What does my piano tuition cover?
All independent music teachers (IMTs) differ in methods of operation. However, the tuition of nearly all teachers covers the following:
- Time spent with the student in private lessons, performances, group lessons.
- Time spent in preparation for the student reviewing and researching mew music, ordering and cataloging music, lesson planning, creating fun music games, bookkeeping, emails and newsletters, development of curriculum. It has been cited by professional music journals that for every hour enrolled in piano lessons, you are investing in at least 2 hours of the teacher’s time!
- Your teacher’s training and experience.
- Recital costs and preparations, programs, refreshments, facility rental.
- Professional organization memberships. Memberships are maintained by the teacher to enhance their teaching skills and provide the student with opportunities for festivals, competitions, and performance events.
- Professional journals, publications to assist the teacher in keeping current on new teaching materials and trends.
- Studio expenses such as copying costs, computer software, incentive programs, instruments, tunings, and repairs. Statistics also show that 40-50% of your tuition is used for studio expenses.
- Music books and CDs, materials purchased by the teacher that are shared with and/or loaned to the student in order to keep costs lower for students.
- Property taxes, self-employment taxes, insurance, business licenses, retirement. There is no corporation to assist in providing health and life insurance by matching funds. Tuition helps cover the increased living costs of your self-employed teacher.
- Continuing education: lessons and classes that keep the teacher current on methods and techniques
- Certification costs: We pay to be a member of professional organizations every year. This keeps the teacher accountable to a professional organization.