Secrets to a Successful Piano or Violin Studio: Retention-but how?

I have a very large and very successful piano and violin studio.

I’m the only teacher in my studio and I don’t teach in groups (I do have additional group lessons for my private students. I previously taught groups and prefer private lessons) It IS possible to have a large successful studio without having independent contractors or employees!

Often teachers ask me what my SECRET is to running such a successful studio.

There is not one single magic secret of course, but lots of good business practices and fun teaching strategies combined that make my studio successful.

One “secret” is RETENTION. It’s really easy to keep students who are motivated to practice.

You’ll look forward to teaching them when they’re excited to be with you (and have potentially practiced) and parents will be happy to pay you to teach them! I have a new “fun” piece for my students all the time-for speedy learners every week, for others twice or once a month. After a month we set it aside and may come back to it the next year.

Finding FUN pieces of popular music my beginning piano and violin students can perform has been difficult so I decided to start arranging this music myself. Below is a list of some of my favorites and best sellers. This music is legally arranged, I don’t recommend breaking copyright laws. For Violin I am arranging pieces at almost every level if I can’t find a suitable arrangement, however for piano, it’s easier to find leveled pieces of popular music. My favorite arrangers of piano popular music are Christina Misso for level 1-2 music over on the Musicnotes website and Jennifer Eklund for level 2-4 music on the FM music website.

Beginner Violin Music: These pieces have fingerings and letter names for landmark and new notes in the piece to make them easier to decode. Many include an instructional video

Almost ALL of my beginning violin students LOVE this first piece, even though it’s long and tricky. I find that a weekly practice diet of Scales, Etude or Fun Piece like this and Classical Piece like Suzuki is a winning combination in my studio.

Violin Super Mario Theme:

https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1266056/Product.aspx

Violin Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1235316/Product.aspx and my newest;

Violin Do You Hear What I Hear? https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/do-you-hear-what-i-hear-digital-sheet-music/22409658

Violin Frosty the Snowman! https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/se/ID_No/1238892/Product.aspx

Violin Let It Snow: https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1237488/Product.aspx

Violin Silent Night https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1234809/Product.aspx

Violin Jingle Bell Rock https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1239256/Product.aspx

Violin Frosty The Snowman https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/Search.aspx?query=violinjudy%20frosty

Violin Let It Snow https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1237488/Product.aspx

Violin The Dreidel Song https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1239135/Product.aspx

Or on teachers pay teachers here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dreidel-Violin-solo-8882246

Violin Baby Beluga: https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1231770/Product.aspx

Violin We Don’t Talk About Bruno https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1025271/Product.aspx

Violin Brahm’s Lullaby: https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1234813/Product.aspx

Auld Lang Syne Easy Violin:

https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1246304/Product.aspx

Auld Lang Syne Pre Reading Piano: https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1248346/Product.aspx

Finding the market lacking in fun beginning violin music, I’ve also authored my own series of method and fun supplemental violin books you can find on Amazon here:

In the Very Fun Violin Collection:

A Violin Fall https://amzn.to/3VMYqCw

A Violin Halloween https://amzn.to/3VI2jIA

A Violin Winter https://amzn.to/3HoKlXz

A Violin Christmas https://amzn.to/3W35Rov

A Violin Nutcracker https://amzn.to/3FzSgQc

A Violin Twinkle Book A (use this before Suzuki Twinkle Variations) with free instructional videos https://amzn.to/3W4hWKp

A Violin Twinkle Book B with free instructional videos https://amzn.to/3HfVslq

A Violin Coloring Book https://amzn.to/3UzkzTi

The Very Interesting Life Composer Biography Series:

The Very Interesting Life of Ludwig van Beethoven https://amzn.to/3VXK1Tx

The Very Interesting Life of J.S. Bach https://amzn.to/3PgSU8I