At EPTA UK’s Annual Conference 2026, a panel discussion explored some of the key questions facing piano teachers today – from building a sustainable teaching practice and retaining students, to navigating the ever-growing range of pedagogical approaches, methods and resources available to teachers.
Here are some of the questions put to Claire Vane, EPTA Trustee, during the 4 p.m. panel at Conference 2026.
Building and Running a Sustainable Teaching Practice
What do you think are the most important things every young piano teacher should know about building and running a sustainable teaching practice?
Many of the things involved in building a piano teaching business also apply to any business. It is particularly relevant where an individual has been honing their skill, art or technical focus, and then has to apply it in a completely new context. Procrastination and fear of the unknown invariably take over, as the activities are not in one’s comfort zones.
My recommendations would be as follows. First of all, decide what sort of teacher you want to be; what grades you want to cover, what sort of levels of pupils you wish to teach, and the sort of ages they might be?
Very importantly, consider what legacy you want to leave. That is the key to deciding, therefore, what your brand is, which is the single most important thing. Then prepare an excellent website and develop a marketing strategy as to how you will drive people to the website. Think about digital pathways, articles and so forth, and finally …..consider carefully what you are going to charge for your services.
It is not usually a matter of charging too much, but that we tend to charge too little. Surveys on imposter syndrome say that women, particularly, are prone to this, so pitching your charges or fees at the right level is vital.
Increasing Student Retention
Are there any small tips you have that increase student retention?
Increasing student retention is two-edged, because some people you will not wish to retain, and others you will wish to retain for years.
From the first lesson, you need to engage the pupil, and if appropriate the parents, in what is required, so that you are all absolutely on the same page about how you are going to work, what the expectations are of the pupil, and therefore the pupil’s expectations of you.
It is important to have proper terms of business, not because people cannot be trusted, but because you need to cater for when things go wrong. Everybody needs to know where they stand: how many lessons you will bill for in advance; whether you will invoice after the lessons; what happens when somebody fails to turn up, and whether you will offer a substitute lesson later. This is critical.
On the whole, people can be flaky, and some come and some go. Others will stay for years. First of all, it is really important to think that this is not personal; it is not about you, it is often about the pupil or their circumstances.
Remember, too, there is a triad in the relationship. There is often you, the pupil, and the pupil’s parents, and it is very important at the start of the relationship, when thinking about retention, to understand the circumstances of the pupil.
There may come a time when you yourself wish to stop the lessons. If you set up the relationship so that there is a clear understanding of expectations on both sides, it will enable you to give somebody a warning if they are failing to deliver on their side of the bargain.
It is not necessarily a failure when someone leaves; it could be a success. You could be passing them on to a place at junior college or to a famous teacher who will take them to the next step they need, with your very good grounding.
You could consider using worksheets, particularly for children, and discussing practice plans and what will be done each week by the individual, and maybe reviews even in the middle of the week. Are you aiming at exams or recitals? What are the objectives of the pupil? These should be reviewed regularly.
Teachers might also like to consider talking about the kind of CPD events they attend, and are seen to attend, so that the pupil, and certainly the parents, can see the lengths a teacher will go to in order to stay abreast of teaching developments and to keep at the top of their game.
Many teachers will consider carefully, as they get to know the pupil and their styles of learning, so that they teach in line with the learning styles of a particular pupil.
Choosing the Right Pedagogical Approaches
Optional question: With so many pedagogical approaches, methods and resources available today, how do you decide which ideas are genuinely worth adopting into your teaching, and how do you avoid constantly chasing the next new method?
In our society we are spoilt, most of the time, with a huge amount of choice. This sounds very attractive but can confuse the overall picture. I think it is something we all wrestle with in every environment, and it applies equally to teaching the piano.
It is important to realise that you cannot do everything, and perfectionists have it harder than other individuals. Often, if we read many things and have several teachers, we find there are contradictions.
I notice this now as an older pupil. I saw on my music the other day what my teacher had written at junior college: “Dig in.” This is absolutely at variance with what I was told by my last teacher: “Let go.”
I think it is important to consider the circumstances, strengths and development areas of each student, and if you find something that works, then stick with it.
We all have our favourite things. For me particularly, I like the Molly Gebrian book “Learn Faster and Perform Better”. I have read many books I have been less impressed with, and there are many I have not finished because they did not hold my attention.
I have found the Molly Gebrian book extremely useful, and she has a website, but, just because it works for me, does not mean to say it is going to work with everybody.
It is also possible for any teacher now, with the internet, to approach other very experienced teachers in any part of the world, and it is surprising how much people will be willing to give advice.
– Claire Vane
