Piano Tutor

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. They should be able to hear you play - person to person - not a CD or electronic device. They should be able at this interview, to inquire as to how many students you have, what their range of ages are, how much you charge per hour, if you are able to travel to their home or where the lessons will be held, what books they will need to purchase and what progress you anticipate with their child (or children) based on your professional experience.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. The customer should know how you feel about teaching, for example, an especially young child - let's say - four or five years old - and if you even advise that child to take piano lessons, and if so, how you would go about handling the child with piano lessons. Also, they need to know what books they need to purchase, and according to the child's development and/or previous musical training, what progress they can anticipate. A good piano teacher can estimate this progress after at least one month of teaching piano. That although it is impressive that one is a concert pianist or even famous, it is more important when teaching piano that the pianist is tolerant and patient with their students, as well as enthusiastic about their success in playing the piano.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Parents need to know that they need to fully support their children in piano lessons exactly as they do with the homework from school. That is, they need to encourage their practice sessions and ensure that they spend the time recommended by me, the piano teacher. They also need to be enthusiastic when their child or children sound good to them on the piano, and even when they do not sound good, to encourage them by letting them know that they are 100% behind them in doing well. As a piano teacher, I would prefer that at least one parent attend the lesson sessions on a constant basis. This is for the comfort of everyone concerned and provides me an opportunity to give the parent updated feedback on their child (or children's) progress. They will also need to know that they will be purchasing books, either from me, or from the music store as their child progresses. In addition, they need to know that if I, as a professional piano teacher, feel that there is little or no progress and do not anticipate progress, either because the child in essence really does not want to take piano lessons or the child is extremely slow in learning regarding piano and/or theory, that I will discuss this with the parents so they can decide whether they wish to continue or not waste their money and discontinue lessons.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. In addition to being classically trained as a pianist, I am very astute in piano theory and advocate it with strongly with my students. I also have a great enthusiasm for my students to be successful playing the piano in addition to exhibiting a great amount of patience and support. When I feel my students have reached a level where they can comfortably perform, I coordinate piano concerts and receptions for them, even if it only involves participation from their immediate family, friends, peers, and other students in their respective age groups. I also provide listening times for my students so they can be inspired by professional pianists, and attempt to find them in their age groups.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. To see the smile of pride on my students' faces when they have played a piano piece error-free and look back at me for feedback. Also, I enjoy playing for my students so they can be inspired. I feel it is important to interact with students in that way because they know you and it becomes special to them to be able to identify with you as not just the piano teacher but a great pianist whom they know, like and respect.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. When and where am I appearing as a pianist and how can they come see me.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. Yes, when I was selected as the Supervisor of a music school here in Seattle (it was mainly Vietnamese), one of my students was 16 and had never taken piano lessons before. Six months later, In a concert that I coordinated and gave at Sherman Clay for all of my students, the 16-year-old student who had never taken piano lessons, played a Bach invention and a Chopin piece to memory and impressed everybody, including Sherman Clay personnel, at the concert.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. That I am very kind as well as extremely patient as a piano teacher and that I share my talent with all of my students so they can be inspired. In addition, I give out rewards, as considered accepable by the parents, to students who have an outstanding achievement. I also make my students aware that they will get a reward or gift from me if they do an outstanding job with their lessons - either in performing or demonstrating that they understand the basic concepts of piano theory.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. Several people who interviewed me after my concerts kept prompting me to become a piano teacher. They felt I would not only be an inspiration to students but that I was kind and patient and these would be excellent attributes as a piano teacher, as well.