Am I Qualified to Be a Piano Teacher? [3 Things You Need]

Wondering if you’re qualified to be a piano teacher?  

Becoming a piano teacher is one of the best decisions I have ever made.  It has been a flexible, rewarding, and lucrative career.

But I set out to become a piano teacher in the traditional way.  Private lessons from age seven through high school, regular recitals, pursuing my bachelor’s degree in piano performance–I took the slow road.

Was it all worth it?  If I had to start all over again, would I take the same path?

And what would I recommend to someone who is seeking how to become qualified to be a piano teacher well into adulthood?

I’ll answer all these questions and more in the next few paragraphs based on my personal experience.

Education Qualifications

Becoming qualified to be a piano teacher involves some sort of education process. But what is necessary to be considered a qualified piano teacher?

Because there are no standard licenses or job requirements, it’s up to each piano teacher to make their own personal decision on how much and what type of education they pursue.

Do I Have to Have a Degree to Teach Piano?

The traditional way that a person would become qualified to be a piano teacher is by pursuing an undergraduate degree in music.

There are degrees in piano performance, piano pedagogy, and music education.

Is this a requirement to be qualified to be a piano teacher?  

In my opinion, no, it’s not a requirement.  I know wonderful piano teachers who have a relevant college degree and other amazing piano teachers that never finished a degree.

It’s up to you to make the best decision for your situation.  

Let me share a bit about my own personal journey earning my bachelor’s degree in piano performance to hopefully help guide you to make the right decision.

What I Gained as a Music Major

• SKILLS ON THE PIANO. By far, the most valuable asset that made college worth the time and money was the advancement of my skills as a pianist. As a piano performance major, this was my main focus. I believe that piano teachers do need to possess solid skills at the piano if they would like to be a qualified teacher to intermediate students and beyond.
• DISCIPLINE & PRACTICE SKILLS. Before going to college, I really slid by without having to practice intensely. College expectations were a big wake-up call for me. Five hours a day of piano practice was the goal, and I had no idea how to make that happen, how to schedule my life, what to do in the practice room for five hours… I really had to bootstrap my way to some effective practice strategies. I use those exact strategies to this day for myself and my students.
• PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE. Performance is really the ultimate goal for musicians. Without ample opportunities to perform in different settings, a piano teacher may lack the experience to truly prepare their students for recitals, competitions, or other real life performances. Preparing myself for a 30-minute recital my junior year, and then a 60-minute recital my senior year was a journey of the mind, heart, and soul that I will never forget.
• MUSIC THEORY KNOWLEDGE. Undergraduate theory classes were intense! Every year for four years, there was a separate class for general music theory knowledge with writing assignments, as well as an aural training class (sight-singing and ear training), and various application classes, such as jazz theory. The majority of my advanced music theory knowledge came from my college classes and I am so thankful I have that solid foundation in theory.
• MUSIC HISTORY & LITERATURE KNOWLEDGE. I also learned much about composers, history, and classic literature along with how it correlates with art history. I found this all very fascinating and I often share knowledge tidbits and stories with my students. This knowledge and experience also helps me to navigate the wide world of classical piano literature for my advancing students.
• ADVICE & MENTORSHIP. Seeing musicians with their doctorates and masters degree in my field every day was valuable. Just being able to ask a veteran pianist and teacher questions about their experiences and journey was priceless.

What I Didn’t Learn as a Music Major

• HOW TO TEACH. In college, I had one pedagogy class. And it was so general and self-guided, I did not find it helpful. Unfortunately, piano pedagogy was not a big focus at the school where I completed my undergraduate degree, so I felt very unprepared as I taught my first lessons.
• HOW TO START A BUSINESS. I did not take any business classes at all. As a music major, the class requirements along with practice time on your two instruments is so demanding it really doesn’t leave time for other types of classes. Everything I have learned about starting a business, I learned on my own after graduating.
• HOW TO RUN A PIANO STUDIO.  I also did not take away any knowledge of how to run a piano studio from student behavior management, marketing, choosing method books, policies, etc. I learned all of this along the way from my own experiences (and mistakes).

If I Had to Do It All Over Again

So, the big question is: if I had to start all over again, would I still pursue a degree in music?

The answer is yes I would. In my particular situation, 18 years old, a little unsure of my life’s path–college was the right choice for me and I don’t regret the thousands of dollars or years spent pursuing my degree.

I definitely wish that I had more practical classes and instruction and a more well-rounded education, but thankfully the things I didn’t learn in college I was able to research and learn on my own.

To College or Not to College

It depends on where you are in life.  

If you are a young person and college seems the logical path, go for it!  A bachelor’s degree in music is a wonderful journey that will help you grow exponentially as a musician and as a person.

If you in adulthood and college seems daunting at this point, I think you can become qualified to be a piano teacher in other ways.  

• There are skills you can improve through private lessons. 
• There are mentors and courses you can take (try my 30-Day Email Challenge for a place to start!). 
• There are business classes, courses, books, and YouTube videos from those who have gone before you. 
• You can take online courses in your spare time to brush up on music theory or music history.

The trick is to figure out what you already have under your belt, and what you need to add to your skills or knowledge. 

Read on to figure out what areas you need to improve to truly feel qualified to be a piano teacher!

Experience Qualifications

Personal Lesson Experience

In order to teach lessons effectively, you have to have several years of piano lessons from a qualified and excellent teacher or teachers.

If you have had less than five years of private lessons, I highly recommend enrolling in private lessons right away and continuing them for a few years as you start your career as a piano teacher.

Personal Ability

Your skills really do need to be at a certain level.  A good rule of thumb is to be four levels above your students.

So if you feel you play proficiently at a Level 4, you are qualified to be a piano teacher to beginners.

If you play at a Level 7, you could teach beginners up to Level 3.

And if you are highly advanced in your skills, say, Level 10, you could teach beginners up to high school/early college level (Level 6).

NOT SURE WHAT LEVEL YOU ARE AT?  Check out this blog post for a level-by-level guide or check out SheetMusicPlus.  Search up a piece you have mastered and see what level they label it as.

If you find that you are not at the level you want to be, find a highly regarded private piano instructor to help you reach the next level.  

Remember, skills cannot be rushed, faked, or bought.  But, you can start teaching beginners while continuing to advance your own personal piano skill level.

Personal Performance Experience

In order to walk your students through the process of preparing for a recital or other performance, you really need to have dozens of performances under your belt.

If you haven’t performed much, here are some ideas to gain performance experience:

• Enroll in lessons with a private instructor who offers recital opportunities
• Plan your own recital and invite friends and family to attend
• Play for a local church or choir
• See if any local schools are in need of an accompanist (choir, soloists, theater)
• Check local theaters for accompanist jobs
• Join a piano teacher club where everybody plays regularly for each other

Continuing Education

Everybody, even those with advanced degrees, should keep learning! Here are some ways you can continue to grow as a musician.

Taking Lessons

Consider taking lessons yourself. Even if you have 15 years of piano lessons under your belt, you might consider trying a new teacher, or a new area of study.

A few years ago I wanted more jazz piano experience to help my advancing high school students. I sought a local legend in my area known for his regular jazz performances downtown and took lessons for a year.  My first official jazz lessons were in my thirties!

Don’t be afraid or too proud to be a student!

Workshops and Classes

Many local music stores and piano teacher groups host workshops and classes about various piano teacher topics.

I always find these very insightful and inspiring, even if I initially don’t think the workshop topic will apply to me!  I never regret attending.  And usually they’re free or very inexpensive.

Another perk is meeting the composers of your students’ books!  My students love to hear about my encounters with the real-life men and women who composed their literature.

Mentor

Consider seeking out mentorship from a veteran piano teacher.

Having one person you meet with regularly who has been there in the trenches, so to speak, is priceless. 

Got a question? Your mentor is right there with the knowledge and experience to help you out!  

It really is the fastest way to gain the knowledge you need to be the best piano teacher and business owner.

I currently have three spots open for mentorship!  If you’re interested, contact me for more details.

Learn By Doing

If you’re reading this post, you’re probably the sort of person that truly wants to be the best piano teacher you can for your future students. 

You’re not in it simply for the money, and you’re not trying to trick anyone into taking piano lessons from you!

Your heart is in the right place so take a deep breath and really give yourself some grace.  

Are you in a place where you could start teaching beginning piano students? Yes, there are some things you want to learn and improve, but maybe you are ready!

Consider diving in to the pianopreneur life and learning as you go. Experience is really the best teacher.

Business Qualifications

Unlike your skills or experience at the piano, the business side of things is something you can easily learn!  And a lot of it you’ll learn as you go.

Becoming a Small Business Owner

If you haven’t already, consider joining my 30-Day Email Challenge: Start Your Studio.  I’ll walk you through the steps you need to take before teaching your first lesson.

Much of the business side you’ll learn as you go, but there are a few legal steps you want to take to make sure your business is on the up-and-up.

So sign up for that email challenge to get the most important business stuff out of the way.

Investment Capital

While teaching piano lessons out of your home has very low overhead costs, there are some things you’ll want to invest in right away to start your business off on the right foot.

In this post, I’ll walk through the costs you should be ready for (and which ones you can skip for now). I’ll even total up approximately what it will all cost.

Conclusion

If you’ve made it this far, dear friend, I hope you have a good idea of…

• Whether the piano teacher life is right for you,
• If you are qualified to be a piano teacher,
• And if so, what continuing education areas you’d like to pursue,
• And if not, what steps you need to take to feel qualified to start teaching piano lessons.

If you’re still feeling confused or unsure, I’d be happy to answer your questions or schedule a consulting call with you to talk about your personal situation.

And I hope to see you on the next post, future Pianopreneur!