The Right Match

-Meredith Manley

As a business, we are always promoting why you should choose us as your studio, but on the flip side, we rarely express as teachers what we are looking for in our students and families. There are certain qualities that we look for and are excited about when we encounter potential new students.

One of the most important things we wish for are families who are committed to lessons long term. We want students who understand that learning voice or piano is a skill that takes a while to master, and who are not going to quit when the going gets tough. We want to work with parents who see the value in learning an instrument not just for making music, but also for character building within their child. If you are looking to try piano only as a fun after-school activity, then we are NOT the studio for you!

​We often find that the students who excel the most have very pro-active parents who are involved and communicate regularly with us. Open communication is so important between parents and teachers- even if it’s a quick email just to check in about how things are going at home. We love to help families who need tips on how to stay motivated, push through the inevitable “slumps”, or how to practice efficiently. If you are expecting that your child will just learn about the piano during their 30 minute lesson once a week and have no intention to practice, then we are NOT the studio for you!

We also want to work with families who respect our lesson time and understand that we can’t switch the lesson time during the year based on your child’s other activities. As far as makeup lessons, we do our best to schedule them when it is convenient for us. Our cancellation policy requires families to give us 24 hours notice if they must miss- we need that much time so that we can schedule another student who needs a makeup lesson or make other changes. Sometimes families are surprised that if they cancel, it may be a while before we are able to offer a makeup. Most of our teachers have completely full schedules and are traveling to different parts of the metroplex, so immediately having an open slot is unlikely. We appreciate flexibility from our parents and will do our best to reschedule a missed lesson as quickly as possible. If you like to cancel last-minute and then expect a makeup lesson at anytime, then we are NOT the studio for you!

Finally, we want and expect to bond with our students and this is very important to us. We like to get to know each child, tailor their lesson to them, and give them the individual attention they need. We work hard at having quality teachers who are also good role models for your children. If you don’t care who the teacher is and will sign up with anyone if it’s convenient for your schedule, the we are NOT the studio for you!

​So in a nutshell, we would be the perfect studio for you if

1. you are committed to making music part of your child’s education
   
2. Open to having good communication with your teacher about practice and progress
   
3. Understand and respect your child’s dedicated lesson time
   
4. Want a professional teacher who cares for your child.