Creating Value in Private Music Lessons

🎙 Episode 1 – Creating Value in Private Lessons

Welcome to Season 2 of Within the Musician! After a long pause since Season 1 (which launched during the pandemic), I’m excited to return with a fresh perspective—and a mix of solo episodes and interviews exploring what it really means to live and work within the identity of a musician.

In this short solo episode, I’m diving into one of the most common questions music teachers ask each other: How do you structure your studio to avoid burnout, protect your time, and still offer value to students?

I walk you through how I set up my lesson calendar using a flat-rate monthly tuition system—and why it’s been a game changer for both my students and my own sustainability as a creative professional. This includes:

• My full-year calendar layout (45 lessons + 10+ events)
• Why I don’t offer traditional makeups—and what I do instead
• How events like recitals, open mics, and workshops serve as built-in value (and makeups!)
• Transparent pricing: how families understand what they’re paying for
• The swap list and virtual options that keep everything flexible
• A reminder that protecting your energy as a teacher helps you stay inspired and connected

If you’re a music educator trying to move away from the “makeup lesson trap” or just need a little validation for creating better work-life balance, this episode is for you.

✨ Stay tuned—up next is a short “Favorite Things” episode where I’ll share some of the tools, books, and ideas that are currently bringing joy and ease to my teaching studio.