Resources Mentioned
*Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Blues Course 1.0 by Nick Finzer
Musician & Co.—a blog and web resource for self-employed musicians
We talk a lot about the teaching and learning process on this podcast and what that looks like in practical, real-life experiences. But today, I want to take a step back and talk about what it looks like in the beginning, when you're just getting started.
Maybe you're just beginning your teaching career or you’re pivoting to teaching after doing something else. Maybe you've been teaching for a while but you're looking for ways to evolve and further develop or shape your career.
Wherever you are in your career, we’re all aspiring to be better musicians, teachers, and artists. In this episode, I'll share six practical tips for designing and developing your music teaching career.
Music careers in the 21st century are flexible and diverse and they often include more than one thing. Many of you are freelancers or self-employed, curating opportunities and crafting a creative career based on your varied skillsets and interests.
Today, I want to focus on music education and ways to incorporate that into the work you do. Because whether or not you pursued or are pursuing a degree in music education, teaching will invariably be part of your career, if it isn’t already. I’ll explain more about what that might look like in this episode.
How to Design and Develop Your Music Teaching Career
No. 1 - Recognize the potential in those you teach.
Socrates is famous for saying, “I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.”
Because of this, you’ll often hear me refer to music education as music teaching and learning instead (hence the name of this podcast). This reminds me that there are two sides to the process and that the two should be kept in balance.
The word “education” comes from two Latin words:
Educare = to bring up, to train
Educere = to lead out
Isn't that interesting? Think about how these two definitions integrate into the process of music teaching and learning.
One part is bringing up—creating positive, structured environments where learners can discover and experience music and develop awareness and understanding.
The other part is leading out—to connect with the individual, meet them where they are, structure learning experiences to meet their needs, challenge them in new ways, and bring out the full potential for music learning and achievement that is already within them.
At the core of education is the belief that people are capable and already have some level of aptitude—aptitude being an innate potential to learn music—that is informed and shaped by a unique set of life experiences.
Our work as teachers, then, is to look within each person, recognize and acknowledge their potential, and help them fulfill it. Keep in mind that sometimes, you might recognize musical potential in someone that they don’t yet see in themselves. This is a valuable opportunity to help people learn about themselves and what they may be capable of doing.
No. 2 - Look for teaching opportunities in all aspects of your career.
As I mentioned before, for most of us, a career in music will likely mean doing more than one thing.
For me, teaching has been a common thread: studio teaching, church music work; blogging, writing, and podcasting; and creating and teaching online courses.
I believe any opportunity that involves other people is an opportunity to teach something. Remember, education means to draw out what is already within someone.
For example, maybe you have a church job. This might seem like a performance job on paper, and often that is a big part of it, but there’s often a lot of teaching embedded in that work, especially if you’re teaching or directing ensembles. The position may also include teaching new music to the congregation, leading congregational singing (which is often more teaching-focused than performance-focused), and maybe giving a lecture on a music-related topic from time to time.
If you have an orchestra position, maybe you'll also present educational concerts (to children, families, or adults), give pre-concert talks, or teach masterclasses in local schools or colleges.
If you’re a freelancer, you’re cultivating your own career. Maybe you'll put on community concerts, do a residency at a local college with your chamber ensemble, facilitate educational workshops on a variety of different topics, or teach masterclasses in local schools or summer camps.
Think about your own career. How can you develop more opportunities for music education in the community or online?
No. 3 - Connect with your local community.
Start by reaching out to community music schools, community programs at local colleges or music stores, churches with available space, and public or private schools in your area.
Are there opportunities for private lessons after school? A homeschool music class? A summer music camp? An educational concert series? A new community music school?
Look for nontraditional spaces or venues in your community, too. What has really great acoustics or a beautiful view or access to visual and audio equipment? Get some friends together and put on a concert or workshop of some kind.
We did this when we lived in a small, rural town in Massachusetts after grad school. We organized a chamber music festival and had events at the church where I worked, at the local college, and at the library.
No. 4 - Online learning is the future (and the present).
A few years ago, there was a lot we didn't know about teaching online. Of course, sites like YouTube, Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, and many more have been around for a while—this is where people go to learn, to supplement their education, watch tutorials, develop a new skill, and continue learning.
In a lesson recently, one of my 3rd-grade students playing his own version of the popular "Coffin Dance" said he got the idea for the introduction from his "favorite piano YouTuber."
I think this is great and it was completely self-motivated. But I also think it gives us a glimpse into the power and vast potential of online learning in the future.
Since the pandemic, we've all learned a lot more about what's possible with online teaching and how we might continue to use these tools and platforms going forward. But I want to challenge you to think beyond Zoom lessons and YouTube recitals.
Here are two examples of music education in the online learning space:
The Institute for Creative Music, founded by a group of Eastman alums based in Rochester and NYC, offers online music courses on Teachable. One of them is by Nick Finzer called "Blues Course 1.0." It's a step-by-step approach from learning the basics of 3-chord blues to creating your own modern jazz blues changes. By the end of the course, you're able to play 12 blues tunes by ear.
Another example: My friend, Kathryn Brunner is a music educator, piano teacher, and church musician. She saw a need for early childhood music resources and materials parents could use with their children at home, so she created Musik at Home—an online music studio for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, pre-K, kindergarteners, and 1st graders.
A licensed and certified Musikgarten instructor, Kathryn records short music classes with a few children as if parents and children watching later were also in the room, making it feel interactive. She also sells the corresponding Musikgarten instruments and other materials used in the class so parents and children can enjoy them at home as they watch.
What could you teach online?
No. 5 - Be a good communicator.
Good communication skills will help you in collaborative work, in teaching, and in performance experiences. You’ll be remembered as someone who was easy to work with, consistent, reliable, organized, and professional.
Strive for clarity and consistency. Make things clear and simple to understand, but also thorough and detailed at the same time. Always reread your written communication before sending (take it from someone who knows).
When it comes to studio or college teaching, make sure you clearly explain and outline your expectations, deadlines, and policies from the outset.
Communication is also important for gigs—timely, professional responses, being clear about responsibilities, and having a well-written contract in place.
One other word of advice? Cultivate your writing skills. This will serve you well throughout your career. Writing is one of those things that may seem like it’s less important in our modern world, but I speak from experience when I say that writing is still a huge part of professionalism, communication, and our work as teachers, directors, and artists.
Think about all the writing you do to represent yourself and what you do: résumé, cover letters, bio, program notes, emails, social media captions, blog posts and written interviews, video and podcast descriptions, press releases, thank you notes, assignment sheets, adjudication forms, email newsletters, etc.
Your writing skills ultimately help shape your career. Take time to really hone this skill and improve your writing.
No. 6 - Be a lifelong learner.
You've heard me say many times before that we're never done learning and that's a good thing! It’s important to think of ourselves as learning right alongside our students. But it's a practice we have to cultivate. It's something we have to actively pursue.
We can always learn new things about music, technology (goodness knows, there’s always new technology to learn about, right?), and people. This helps us stay sharp and connected and helps us continue innovating and creating throughout our careers.
It’s also important to learn about yourself. Take time to reflect on your teaching and continue developing your skills. If you look at the successful teachers you know, I bet you’ll find their teaching is based on a cycle of innovation, observation, and reflection. These three things are so important to the teaching and learning process.
Looking for more?
If you're looking for more practical advice and helpful resources related to building and developing your music career, visit Musician & Co. I started this website with my husband, Steve in 2020 to equip 21st-century musicians to be both artists and business owners.
On the blog, you'll find:
Advice for building, growing, diversifying, and curating your portfolio career
Guidance for long-term investment in yourself as an artist
Reputable resources to help you learn about the business side of being a musicpreneur
Tools for managing your business and personal finances + paying estimated tax
Practical ideas for developing passive income streams and making your work profitable
Systems & strategies for managing your time and avoiding creative burnout
We also have a free resource library, a book club, and two self-paced courses to help you take the next steps in building your music career.
I’ll close with one of my favorite quotes by the great 20th-century educator and philosopher, John Dewey:
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”
