economy priorities

[bluepianist]

Do any on you forsee the economy causing changes in your teaching studios?
Have your students families begun losing jobs?  Do they talk of priorites?
How will you handle the slump in the economy? 
 Any ideas?  Thanks in advance

[Bob]

Yes.  Less money for a family, less spent on piano lessons. 

[michel dvorsky]

I've been laid off! Damn YOU cheap imported Mexican labour!

HILLARY WILL SAVE THE PIANO TEACHERS FROM NAFTA.

[mattgreenecomposer]

For me its gas prices!  I am severely suffering money wise, and can't really raise fees that much or at all to students Ive taught for years because many of them are suffering as well.  I drive to about 10 different houses among having a 30 mile commute to the school I teach at.  I need to move, but the houseing market is awful so selling my house is not an option.

Hooray for the war, money lending to China, the plummeting US$ dollar, and all the great oil companies!  Woot woot!

[Bob]

Outsourcing piano teachers?   "Quatro nota gets uno counts, si? Uno, dos, tres..."


It would be the middle class and that expendable income.  You just wouldn't see the student who might have been.  The rich wouldn't bat an eye at a music teacher's prices.

Has anyone lost any students for finanical reasons this way? 

I suppose you could see it with someone losing their job and the family moves too. 

[bluepianist]

Hi Bob....yes we'll see the rich but they don't always have good practice habits.
I would much rather teach a middle class family that wants to get their money's worth.

[Essyne]

Hi Bob....yes we'll see the rich but they don't always have good practice habits.

Oh, now that's a bunch of hogwash. Just because someone is deemed a "rich" member of society doesn't mean that they will not work for anything - ESPECIALLY music. Quite frankly, money won't make you a concert pianist - if you want it, you must practice - the talent doesn't come w/ the capital. Just because you are well off or come from a family that is well off doesn't mean that are masterful at your craft. You just can afford to eat dinner after your concerts.

Please, let us not revert to such absurdities.

[bluepianist]

Hi Essyne....you're absolutely correct.  Practice and a lot of high quality practice makes a concert pianist.  I wasn't trying to be absurd....just stating facts...being affluent during a recession means that you have disposable income to use for many different activiites.  After years of teaching I've found that children who are over programmed can't put out their best effort and  their parents don't either.
I really don't find this absurd.

[flashcat]

I recently lost one family due to high gas prices. They have a huge SUV (large family) and would drive 45 minutes one way to get to my house for a 90 minute lesson, then drive 45 minutes back home. This was very hard for them, especially in the winter. When the mom told me of their reluctant decision, she and the kids were crying. It was very sad, but I couldn't blame them. 

[joyfulmusic]

I had one adult student who lost his job and had to quit.  25% of my students dropped out this last spring.  (I had 40)  Not all of the reasons were clearly financial, but I think it is a domino effect.

[musicrebel4u]

I had one adult student who lost his job and had to quit.  25% of my students dropped out this last spring.  (I had 40)  Not all of the reasons were clearly financial, but I think it is a domino effect.

I am very sorry to hear that!
Did you try to go to different private schools or day care centers?
Once I used to have contracts with 8 different schools (day care centers) and had about 100 students. I taught them mornings and made pretty good money.

[joyfulmusic]

Thanks for that thought.  When my daughter was little, and so that I could bring her with me I used to do that.  Hadn't occurred to me in this moment.  Very helpful.  Thank you.

[keypeg]

How, pray tell, will any amount of practice make for a good musician, if that potential musician cannot afford lessons, and therefore has nothing to practice?  Have you any idea what anguish that engenders in the motivated individual?

[musicrebel4u]

How, pray tell, will any amount of practice make for a good musician, if that potential musician cannot afford lessons, and therefore has nothing to practice?  Have you any idea what anguish that engenders in the motivated individual?

[keypeg]

That's a start, M4U.  What about the 17 year old who is on his way to becoming a professional musician, has to audition for placement, has to get the skills and interpretation of the music - he needs to have a teacher.  Therefore, economic decline in a country will affect teachers' incomes, and also students' futures.  Diligent practice is not enough.  I am stressing the importance of teachers in the process.

[Bob]

The poorer ones will drop out and the richer ones will continue on.  It's always been that way.  Unless they find someone to support them financially if they have that talent and find the right person, but then... they would find a special teacher and wouldn't need one so much if they're a genius.

[keypeg]

https://www.web-helper.net/PDMusic/Articles/91919/article2.asp

Poverty is discussed somewhere in the middle.

The genius, Bob, can bring himself to heights alone without a teacher or a mediocre one?  Genius is a magical pill that will lead someone to musicianship with little or no guidance?

Perhaps it is so and has always been so.  So?

[pianistimo]

the economy makes it's own priorities.  we just follow along and hope that we didn't drop that nickle or dime accidentally.  although pennies are kinda passe. 

there is a huge thing here in PA about people hanging laundry out in the yard vs using the dryer.  i don't think it drives housing prices down  - but some say that it does.  i haven't done it myself - but was tempted.  i think as long as it's discreet and in the backyard - who's business is it to say what a homeowner can do on their own property.  after all, the homeowner's association typcially is responsible for common areas and not necessarily all the stuff on your property.

ok.  as i see it - you can't just look at the economy thru a musical lens.  it has to be every facet of your life.  you can make money at other things besides music and still be musical and enjoy it.  not wasting money can be just as important as making it. 

[rc]

It's a good point...  that if a poorer family/person can find the money for lessons, it's a pretty good indicator of how important it is to them.

I take a look around me, and think of all the unnecessary luxuries I have.  If I were to be struggling for money, I think of how much of these expenditures I could simply do without.  I'm pretty sure I'd have to be making less than minimum wage to be unable to afford lessons.

(rc does quick calculation of minimum monthly wages and compares necessary expenses)

Yes, I could still afford lessons.  It would be a much more scarce existance than I'm used to, but possible.

[general disarray]

I'm seeing the need for teachers to go the "extra mile" to secure and maintain students. Sometimes a blender or a toaster, offered as incentives, is necessary to spark students' enthusiasm.  A well played etude merits a new toaster, for example.  A well played sonata, a new blender.

Banks do it and I think we should do it, too.

I do rule out, however, piano lessons that feature a "happy ending," as many massage parlors now advertise.  That approach is tacky, unethical and repugnant in the highest degree.

[pianistimo]

just saw this.  funny

what if the economy gets so bad you can't even buy the little piano pencils, and beethoven head erasers?  i used to get these catalogs and buy little stuff - but, there goes all your money!  shipping is too much these days.  better to buy it at the dollar store.  (do they still have these?  the one here went out of business i think).

once, i sewed a music bag.  it turned out nice.  (students who do not want a sewn music bag - please take note and avoid this teacher).  i've done other nice things like host piano parties.  they are more fun than MTAC juries - but you're never quite sure if you passed or not because everyone at these parties passes as long as they play better than the student younger than them.  i give out these cheap certificates.  they say what level they passed (typically one level per year). 

[rc]

There's a local guitar teacher who's very popular with the kids.  Apparently he's pretty impressive on the guitar, as well as drums...  People loved going to lessons with him because he would show them neat things, get baked with them, hang out and eat spaghetti.  Nevermind that they never learned anything

...I'm told he has pec implants   bizarre