All About Piano Lesson Costs

[daffyhan]

Hi, this is my first posting in Forum. I am looking around for a piano teacher for my 3+ year old child, and I have been quoted $160 per month for 1/2 hour lessons at home. This sure seems steep compared to the rates mentioned here.

[SnowieBob]

daffyhan:

Hi, this is my first posting in Forum. I am looking around for a piano teacher for my 3+ year old child, and I have been quoted $160 per month for 1/2 hour lessons at home. This sure seems steep compared to the rates mentioned here.

Yup that's high, that price is usually charged for 45min lesson an by a very experienced or either she has high qualifications for that 30mins class

[jce]

The experience, the qualification and the "demand" will determine the charges. You have to take into account that the teacher is traveling to your place too. Do make sure she does have the experience and qualification to justify the fee charges she is charging, if you are planning to engage her services. As a benchmark, most of the experienced and qualified teachers will be charging around the region of $30 per half hour lesson if you go to their place.

[Aggie]

Hi I am paying $140 per month to travel to piano teacher’s hm and she is following yamaha holiday schedule so there may be 3 lessons in a mth but still pay the same for the 45 mins. Is this reasonable?

[nissin]

peanut_butter:

nissin:

Can someone here advise..is $95 per mth for 1/2hr piano lesson reasonable? and ya, one to one lesson.

This is close to the 'per hour' rate I usually charge beginners for home tuition. But my lesson is 45min and I do student concerts about twice, annually.

Hi peanut butter,
so u r a piano teacher? Can u email me at [email protected] your rate for a 1-1 lesson done at home?

[daffyhan]

It seems that there is a range of rates charged by piano teachers in the market. "Demand for the teacher" is something that is difficult to quantify and is determined by the "feel" of the teacher. As a parent, I would like to understand and further nail down the dynamics of the ever-evolving rates.


I have the following questions:

a) What is an experienced and qualified teacher? How many years of experience and what qualifications are we actually talking about?


b) Related to question (a), as the qualifications and experience of each teacher is different, how much premium would be expected for (i) each year or at least each few years of experience; and (ii) each level of qualification.

E.g. say the normal rate is $100 for monthly beginner and grade one lessons of 45 min, a teacher would charge $20 more for her diploma, $20 more for having 5 years of experience and $10 more for having taught many students who passed with distinction. Hence, charge total of $150 per month.


c) Is there an official table of rates published by any piano teachers’ body or association etc, which can be used as a guide for the general public, on the average to pay for the respective grades for 1-1 lessons and at teacher’s place, and also for the teachers’ experience and qualifications?


Appreciate it if both parents and piano teachers can advise. Thanks.

[peanut_butter]

daffyhan:

Hi, this is my first posting in Forum. I am looking around for a piano teacher for my 3+ year old child, and I have been quoted $160 per month for 1/2 hour lessons at home. This sure seems steep compared to the rates mentioned here.

Very few teachers would even consider accepting 4 years and below for piano. You can get a 1/4 size violin but miniature piano??? If s/he is a specialist, I think the price is reasonable.

daffyhan:

a) What is an experienced and qualified teacher? How many years of experience and what qualifications are we actually talking about?

Depends on who’s responding . I think matching the kids and teachers are more important.

IMO, qualified classical teachers hold master degrees in pedagogy/piano/composing from conservatories/universities or a Bachelor from renown institutions. They retain talented or serious students who put piano on top of their priorities. Drop out rate for their ‘hobby’ students are high. They set their price to attract customers from certain category. My formal teacher expected me to practice regularly even thought I have less than 4 hours of sleep/day.

If you are looking for a teacher to teach pop improvisation, the ‘classical’ paper qualification may have less bearing.

Some parents offer peanuts. They are merely throwing mud onto the wall and hope one would stick. Personally I stay away from such students. Due to the lack of application, they show limited progress and can be too demoralizing and stressful for me. But there are new teachers out there with only graded certificate who know how to trigger their new students’ interest and influent them to practice.

daffyhan:

c) Is there an official table of rates published by any piano teachers' body or association etc, which can be used as a guide for the general public, on the average to pay for the respective grades for 1-1 lessons and at teacher's place, and also for the teachers' experience and qualifications?

Try these websites. But they are a general guild. Not the break down according to the qualification and experience. Besides grade, experience and qualification, teachers charge according to location too.
http://www.pianolessonssingapore.com/rates-piano-lessons.html
http://www.appassionato.sg/rates
http://pianoteachersingapore.com/piano-lessons-singapore/piano-lesson-rate/

[titank]

Aggie:

Hi I am paying $140 per month to travel to piano teacher's hm and she is following yamaha holiday schedule so there may be 3 lessons in a mth but still pay the same for the 45 mins. Is this reasonable?

Normally Pte piano teacher would based on number of lesson Eg 4 lesson which you pay an amount. I also had come across some charge by month where in a month you minimum you would get 4. If there is a 5th week, either you pay extra or the teacher consider it as a break.

I guess your piano teacher is using the school system to charge you, this is quite not fair esp if you hit by chinese new year month, X'mas & new year etc.

Try to negotiate with the piano teacher on the rates again if you are not uncomfortable.

[titank]

daffyhan:

It seems that there is a range of rates charged by piano teachers in the market. \"Demand for the teacher\" is something that is difficult to quantify and is determined by the \"feel\" of the teacher. As a parent, I would like to understand and further nail down the dynamics of the ever-evolving rates.


I have the following questions:

a) What is an experienced and qualified teacher? How many years of experience and what qualifications are we actually talking about?


b) Related to question (a), as the qualifications and experience of each teacher is different, how much premium would be expected for (i) each year or at least each few years of experience; and (ii) each level of qualification.

E.g. say the normal rate is $100 for monthly beginner and grade one lessons of 45 min, a teacher would charge $20 more for her diploma, $20 more for having 5 years of experience and $10 more for having taught many students who passed with distinction. Hence, charge total of $150 per month.


c) Is there an official table of rates published by any piano teachers' body or association etc, which can be used as a guide for the general public, on the average to pay for the respective grades for 1-1 lessons and at teacher's place, and also for the teachers' experience and qualifications?


Appreciate it if both parents and piano teachers can advise. Thanks.

I came across this website where you may use it as a guide to check whether you are paying the reasonable rates for piano teacher.

http://pianoteacher.com.sg/

[jce]

Generally, schools will give 44 lessons per year, so after factoring all the public holidays, school concert, school hol etc, each student should get 44 lessons per year. As for private teachers, some will adopt this method too. For me, I give 46 lessons per year. So I will factor in the public holidays, June and Dec when I would take a 2 week break. If so happen I have reached my "quota" after factoring in the public hol and June 2 week, then Dec I will not take any breaks, but so far I have not encountered that.


Experienced teacher - I think anything above 6 yrs in the "business" is considered experienced.

Qualifications - A Masters degree from a reputable/established university or Conservatory is good.

Demand - If the teacher is highly sought after then he/she must be doing something right, whether it is a good teaching method or proven track record in exams or competition winners under his/her belt.

If you take $140 per month 45 mins lesson for a beginner with a teacher holding a diploma cert, then a bachelor degree holder should at least be getting $160 and a masters $180 (all with the same no of years experience).