Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Was excited to begin lessons again. Then.. Sticker Shock !

I hope posting this here is appropriate. I posted originally in the Adult Beginners section, but was told I should try here instead.

Being finally at a point where I could resume lessons again I set out look for a new instructor that could teach not only Piano, but also composition during some lessons. I live in the Los Angeles Area and was paying $62/hour before with an instructor that I probably don't want to go back to.

The new school I called gave me prices between $100-$120 / hour depending on what instructor I choose (they have 2 that teach Piano and Orchestral composition). It appears that they are rather accomplished writers of Music, but the price for an adult beginner with only 4 non-consecutive years of prior instruction may be a bit too much for me.


Does anyone think I would be paying too much ?

Thanks

Dan

You can probably find lessons less expensive than that. Try www.mtac.org

Possibly. That seems very expensive, and while you want an excellent teacher to help you in the beginning, paying more doesn't necessarily guarantee that. They might be awesome with advanced students but don't really work with beginners much. I hate to say this, but chances are you'll find a better teacher at your level for cheaper. I don't know the going rates in LA so I can't say for sure, but that's my gut instinct.

yes, that is an outrageous price for a lesson. Find someone else!

LA is just sick with piano teachers for every taste or budget. Basic rates for a degreed teacher teaching in their home seems to be around $60 an hour. Call Morey's Music in Lakewood and see it they keep a referral list. In my area up here in Culver City I did a google map search and found at least 6 teachers within easy walking distance.

You don't say what kind of teacher you're looking for. Prestige and track record costs more. I know a cello teacher who gets something like $100-110 for an hour. He's in the L.A. Philharmonic and is head of the string department at CSULB. Then again, my recorder lessons were with an internationally known player who is an early music professor at USC Thornton and those were $60. If the main focus of your school is conservatory/competition prep and they have noted success in that area, they will command a higher than normal price. If you're not looking for conservatory/competition prep, then there's no need to pay for that prestige.


Kurt

Dan, have you ever heard the expression: You get what you pay for? It's generally true in the field of music as well. I just took on a student with 6 years of lessons. Now, in the coming year or two, I will be spending considerable time correcting bad technique, reading problems, etc. In other words, the cheap lessons actually are costing this student more because of the expense of undoing learning errors. There is another expression: Buy quality, buy once; buy cheap, buy again and again.

To put it bluntly, you probably don't need $120/hr lessons, but anything under $60 - $80 in your area is probably going to cost you big bucks in the long run.

Thank you for the feedback. I am definitely willing to pay $60-$80 /hour for a good instructor. I am looking through the mtac website at teachers right now. They don't provide information on the teachers unfortunately so I have to google each of their names hoping to learn more before I contact them.

I'm ready to give up on a person that teaches composition right now so I can focus on Piano. It seems that most of the teachers in my area focus on children and I hope I can find a teacher that can adjust to an adult student.

Each local association generally has a referral person that can guide you in the right direction. Check the websites of the local associations in your area.

John,

I believe we get what we pay for when we are informed, and that's the only thing I would add. I know for a fact there are people who charge as much as I do and build up a reputation for being good simply because they are slick "salesmen", which is why I stress the importance of being informed.

Other than that, I totally agree with you.

Being informed is something that I have often stressed from the student end. It has some additional advantages. You will have an idea of what the goals are, which lets you work more effectively with a teacher, (which also gives you your "money's worth"). You can define those goals for the teacher, refine them with the teacher, so that you don't end up in a direction you didn't anticipate.

Gary, it's a shame that these charlatans are not outed and ostracized!

How would a student know if her teacher were a charlatan?

As Gary indicates, it takes some digging. Something we all should do for any major purchase or undertaking. What do you do before selecting your personal physician? Just take the first name in the phone book, or do you do some research?

Probably the very first thing to look at is the teacher's students. Talk with them, if they're adult, and find out why the other students selected the teacher. Any teacher should be willing to give references, not just other teachers, which is nearly worthless, but students/parents.

I have my students evaluated through Piano Guild every year. It's not proof conclusive of my abilities as a teacher, but it is an useful indicator. My students are in performance four times a year. Come evaluate them yourself. Other teachers enter students in competitions. Again, it's not a conclusive indicator standing alone, but one of many to evaluate.

You can look at credentials, but these are marginally useful, IMO. Better than nothing, and certainly, a teacher with credentials has the knowledge base to be a great teacher.

You can look at their performing abilities and reputation. Again, this a great teacher doesn't make, but it does signify potential offerings to the student.

Here's an obscure indicator: how many of the teachers have gone off to college/conservatory to become music majors? That would speak to both inspiration and student development.

Just some thoughts off the top of my head.

Oh, here's another one. I've had a student selected as keyboardist for their school's jazz band virtually every year I've been teaching here in Olympia. Does this say anything meaningful about my student's musical accomplishments? Is it useful information which could help with your decision?

John v.d.Brook, thank you for that clear and thorough explanation.

I just thought I would add something to show a different side. My daughter has a masters in music performance and has taught in public schools for 10 years as well as maintaining a studio, teaching piano, voice, and clarinet. She accompanies students for their juries at local high schools, has gotten many students into conservatory, has performed professionally and sings opera. All of this to explain that she is a very talented, qualified person. She charges $15 for a half-hour lesson and $25 for a full hour and I can tell you, most of the students get more than their allotted time. She bought a new Steinway L for her studio so the students could learn on a quality piano, and has gone out of her way to help poorer students and their families to find decent, affordable pianos, as well as often giving the students music books when they couldn't afford them. I asked her once why she doesn't charge more and she said that most of her students couldn't afford lessons if she did. We live in a part of upstate New York that has been hurt by the recession. Not all music teachers are in it for the money.

That's very creditable -- but does she make a living? If I did business that way, my kids would have no shoes.

She is paid to accompany choirs at two churches on Sunday, teaches at her studio, sings and plays professionally when the opportunity arises, works in pit bands for several high schools' musical performances, and teaches high school. Most of her extra money goes to pay for the piano payments. She loves what she does and that is payment enough, I guess. She knew she wasn't going to get rich.

Funny stuff, that. I've yet to meet a piano teacher, well, music teacher, well actually any teacher, who's in it for the money. What money?????

But some have to make a living (especially if they are the main breadwinner).

<sarcasm on>
Really? I went into teaching to get rich. Figured I could give Bill Gates a run for his money. <sarcasm off>
LOL!!!