Summer music classes are a great way to supplement your piano teacher income and offer a great experience for your piano students!
I’ve complied my most successful summer music classes, workshops, camps, and piano competitions that you can try with your studio.
Here are 17 ideas to choose from and how to have your piano students begging to do it again next year.
Why Offer Summer Music Classes?
The benefits to offering summer music classes to your piano students are many.
As a new piano teacher, I was hesitant to offer summer music classes because I thought I was being selfish–trying to increase my summer income on top of regular piano lessons. I knew the classes were valuable and fun, but I felt bad asking families for more money.
But I soon came to realize two things:
- Families are looking for summer enrichment opportunities for their kids! They ask for them. They search for them. They budget for them. By offering music classes, I am adding to their options!
- Offering opportunities to my students is not annoying or a burden! It’s a service and those who aren’t interested can just ignore my classes and continue with regular lessons. It’s not salesy to offer another optional service to your customers.
And the benefits! There are so many, but to summarize:
As the teacher, you increase your income or allow for a longer vacation.
As the student, they get a diverse creative outlet over the summer.
If you’re convinced, let’s list some ideas you can try with your piano students!
Summer Music Workshops
What’s a Workshop?
For the purpose of this article, I’m using the term “workshop” to refer to a one-time class.
Rhythm Workshop
Offer a Summer Rhythm Workshop for different age groups.
I really enjoy doing this with my younger kids. With so much focus on reading notes and rhythms, it’s fun and enriching for them to tackle complicated rhythms by ear.
I pick a theme (usually based on the latest popular kids movie), and plan rhythm circles and activities based on songs they will recognize and enthusiastically sing and dance to.
I don’t usually follow a strict curriculum for my rhythm workshops. I just gather a bunch of percussion instruments, have a few keyboards set up, and coordinate some ensembles based on who signs up for the workshop.
Music History Workshop
Offer a music history workshop!
Some ideas for a theme would be:
- History of Rock’n’Roll
- History of Jazz
- Early Music: What did ancient Egyptian music sound like?
- The Piano: from its invention to today
And of course many other possibilities.
Or focus on a particular composer or music era!
Music Appreciation Workshop
Similar to the Music History Workshop idea, a music appreciation workshop could be an active listening stravaganza!
Students could learn the basics of active music listening tailored to their age:
- Listening for highs and lows in the music
- Softs and louds
- Major and minor
- Emotion in music
- Identifying chord progressions or scales
- How music fits movie scenes
- Program music
- Post-modern music: is it really music?
And so much more.
Music Composition Workshop
A one-time music composition workshop can be really fun with a small group of similar-aged students.
I’ve created a series of worksheets called Compose With Dice. These one-song gamified projects are perfect for a one-time workshop where students can create a melody and have something to take home and play for their family!
Specialized Craft or Skill Workshop
Enter my crochet hook…
One summer I just got the idea to try a crochet workshop. And it filled up. And the next session filled up. And the next!
Now it’s a yearly must for so many of my students. They ask for it!
If you have a special skill you think students might be interested in, consider offering a NON-MUSIC workshop!
Summer Music Classes
What is a Class?
In this case, I’m referring to a class that meets more than one time.
This could be a weekly class that continues for the entire summer, or even a 3-week class.
Guitar or Ukulele Class
If you have some chops on guitar or uke, consider offering a group class over the summer.
These instruments are very popular, inexpensive for families to purchase, and they are easier to teach in groups than piano!
Whether you take an official approach by following a curriculum, or a more casual “guitar circle” approach, this can be a fun way for students to try out a new instrument and meet new friends.
Music Composition Classes
Yes, I know I already mentioned composition in the workshop ideas. But these are class ideas that work better when you see the students a few subsequent weeks.
Composition classes are my most popular every summer and my favorite to teach!
In fact, I love teaching composing so much, I’ve created a few different multi-level curriculums. Some are still old files on my computer, but some are available for purchase!
Composition Cut-and-Paste
Composition Cut-and-Paste is a series of workbooks designed to help students of all ages and levels to create their own composition without the overwhelm of starting from scratch.
Think of it as a multiple choice for assembling a piano solo.
There is a level for even the earliest of beginners (no note reading required) up to Level 3 for intermediate students.
I use this workbook to teach a group class. I can explain the instructions to everyone and have them work independently at their own keyboards. I check in with everyone and let them share their progress with the group along the way.
I have an article dedicated to explaining how Composition Cut-and-Paste works. Check it out here!
Let’s Compose
Unlike Composition Cut-and-Paste, which is an independent workbook, Let’s Compose is a group composition project.
In this setting, a group of students will engage as a group to make decisions about the group composition they are creating together.
I, the teacher, play different examples for each section of our song. We talk about the difference and vote on which we like better. Then we add it to our song!
By the end of the class, we all have the same song notated. Students can take the song home and play it for family and friends.
I’m working on getting this curriculum ready for purchase. Come on back to this page in the future. I’ll add a link when I have it!
Improvisation Class
Consider offering a group improvisation class!
Students will each have their own keyboard (or they can take turns). You, as the teacher, can facilitate a comfortable environment for students to explore and create interesting sounds together!
Lead Sheet Class
Method books don’t usually include much instruction in reading lead sheets!
Why not gather a group of students at a similar reading level, and teach them all about lead sheets.
From what the chord symbols mean to how to improv a left hand part to any style, this could be a really fun summer class!
Chords Class
Students are usually enthralled with chords from their first time at the piano!
All of their favorite artists use chords. Why not let them into the world of chords a little earlier than the method books do?
Whether it’s the simplest of progressions using left hand open fifths, or a group of advanced students talking about Neapolitan sixths, the possibilities for a multi-week chords class are endless!
Music Theory Class
And let’s not discount the possibility of a general music theory class!
Small groups of similar age, similar level students can gather once a week throughout the summer to play theory games, complete engaging worksheets, review tricky concepts, or flesh out new music theory ideas on the keys.
If you’ve been considering trying out group piano lessons, this is a great way to try it out over the summer!
If you are in need of any fun, summer-themed music theory activities, worksheets, and games–I gotcha covered! Shop my Summer Resources on my TPT Store here.
Music Camps
You may not have the resources to host an all-out “camp” camp, but don’t pass up the opportunity to dive in deep on a particular topic with a small group of curious students.
Composition Boot Camp
Yes, I know…composition again. I did say it was my favorite thing to teach.
Every year I walk a small group of late elementary to intermediate students through the entire composition process.
Student join me for 4-5 hours every day for a week (Monday through Friday).
We…
- come up with a composition idea
- get it down on paper
- flesh it out on the piano
- shape the melody
- add accompanying chords
- learn so much music theory along the way!
- then learn how to engrave it in MuseScore
- print that publisher-grade masterpiece
- and share each student’s original composition with the group.
The results are amazing! Parents can’t believe that it’s an original composition!
Performance Camp
I haven’t come up with a catchy title for this one yet–maybe Performance Boot Camp?
Students join me for a week-long intensive diving into all things performing.
They work up a piece.
We talk about memorization techniques. Performing etiquette and ways to deal with anything that could come up during a performance. We strategize ways to combat performance anxiety.
And we end the week with a final recital to try out all of these new techniques!
Science of The Piano Camp
Years ago I used to do this super fun hands-on camp! It was a big hit with kids and parents.
Usually this is geared towards students age 7-12. The great thing about this camp is that any level can participate fully! And your group can be quite diverse.
Students will meet for an hour or two each day for a week.
Each day will invite them to participate in a different experiment all about music and the piano. From the inner workings of the piano, to sound waves, to how a tuning fork works, to the science of acoustics, we inject a little STEM learning into the studio!
And we get to answer that pressing question: what do the pedals do?
I end the week with a trip to the local piano store where students can really look inside a grand piano and try out the different parts of the piano to really see up-close how they work.
Summer Music Competition
Piano Olympics
I actually only have one idea for you in this category, but it’s such a big hit I’ve been hosting this competition every other year for several years now.
Every other summer, my students choose two “piano events” to dedicate their efforts over the summer months.
Events include:
- Notes on the Staff (theory)
- Intervals (theory)
- Scales (technique)
- Chords (technique)
- Hymn (song performance)
- Classical (song performance)
- Pop (song performance)
As their coach, I’ll help them “train” for their events through June and July, and come August we’ll host a final testing day.
I either complete a judging form or sometimes hire an outside teacher as the judge and students receive a final score.
Then we have an awards ceremony with performances and gold/silver/bronze medals awarded to the winners. (Runner-ups receive a ribbon.)
The students get really into it. I mean, if you want your students to be so dedicated to practicing their scales, I highly recommend trying a piano olympic event!
I’m working on a shareable curriculum for a studio-wide piano olympic event. When I have it ready and up for sale, I will share the link here.
More Ideas
I hope this little list of mine sparked inspiration for your own personalized summer event ideas!
If you came up with an idea of your own, please comment below.
And if you try one of my ideas, please let us know how it went!