Letter No. 19 [establishing your music studio: core beliefs]
Dear Friend,
I haven’t written to you about music yet, but I must tell you, it’s perhaps more important to me than any other thing I pursue. So I wanted to start sharing some of the information, tips, and advice I’ve learned and used over 18 years of studying piano. I’ll be teaching full time this September, and wanted to share tips on establishing a professional music studio, starting with your core beliefs.
So grab a pen and paper and get ready!
Summarizing your core beliefs is harder than it sounds. The most difficult part is condensing them into a few paragraphs, and even a couple sentences.
The purpose of sharing these beliefs is to give prospective parents/students an idea of why you teach, what matters to you in music and teaching, and why they should take lessons with you.
Why you teach:
This is where you describe what music means to you and why you want to share that with others. Why do you study music? How has it impacted your life? Why do you want to share that with others? Of course there is a practical aspect of making a living, but get deeper than that. You could work other jobs to pay the bills if you had to. You could wait tables. You could be a janitor. Why do you choose to teach instead? Is it because of how music has changed your life? Is it because you’d rather be making music than anything else? Why is that?
What matters to you in music and teaching:
From sharing what music means to you, lead into what you want to pass along. In my core beliefs, I share that I want students to learn habits of discipline, grow a love for music making, and gain musical ability to bless others. I also care about correct technique, music history, theory, and continued improvement—not only in my students, but in myself and my teaching, so those are also aspects I share.
Why they should take lessons with you:
Finally, acknowledge and address that they are considering taking lessons with you. Show them you will take care of them and their child in a professional and kind manner. Also direct them to the next steps—reading your studio policy and contacting you about an interview if they’re interested in joining your studio. I’ll share about studio interviews in the third letter in this series, but will say now that they should always be conducted (and free of charge!) before committing to lessons to learn whether or not you and the prospective student/family will be a good fit.
Once you’ve created your core beliefs, you’ll move on to your studio policy, which I’ll talk about in my next letter!
Until then,
Tara