll give you some strategies to try when things feel stagnant in your music lessons.

Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Teachers can find lessons everywhere if they look carefully enough. In this article, I want to share with you the lessons I learnt from my years of folk dancing that show up today in my music studio.

I was that student growing up. You know the one that you complain to other teachers about because they’re too overscheduled to practice?

Yeah, that one.

The thing was, I wasn’t actually overscheduled. My parents weren’t the driving force behind my busy timetable. It was me.

I wouldn’t quit anything.

One of the many things I wouldn’t quit was Irish dancing. (Before you ask...Yeah, sure, kinda like Riverdance.)

I could’ve been a better pianist if I focussed entirely on piano. However, I believe it’s experiences outside music that made me the teacher I am today. 

As you read through my lessons from folk dancing, I hope you’ll take some of them with you. But, more than that, I hope you’ll investigate some of your own experiences and think about how they’ve affected the teacher you’ve become.

What does your music studio brand say about you? Do you even have a brand? Of course, you do!

Has

anyone ever said to you, “I hear you’re the person to talk to about

piano lessons!” Maybe you’re filling your schedule (and even a long

waiting list!) through referrals alone.

Or maybe you’re having a hard

time getting new students and you need to advertise. What exactly are

you going to advertise? Where and to whom?

What does it mean to take music lessons with you?

Whether

you know it or not, you have a brand. The way you teach, the people you

teach, the method books you choose to use: all these and more define

you as a teacher and the type of student who is the best fit for your

studio.

Your music studio brand prioritises your strengths and is

honest about your weaknesses. It differentiates you, as a teacher, from

the other dozen piano teachers in your area.

Building your brand should be a conscious choice, but it doesn’t have to be an agonising one.

Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Growing is as much a part of business as breathing is a part of life. It could be the smaller (but VERY important) types of expansion such as growing as a teacher and musician, finding a supportive teacher community to join, or recruiting new students.

It could also be the more major types of growth like: Going to work for someone else – an institution or music school Becoming your own boss, transitioning to or adding online teaching Adding additional teachers to your studio Starting a music school Starting a YouTube channel Or maybe even initiating that side hustle that’s been lingering in your imagination for years.

Whatever the scope of your expansion, I guarantee you ARE growing. So, let’s take a bit of a deeper look at how to do so in a way that brings you more confidence and happiness!

Find our new show by searching for "Teaching Studio Stories"!

If we want the music teaching industry to move forward, we need to be part of the change. 

We can only have so much impact through our own teaching. Mentorship is one way to reach beyond the walls of our own studio.

A few years ago I made a decision. I put an ad out online with an offer to mentor a new teacher in my studio. 

I didn’t know how this project would go or if I’d even get any responses. I just decided to put it out into the universe and see where it took me.

I got some great applicants, took on a couple of teachers and the process has evolved from there. I now have a full course on how to set up a similar program in your studio if this sounds like the right route for you.

So let’s talk about what that route entails.

When you think about hiring your first teacher, how do you feel? 🤔 Clueless? Scared? Definitely-not-for-me? Perhaps you’re excited and ready to start ASAP.

We all know hiring a great teacher is important, but hiring the right-fit teacher is vital to you and your business’ wellbeing.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting that first, right-fit teacher onboarded.

Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Business expansion is not for every teacher. If you’re thinking about growing your music teaching business, read this article first.

My job in this post is to persuade you NOT to expand your music teaching business.

Why am I doing that?

I’m taking on this project because everyone else seems to be taking the opposite one. Everywhere you look you might be hearing about entrepreneurialism (what a word, hey?), profitability and impact.

But, maybe, you can have a bigger impact by staying small. 

Consider these 7 factors carefully. Then, if you still want to expand your music teaching business know that I am 100% behind you. But if you want to stay small and mighty, I support that too. 💛 💙 💚