Summertime for Music Teachers

Most students take the summer off from music lessons. Only a small handful commit to summer lessons (to prepare for a summer exam, personal interest/motivation or parental interest/motivation). For example, I'm going from 40 students in the school year to about five for July. Where does that leave the private music teacher come summertime? Some teachers are able to take the entire summer off. From what I can tell, it's those who have a growing brood of children and a husband with a steady income and/or an established studio with no or little business debt. These folk are able to put away some money throughout the school year.

On the other hand, teachers with a relatively young studio, who have bought a house, got married and/or started a family recently do not have that luxury. Nor do teachers who wracked up some debt before starting a business (and just continued to add to it) or those who are married to someone who's also self-employed. For those of us in this category, there are but two options - run up the lines of credit a bit more (IF there's room) or get a job.

I had a wonderful interview with a temporary office staffing agency this week called OfficeJobs.com . A friend recommended it to me (her husband is the website guy). Part of me is cringing at the thought of re-entering the corporate world but another part of me is looking forward to doing something different. Give me some data entry, where I don't have to think too hard. Surround me with adults all day for a change. That's fine by me. I like my students but a change in environment is refreshing.

It'll be different from being an employee. Temps can avoid office politics, don't stay in one place too long and aren't usually given a lot of responsibility.

The change of scenery will be good. (c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Piano Paperwork Musings

This past weekend, Maestro and I processed all the student registrations submitted during the Early Registration period. Maestro lounged on his bed as I inputted the student's registration information into my teaching schedule, Palm Pilot, e-mail groups, birthday lists, my website administration site and Quickbooks.Quickbooks and my Palm Pilot are already programmed to enter the monthly invoices (Quickbooks) or beep before each piano lesson next year (Palm Pilot). Maestro would shoot up out of bed as soon as he heard the stapler, paper slicer and hole punch - all of which he guards zealously. He vascillated from watching my every move intently to make sure I use all tools properly, to lunging for them. The latter leads to him being hip-checked. Why he thinks they are toys is beyond me.

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB Canada. All rights reserved.

Website Searches of Note

My marketing friend, Andrea Coutu, recommended a while back that I track visits to my website. There have been some interesting searches conducted which lead people to my site. Here are just a few of the more interesting or common searches done for Musings:

1. Piano pedagogy certificate program

2. Musikgarten

3. Musical ear

4. Piano Practice Excuses

5. APTA Festival + Calgary

6. RSI Iaido

7. Iaido Calgary

8. Creative Practicing

9. How to Cheat on RCM Exams

10. Benefits of Music

11. Summer pedagogy programs

12. Summer Piano Programs

Number 9 was a surprise. That particular blog had "rhythm cheat sheet" and a reference to my students taking an RCM examination. I know that students have tried time and time again to cheat on theory exams, employing similar techniques used for other school tests. However, cheating on a piano exam isn't heard of too often. There was an incident a couple of years back, in which three piano teachers and one RCM Examination Representative were suspended for obtaining and giving the actual sight reading and ear training exam questions to students in advance of their exams.

Here are some of the more colourful/common searches done for Musespeak(tm)'s site:

1. Lakeland Terrier

2. Music Background

3. Writing Background

4. Music images

5. RCM Exams

6. Music Lessons Calgary

7. Voice Lessons Calgary

8. Guitar Lessons Okotoks

9. Music Theory

10. Accompanying Policies

Who would have thought that Maestro would be searched for?

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Site Feed Issue Resolved

Fiddling with the atom.xml file several times was an exercise in futility. The code kept reverting back to the outdated format and information (complete with errors) each time I opened the document. I decided to go another route. Subscribing has never been easier! Simply click on the subscription button on the side bar and you will get e-mail updates.

(c) 2006, by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Enter Troppo Crazy Season

Yes, your eyes aren’t deceiving you – this is truly a late night blog entry. We are now into troppo crazy season. I was speaking with a fellow teacher this past afternoon. We talked about how the pace will be prestissimo from now until June; with the mad rush to nudge (er, push) students to get everything memorized/prepared for festivals, recitals and exams, everyone becoming busy with extracurricular activities, work and/or school. I’ve been a busy bee, trying to get as much done by Thursday so I can actually take some time off during Easter Break (novel concept).

The submission deadline for Calgary ARMTA’s newsletter has come and gone, which involved bugging (er, reminding) advertisers that we needed their ad ASAP. The logo design contest is over and I must say I do like our new logo. Check it out at Calgary ARMTA’s website (I just reformatted the fonts on ALL the pages, by the way). My 2006/07 Registration Package has been distributed to most students. My own website got a bit of an overhaul in the Studio Central section. The online Studio Handbook is complete and uploaded to Studio Central. And no list of mine can be complete without bookkeeping. I am nearly done my corrections and will be seeing my accountant later this week. I hope I don’t owe the tax man too much.

Outstanding items? Marking theory, re-arranging Above All for piano duet, arrange a song in lead sheet format for another student, cleaning up, practicing for a wedding gig next week and more administration. I’ll have to start thinking about my summer teaching schedule, but can’t nail that down until a few things are finalized.

My brain is sliding into an ungraceful ritardando. Onto the fun links and then I can call it a night.

Copyright 2006, Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.