When looking for piano lessons on Long Island, you must have noticed that there is no scarcity of music schools here. Therefore, finding a music teacher on Long Island is quite easy, but finding the right teacher for yourself or your child can be challenging. When you have many options, you have to go through every listing and ad to find the right person for the job.
Let us make the task a little bit easier for you. Here’s all you need to do to find the right piano teacher on Long Island –
I. Always know what you are searching for
When you begin searching, it is essential to outline the qualities you are looking for in an instructor. If you are a beginner, you might want a piano instructor, who specializes in giving lessons to the beginners. He or she should be experienced, patient and committed. Beginning with a trainer, who only works with advanced musicians can be both confusing and demoralizing for the students.
Here are a few questions you should ask before beginning your search –
- What do you want to achieve by taking these lessons?
- What is your budget for the music lessons?
- What is your allowance in terms of scheduling the lessons?
- How far can you commit, weekly or biweekly piano lessons?
- Can you get a piano at home, or do you want to go somewhere else for piano lessons?
What qualifications should your piano teacher have?
These few questions will help you narrow your quest for teachers after your initial search for piano teachers near me Huntington NY.
II. Get recommendations
No search is complete without asking people about their recommendations and references. Just like hiring any other professional, hiring a piano teacher is an extensive process that demands extensive research, investigation and decision making. Ask your neighbors, friends and relatives about piano teachers they have hired. Find out how satisfied they have been with their skills and services.
Local music schools and equipment stores are often very helpful in giving recommendations for good piano teachers. Word-of-mouth is an excellent instrument for making initial contacts, but making the final decision should never be a product of other’s opinions and experiences. You need to make the final choice that will be best for yourself or your loved ones.
III. Begin your interviews
Once you have the initial list of candidates for the job, you need to begin interviewing them. There is no replacement for meetings. You should interview them in person although Skype is another option if anyone of you is out of town. In-person interviews can give you an insight into their personalities, skills and philosophy. Many applicants miss out such details in their portfolio.
Here are a few questions you can ask them to learn more about their skills –
- What are your experiences in teaching piano to adults/children?
- Do you specialize in any particular method of teaching?
- Do you teach piano exclusively to adults or children?
- Do you offer private lessons at home or group lessons somewhere else?
- Are you available for private lessons more than once per week?
- Are you available over the phone for resolving doubts?
- Are you a member of a professional organization?
- Do your students take part in regional or national competitions or performances?
- Do you have any certifications from accredited institutions?
IV. Think about logistics
Finding the best piano teacher also involves considerable logistical questions and decision making. Here are a few questions that you might want to ask them before making your final decision –
- How much do they charge per lesson? Do they have a specific billing process?
- How many students do they teach?
- What is the duration of each lesson?
- Do you need to buy a piano or keyboard for these lessons?
- Are there any terms and conditions that you should know?
There might be times when the chances of finding the right teacher after days or weeks of searching seem bleak. However, do not stop looking and do not settle for someone, who is lesser than perfect for you. You should continue your search and only hire the one perfect for you. On the other hand, you might feel unsatisfied after a couple of weeks of hiring a piano teacher. In that case, don’t shy away from switching teachers.
The beginning lessons are the foundation of your music career. Without the right basics, you might find it impossible to improve your playing skills. Every budding musician has the dreams of playing on a public platform and competing with other musicians. To realize these dreams, you must conduct a zealous search of the piano teacher, who is right for you. The right person can kindle the love for music in the student and help them progress towards becoming a professional musician.
