Just a question of curiosity mainly for those who own studios.

Would you clarify? Hire them for what? To teach in your studio? As a student, to teach you? Or something else? When you say "own studios" do you mean own a music teaching business of some sort that employs teachers? Your question may be clear to you, but it wasn't clear to me.

Depends on their experience and the quality of their interview.

They can pose as well as the music majors.

With no real credentials I don't know if I would trust a non-music major with something as specific and precise and as playing piano and everything it entails.

I would send a student to a person who plays well and has students who play well even if that person does no "paper credentials".

The longer I live, the less I trust degress, certificates and such if they are not backed up by ability and some kind of track record.

The only problem I have with this is that anyone can make up anything about how long they've been playing. If the "teacher" though has no "paper credentials" but has great habits in playing, reading etc.. then that person should definitely be considered.

Remember, I mentioned specfically someone who plays well and who has good students.

Of course! Having a piece of paper doesn't make you a great teacher. Experience is what counts. Anyone with enough will and determination can jump through the hoops put in place by a university in order to get a degree.

I'm with Gary and Jennifer, degrees don't necessarily mean a thing. If I hadn't already been teaching before I got to college the pedagogic classes I took would never have taught me how to teach and what to do. They were, I'm sorry to say a joke it wasn't until I took the third one from a third and different University and different proffessor that I was able to start adding to what I already knew and was putting into practice in my private studio. You want to know what that person can do and is doing with students and just having the degree doesn't mean they have been teaching, just means they finished the classes. I know many teachers that are wonderful teachers and they don't hold degrees and I would go to them before quite a few I know that hold degrees and are not very good, first. You might be able to play but can you teach what you know so that a student can understand it and be able to play also. Being able to teach, communicate, and motivate or inspire, keeping a student's enthusiam for 10-15 years is a whole nother ball of wax. And yes, I hold degrees, but that is not what taught me how to teach, I was teaching long before that.

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When I quit my tenured college gig, a lot of people were shocked when I told them I was going to teach privately and freelance. My standard response:

"If I can't make it as a private piano teacher and freelancer, then I didn't deserve my doctorate or tenure." (Thankfully I seem to be doing okay!)

It's not clear what I would be hiring him/her to do, but it involved my piano studio, I would not hire anyone who I didn't have a good picture of their maturity, integrity, communication skills, teaching ability and musicianship. I would have to know them from experiencing them in different situations, I would not value it on credentials alone but credentials would be a bonus. They would have to show me who they were and what is important to them in their work.

For me, hiring would probably be someone I already knew, appreciatie, and respect. Inviting them to play a role or contracting for some of their workshops or seminars, maybe adjudications would require credentials. I have had these kinds of activities in my piano studio or made the arrangements for my music teaching chapter as president or vice-president.

I wouldn't mind mentoring someone but I don't think I'd give them employment to represent me or my busnienss until I knew them quite well and there was a mutual relationship committed to doing our best to keep whatever the mutual commitment might entail.

How they fit into what I needed would be the first question on my mind. They would have to sell themselves to me that they were the best candidate. No hiring until I was convinced. Any job I would offer is not about occupying space, it is about being productive, having common sense and good work ethics as well as things already mention above in my post.

My young students are doing very well in the RCM levels, despite the fact that all of my formal teaching experience has been in the sciences. Don't count us non-music majors out!

I would take both their musical ability as well as their ability to connect with students into consideration. If they are the most brilliant pianist in the world, but have a wet-rag personality, you won't be doing yourself any favours by hiring them! I'm a big proponent of ensuring you hire quality instructors, but my perception of quality goes beyond their paper qualifications. How will this person reflect on your studio? Do they fit with your philosophy? Will they communicate effectively with parents? With children? All of these points are just as important as their actual abilities on the piano.

I would be more concerned with what they are doing currently to keep their music teaching skills at a high level. Do they perform at church or other venues (either as a soloist or as part of a band or ensemble)? Are they a member of a professional music organization such as MTNA? Do they attend workshops given by music educators/publishers? Do they regularly educate themselves on what's going on in piano pedagogy?

And as others have stated, a degree does not a teacher make. I've known a few teachers who had prestigious titles behind their names yet didn't know how to communicate at a child's level.

I remember when I "majored" in music. I remember my general education classes in Space, learning about how we plan to build elevators to the moon. How about my mandatory arts and ideas class. Although there were some fun parts to it like going on a field trip to the Art gallery, I hated the art history that I learned about. Although I learned a lot in a few classes, the majority of them are of no use to me. I remember the first and only family to decline using my services after being referred by another teacher because I didn't have my music degree. I bet you 99% of the people who don't have a music degree, don't have a clue what it takes to get a music degree.
Knowing that, I wouldn't think about hiring a teacher based on that really expensive piece of paper that I could photoshop.