Flute Studio

[Arlee]

I have recently just moved to the Boston area and have been wanting to get back to teaching private lessons, but I have no real idea how to start from scratch. I had been teaching where I lived before, but I got all my students through my flute teacher/through a New Horizons band I was part of at school.

However, I have graduated now and the Boston Flute Association is apparently defunct right now. So I am at a bit of a loss. So any thoughts/ideas would be appreciated.

[pied_piper]

Check with the local music stores. Sometimes they have studios/practice rooms and allow teachers to use them. Some stores get a percentage of the lesson fee (sometimes they collect the money from the student and then pay you, others just charge you a fee for use of the room). Other stores provide the room for free and view this as a way to attract students into the store every week to buy music, supplies, and accessories.

Also, contact all of the middle school and high school band directors in your area. Ask if you can put a flyer/notice on their bulletin board. Get to know the band directors, they can be a great source of referrals.

Oh yeah - you might want to write up a mini-resume that describes your previous teaching experience, playing experience, degree(s), awards, etc. and include it on flyers that you post in band rooms and music stores.

[Arlee]

Sorry it took me so long to rely I have been really busy and deffinitly thought I had already

Thanks so much for the suggestion pp They are very helpful and a great place for me to start, I really appreciate it.

[moorereeds]

Hello Arlee, I teach woodwinds myself, and flute has always been my main passion. I usually receive referrals from my repair customers (I've been repairing instr for more than 25 years as well) and from band directors. Just like finding gigs, it is a good thing to "sit in" with various bands/orchestras and just get to know some folks. I have been a member of 7 military bands, both active duty and reserve for more than 26 years now, relocating every 3-4 years has been a challenge for (all) finding local bands to play with on the side, finding new students (or enabling them to find me) as well as gaining the trust necessary to have someone bring me their instrument to repair/adjust for them. These things usually take time -at least a few months, maybe a year or two in my experience. But the best way is to be involved in the local music scene, performing. It doesn't really matter what credentials you have (degrees, whether you have 10 or 40 years of playing experience) but what people hear coming out of your instrument. Posting your flyers is always good, but going a little further, you might consider mailing an introduction letter along with a few business cards with both, your e-mail address and phone number included. Band directors are always looking for good private teachers to send their students to for their respective instrument. Also offer to run sectionals and clinics for their program/s. I hope this helps and I wish you the best!

[StephenC]

Hello Arlee, I teach woodwinds myself, and flute music has always been my main passion. I usually receive referrals from my repair customers (I've been repairing instr for more than 25 years as well) and from band directors. Just like finding gigs, it is a good thing to "sit in" with various bands/orchestras and just get to know some folks. I have been a member of 7 military bands, both active duty and reserve for more than 26 years now, relocating every 3-4 years has been a challenge for (all) finding local bands to play with on the side, finding new students (or enabling them to find me) as well as gaining the trust necessary to have someone bring me their instrument to repair/adjust for them. These things usually take time -at least a few months, maybe a year or two in my experience. But the best way is to be involved in the local music scene, performing. It doesn't really matter what credentials you have (degrees, whether you have 10 or 40 years of playing experience) but what people hear coming out of your instrument. Posting your flyers is always good, but going a little further, you might consider mailing an introduction letter along with a few business cards with both, your e-mail address and phone number included. Band directors are always looking for good private teachers to send their students to for their respective instrument. Also offer to run sectionals and clinics for their program/s. I hope this helps and I wish you the best!

^ Good heads up right here. I also agree with moorereeds that sometimes, degrees doesn't matter at times, well they do, but when it comes to your reputation as a flute player, people are only interested on how good you play the instrument.