Raising Fees?

December 7, 2012 at 03:16 AM · I would just like to point out that violin lessons are about $70 per hour in Australia ? Why are they so much cheaper in the UK ? Is it because there are more violin teachers there ?

Suggestion : Charge your existing students the old price but new students to pay more.

December 7, 2012 at 06:26 AM · In France, I announce 40-50€ per hour, but lower this rate for by-the-term payments with a no-cancel policy.

December 7, 2012 at 06:59 AM · i'm not commenting on the pricing policy as I don't have the background to do it. it wasn't clear from the text if any of the kids had financial issues, but if they do, you should consider being more forgiving towards them.

on the other hand, I strongly suggest telling them in person about this. it will be easier for them to cancel if you send them an impersonal letter. if the students also like your presence, they won't go the trouble of looking for another teacher for just a few pounds. you could also phone their parents and explain the situation and in doing this you should simulate the conversation (with your boyfriend) and potential questions/answers before the actual phone call.

and to give you another perspective, think about how (referring to the process) would you like your boss telling you that he has to lower your pay check? would you like a letter? an e-mail, etc. what would you ask him? hope this mind exercises will help you.

December 7, 2012 at 07:28 AM · When i taught guitar I would raise fees on new students only. Sort of grandfather in the current students. But you absolutely MUST have a cancellation policy. I took 10 years of private violin instruction, 4 years of guitar, and am now 2 years into private piano lessons and every teacher I have ever had a strict cancellation policy. My violin teacher used to give me two vacation weeks a year with no penalty. But she was very sought after and her time was very valuable. As a student i have always understood the cancellation policy. They should respect that your time is valuable. Best of luck

December 7, 2012 at 01:39 PM · You need to decide about the cancellation policy first. If all or even half those students turned up, your bottom line wouldn't be as dicey. Some people I know, who depend on lesson fees as major income, charge for their time, and are paid at the beginning of the month. Period. They only re-schedule if they cancel for a playing gig or their emergency, and will re-schedule a student (once) if they can do so easily. I allow cancellations with a couple days' advance notice, but charge for no-shows. Luckily for me, not showing up or calling shortly before a lesson is extremely rare among my current students, and this is extra income for me. When a student long ago "forgot" three times, I just stopped scheduling him, and they never seemed to notice. I agree you need to change things up slowly with your current students. You could keep the same fee, but ask for partial payment if they cancel late, except for true emergencies, for instance. But do build a stronger policy which you explain in person and provide in writing, for new students, and share this right up front in a positive way. Luck!

December 7, 2012 at 02:55 PM · I think a newsletter would be a good idea for introducing your new policies and prices. You could add some holiday tidbits to make it more pleasant. A lot of businesses do newsletters. I would hand it to them in person, though so it can be explained. Then no one could say they didn't get it, too.

December 7, 2012 at 02:58 PM · I just sent out a studio email a few days ago that included a price increase for 2013. I charge an hourly rate, and if a student is a half hour, half the hourly rate.

You do need to figure out what you want to do regarding absences, and it needs to be clearly stated in written form and given to students/parents. What you want to do is up to you, but I've found that a more strict (and strictly enforced) policy leads to a more respectful exchange overall.

I waited a very long time to increase my lesson prices, between 6 and 7 years, largely because the American economy has been so uncertain. I made what I needed to by taking on more students. I'm at capacity and I was (am until Jan. 2013) charging under market rate given my experience, education, and the size of my city. I ended up raising prices 20%, a bold move to do it all at once, I know, but it will put me at the lower end of market rate given my credentials and the going rate in the city. Nobody is grumbling.

My recommendation is to figure out what the market rate given your city's size and your experience and charge that, either by going up incrementally over the next few years or all at once, depending on the strength of your studio. I think that a lot of private teachers get very sheepish about raising rates. I understand wanting to keep your present students and and not wanting to burden them. On the other side of things, it is not wrong to be paid what your worth or to want to make a living at what you do. Also realize that while you do want to make lessons approachable and attainable, it is not (can't be) up to you personally to subsidize someone else's musical education. If that sort of thing is what you want to do I know there are a fair few programs in the US that offer string education at a reduced rate to the parent, I would imagine there are similar programs where you are as well. If there aren't, start one.

December 7, 2012 at 09:31 PM · Have you considered charging according to the level the student is at? Many years ago, my piano teacher, who was also my second cello teacher, charged the lowest rate for grades 1-4, a higher rate for grades 5-7, and the highest for grade 8 and above.

Today, my violin teacher charges a flat rate (as many in the UK seem to do), payable in advance, but works on a 6-week "term", followed by two blank weeks which are used for missed lessons, extra lessons asked for by pupils, or one-offs for visitors (eg advanced players who want a second opinion, advice or a check-up). There are longer breaks in the summer and at Christmas/New Year. The system works well.

December 8, 2012 at 12:32 PM · Hi,Trevor, I asked here a while ago about what you suggest, and got a PILE of negative commentary, some more polite than others, let's just say.

December 8, 2012 at 03:08 PM · I've always assumed fees are based on some unspoken 'sliding' scale that relates to both the education of the teacher and the experience of the teacher - and to some extent on the 'going rate' in your neck of the woods.

So if you have Ph.D. and 20 years of experience and are living in New York city, you'd be paid more than if you have no certification and 2 years of teaching experience and are living in Moosejaw.

Both examples could be excellent teachers - and would suit the needs of their prospective students...so it doesn't neccessarily reflect on the quality of the teaching(and vice versa of course).

I prefer a fixed fee myself. When I paid for my kids' 30 minute lessons...I just paid less. When they moved up to the 1.5 hour lessons...it just cost more. No need to change the fee itself - you're still spending the same amount of time teaching - I expect to pay you for that. Little kids aren't easy.

As far as raising your fees...just go ahead - and don't be apologetic about it. Give some notice of course - you might lose a couple of students, but will likely gain more down the road. It should even out.

December 9, 2012 at 02:51 AM · I pay $50-55 per hour for my lessons and for my daughters' lessons (two different local studios). I live in a place where there might not be that much work by way of well-paying gigs for classical musicians. What you are charging sounds too little unless there is a lot of competition. On the other hand suddenly doubling your fees is probably not a great idea.

My teacher's studio has a cancellation policy but honestly it is not enforced very strictly. I would not feel the slightest offense if required to pay for a lesson I had to cancel at short notice.

All your students/parents will understand that your music studio is a business, not a charity.

December 9, 2012 at 03:46 AM · It's funny, usually costs are higher for most things in big cities, but that's not always the case due to supply and demand.

I live in Manhattan, generally considered a VERY expensive place, and pay $30/hour for my lessons (my first teacher who moved away was $20/hour). There are SO many willing and qualified violin teachers here that it is not hard to find someone completely competent for $25 to $40 per hour.

Ironically, it will be when I leave NYC for the rural area where I grew up 1 hour from here that I expect I will have to pay more, and most-likely for a less-qualified instructor.

December 10, 2012 at 05:05 AM · Benedict,

The other thing is that if you live in an area where there is no opportunity for making any money playing classical violin gigs, then the fees you earn through teaching become very critical. Maybe the players in NYC are not that stressed out about their teaching fees because they've got other sources of income? Just a thought.