Conservatoires

[justliam]

Do any of the teachers out there have a successful career as a piano teacher without having attending a conservatoire or university?

I would quite like to teach in a few years time, aiming to get the DipABRSM, LRSM and maybe FRSM and having built up some experience teaching at my old school which I can do etc.

Has anyone forged a career with qualifications like that, or will people just not come to you if you do not have a degree?

[gerryjay]

dear justliam:
i think that would help a lot to know what country are you talking about, since the realities are quite different, as far as i'm concerned.

furthermore, there is a huge difference about working at an learning institution (and what kind of institution: music school, conservatory, university) and as a free particular teacher. in this particular, things are more or less the same around.

to have some pupils at home or at a private studio, normally you just need to have a good advertising and attractive price. you'll basically work with amateurs and to them, the fact you're a graduate from juilliard or a garage-band keyboard player don't seem to make any difference.

the other end would be an university or conservatory, depending of the country, which is only possible if you have all the recquired background, which will include a lot of things.

best!

[justliam]

Hi, thanks, some good points.  I was thinking mainly of being a free lance teacher, teaching from home and/or driving to houses, and possibly teaching in secondary schools.  So it seems possible, if I put the effort in to finding my pupils.

[gerryjay]

dear justliam:
i actually think that the answer is yes in this case. basically, it's a simple equation: you must build a name and add quality to that. the process, obviously, is simultaneous, but i put that way because there are some mates that forget the quality part...

about that, teaching is only partly related to your piano skills. i know several amazing teacher that either don't concertize or even don't play the piano that well. yes, yes: one must know what he is doing, but the knowledge about teaching itself (ie, pedagogy) is as important as piano playing, and a solid musical background is also fundamental. btw, a general knowledge about the world helps a lot, because teaching (specially in individual or little-group classes) is a human interaction, so a bit of chat is of great help too.

best!

[lostinidlewonder]

I believe that it is wrong to think that you MUST get a degree to be successful as a teacher or musician. A degree is a great stepping stone, don't get me wrong, however how many business men/women out there in this world are there that are successful and many times more, business-wise, that those who might have an expensive degree?

I always tell new students who ask me for credentials (and it is quite rare that any ask), I can show you all of it here, but it means nothing. See the progress my students make with me as the test. A degree does not necessarily mean quality teacher, I have certainly known professional teachers with degrees who are terrible at teaching in my opinion and in their students who have come to me opinions. My students stick with me because the lessons work, not because I got honors or a doctorate.

I learned how to teach not from a university or conservatory, but from real life and getting thrown into the deep end of teaching music. I really don't think that you learn how to teach for real any other way. You can learn the theory and know which books to teach out of, but you will be lost when you are faced with the unique problems of your students.