Halloween Week Lesson Plan

October is one of our fun months in the studio where the room decor changes/add in Halloween decorations and the magical candy bowl appears, (you can read about that here). The beginning of the month each student starts to learn a Halloween specific song that we work through over the 4 weeks, I have a collection of Halloween books and various levels of sheet music that I call “community music” where the student will borrow it and bring it back at the end of the month. I use the Inventory Acquisition, sales and loan log to keep track of who has what music.

Each year in my studio, we have what we call HALLOWEEN WEEK! Halloween week is a special week where the students are encouraged to dress up in their Halloween Costume, I wear mine as well, but we focus the lesson completely what truly makes Halloween, Halloween…THE MUSIC!

I consider it a throw away lesson where we don’t go over anything new in their lesson books but focus solely on musical examples, playing different songs either over Youtube (youtube kids has great little kid appropriate songs that are fun to listen to that aren’t scary) , the origin of Halloween music, sounds, chords, and so forth. This works great and fills in easily for my 30 minute lessons.

Students that have longer lessons we also sightread and start working through 1-2 Intermediate Halloween pieces.

For my advance 60-90 minute lessons students read through Saint-Saëns - Danse Macabre or Macdowell Witches Dance.

Each student also gets a treat to take home. This year, I’m making these Monster Rice Crispy Treats.

SECRET: Discuss with each parent ahead of October to see if they are okay with their child learning Halloween songs. Have a book with Thanksgiving themed songs just in case.

Use this template to make a flyer / poster to hand out or send your student family to remind them about Halloween Week!

Make Holidays Count In Your Studio!

Never underestimate the power of incentivizing!

Every fall, a student asks me when the Halloween candy bowl is coming out. Kids remember the smallest details. It’s something tiny, only for a month (and again in December with various candy cane flavors), and my students ALL look forward to earning that piece of candy after their lesson.

So use the holidays to drive incentives when you can. Make it special for the kids and they’ll come back every week excited, with something to look forward to each holiday.

Don’t break the bank. Keep it super simple, but plan ahead. I’m already thinking about a little something for my students for Christmas, and it’s only October.

Here’s what I do in my studio, holiday by holiday.

Halloween: The Candy Basket

Put out a candy basket and let students pick their piece before the lesson, for two reasons:

1. They don’t forget to grab it before they leave.

2. That candy sitting right in front of them helps them stay focused during the lesson.

You can also tie it to practice. A student who had a great week gets to choose first, or picks an extra piece. The reward stays small, but the connection between effort and payoff is clear.

Thanksgiving: Turkey Treats

A little homemade treat goes a long way. I make these turkey cookies, and you don’t have to make a whole plate for the whole family. A single treat just for your student is plenty. It says “I thought of you,” which is what they remember.

Incentives That Keep Students Practicing

Holiday Practice Challenge Kit — Set 1

Treats get students excited to walk in the door. A practice challenge keeps them consistent between lessons. This done-for-you holiday kit has structured daily goals and a visual tracker, ready to print and hand out. Pair it with your candy basket and watch the holiday season become your most consistent practice stretch of the year.

Get the Holiday Kit →

Christmas: Candy Canes and a Gift for Every Student

December gets a candy cane plate, and I love putting out a few different flavors.

I also plan a Christmas gift for each student. In our house I have hidden horns and pianos on my tree, and I add to it year after year. I’ve started the same tradition for my students: each one gets an ornament for their own tree. Year after year, they can build a collection of music-themed ornaments. Any gift works, big or small. The consistency is what counts.

Planning tip: Decide your gift and budget in October, not the week before the holiday break. You’ll find better prices, avoid the rush, and won’t be scrambling.

And remember, track every one of these purchases for your studio expense records. Your bookkeeping system is where those candy, cookie, and gift receipts belong. Ask your tax professional what qualifies for your situation.

Take the Stress Out of Studio Finances

Successful Music Studio Bookkeeping Mini Course

Student gifts, treats, supplies, recital costs: they all add up through the year. This mini course shows you exactly how to track your studio income and expenses, organize receipts, and stay tax-ready all year long, so you're not untangling it all in April.

$299 · lifetime access

Get the Bookkeeping Mini Course →

Valentine’s Day: Heart Cookies

I like to make a big batch of sugar cookies. Because they’re easier to make as a batch, each family gets a plate of cookies. This is the one holiday where I treat the whole family, and parents love it.

Easter: Mini Baskets

I use little mini Easter baskets filled with candy. Super simple and low cost, and students are always excited to get one.

Done-for-You Student Resource

Spring Practice Challenge Kit — Set 1

Heading into spring recital season? This done-for-you challenge kit keeps students practicing consistently from January through performance day. Just print, hand out, and watch your students show up more prepared every week.

$37.50 · instant download

Get the Spring Kit →

The Year-Round Plan

Here’s the whole year at a glance:

• Halloween: Candy basket, picked before the lesson

• Thanksgiving: One homemade turkey treat per student

• Christmas: Candy cane plate plus an ornament or small gift

• Valentine’s Day: A plate of heart cookies per family

• Easter: Mini baskets filled with candy

None of it is expensive, and none of it takes long. But your students will remember it, and that’s what keeps them excited to walk through your door week after week. Small traditions are one of the most underrated retention tools in a private studio.

Happy Teaching!

Becky

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🎄 Holiday Practice Challenge Kit

Done-for-you · Keep students practicing through the holidays →

📒 Get Your Studio Finances Organized

Bookkeeping Mini Course · $299 · Track expenses & stay tax-ready →

🎓 Build a Studio That Runs Like a Business

Signature Course · 59 lessons · Everything to launch & grow →

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Free · 2 minutes · Start Here page →

Successful Music Studio Bookkeeping Mini Course

It's time to get excited! With covid, and 3 kids at home (feels like forever), development, of this course has been delayed...But no more! Kids are finally back in school and I'm hard at work again! 

Because it's been so long, I've decided to drop a new mini course soon. The one I've been asked for the most...

Successful Music Studio BOOKKEEPING! It’s my next mini course with access to the bookkeeping templates I've been using for since I started teaching (improved along the way!). 
 

In this mini course you’ll get access to the templates I created to help make my bookkeeping simple and duplicatable year after year and student after student.

Templates Included in both iOS and Windows compatible:

• Monthly Lesson Summary, for single and multi-student families (including completed formulas)

• Payment Receipts used for each student with Attendance tracking log (including formulas)

• Tax Expense Report

• Gross and Net Yearly Income Tracking Sheet

• Studio Inventory Tracking Sheet

BONUS:

• Gig Earnings Log (to track additional income)

• Business Childcare Log (because being a mom with 3 kids, my own business, sometimes we need to have help!)

Each template includes a tutorial video to walk you through how to customize the template to fit your studio and needs.

Are you excited for this? Is this something you need? Drop a comment and let me know! Also be sure to get on the mailing list so you’re in the know when this course launches HERE!

For now, you can continue to browse the site! You can get your studio started on the right foot with our Customizable Private Music Studio Policies. Check out more blog posts Successful Private Music Studio Secrets Blog, or head back to HOME.

Happy Teaching!

Revamp Your Business Model: Unleashing The Power Of Innovation

One of the best things about running a private music studio is that the business model is entirely yours to design.

You're not punching a clock. You're not limited to one income stream. You're not locked into teaching the same way every other music teacher does. Private music teaching is already an unconventional career — and the teachers who thrive long-term are the ones who lean into that unconventionality and build something that genuinely fits their life.

If your studio feels like it's running on one track — same format, same schedule, same single income stream — here are four ways to innovate and build something more flexible, more profitable, and more sustainable.

1. Add Online Lessons to Your Teaching Mix

Online lessons aren't just a backup plan for when something goes wrong. For many teachers, they've become a permanent and preferred part of their schedule — and for good reason.

Teaching online removes the geographic limit on your studio. You can take students who are 30 minutes away, students who travel frequently, or students in other states entirely. You can fill a cancellation slot in minutes by switching a local student to Zoom. And you can build a consistent schedule that doesn't depend on weather, traffic, or whether a student's parents can drive.

The teachers who resist online lessons most are usually the ones who haven't set it up properly. Once you have a reliable platform, clear expectations in your studio policy, and a few lessons under your belt, most teachers find they enjoy it more than they expected.

The key is treating online lessons with the same structure and professionalism as in-person teaching — not as a lesser option, but as a different format with its own strengths.

Set Up Online Lessons the Right Way

How to Easily Transition to Teaching Online Music Lessons

Platform setup, camera and audio tips, how to set expectations with families, and the teaching adjustments that make online lessons as effective as in-person — all covered in this free guide.

Read the Guide →

2. Offer Group Lessons

Group lessons are one of the most underused income opportunities in private music teaching — and the math makes them hard to ignore.

A weekly group lesson with 5 students at $100 per student per month generates $500 from a single hour of teaching. Teach three group classes per week and you're looking at $1,500 per month from just three hours of instruction time. Compare that to what those same hours would earn in private lessons and the difference is significant.

Group lessons work especially well for:

• Beginning piano — students at the same level learning notation, simple pieces, and basic technique together

• Guitar — chord-based beginner groups are popular with teens and adults

• Violin and string instruments — Suzuki-inspired group classes are well-established and families expect them

• Music theory — a weekly theory group supplements private lessons for multiple students simultaneously

• Homeschool co-ops — homeschool families are actively looking for group music instruction and often come in built-in groups

You don't need a large studio space to start. A living room with enough chairs, a digital piano, and four to six students is enough to run a successful beginner group. Start with one class slot, fill it, and add more from there.

3. Create Online Courses or Subscription Content

This is the income stream with the highest leverage — you build it once and it earns continuously.

The idea is straightforward: record a series of lessons or tutorials on a specific topic, package them as a course or subscription, and make them available to anyone — not just your local students.

Topics that translate well to online course format:

• Beginner instrument fundamentals (how to read music, basic technique, first songs)

• Music theory foundations

• Practice strategies for students and parents

• Instrument-specific tutorials (scales, etudes, specific repertoire)

• Parent guides for supporting music practice at home

Platforms like Teachable, Kajabi, or even a simple Squarespace members area make it relatively straightforward to host and sell course content. You don't need a professional recording setup — a decent USB microphone, good lighting, and a quiet room is enough to produce content that sells.

The key is starting narrow. Pick one specific topic, record 6–8 short lessons, and get it out into the world. You'll learn more from selling your first course than from spending months perfecting a curriculum nobody has seen yet.

Grow Beyond Private Lessons

Unleash Your Income Potential: New Revenue Streams for Music Teachers

A full breakdown of the income streams available to private music teachers — beyond the hourly lesson. Digital products, group classes, online courses, and more — with real numbers and where to start.

Read the Post →

4. Offer Workshops, Masterclasses, and Clinics

Your expertise as a musician and teacher extends well beyond your weekly private lesson schedule — and there are organizations actively looking for exactly what you offer.

School masterclasses. Reach out to the music directors at local middle and high schools and let them know you're available to run instrument-specific masterclasses for their students. A 45–60 minute clinic for a school band or orchestra section is a well-established format that many school teachers welcome, especially for instruments they don't specialize in themselves. Set your clinician rate, reach out professionally, and follow up.

Senior center workshops. Senior centers are consistently underprogrammed for music instruction and many actively seek community musicians to lead beginner workshops. A 6-week "Intro to [Instrument]" workshop for adult beginners is a natural fit — and a population that is enthusiastic, consistent, and deeply appreciative.

Studio workshops for your own students. Host a technique workshop, a music theory intensive, or a performance prep session for your existing students as a supplemental offering. Charge a flat fee per student for a 90-minute session. It deepens your teaching relationship, generates additional income, and gives students a valuable experience outside the regular weekly lesson format.

Online workshops. Everything above can also be done virtually — which dramatically expands your potential audience. A two-hour online workshop on piano technique fundamentals or music theory for beginners can be offered to students anywhere, recorded for future sale, and promoted through your existing blog and Pinterest audience.

Your studio doesn't have to be one teacher, one student, one hour at a time. The most successful private music teachers build income streams that stack — private lessons as the foundation, with group classes, online content, and workshops adding layers on top.

You don't have to build all of it at once. Pick one idea from this list, commit to it for 90 days, and see what happens. The teachers who grow are the ones who start before they feel ready.

Happy Teaching!

Becky

The Complete Roadmap

Successful Music Studio Strategies — Signature Course

Income growth, online teaching, group lessons, marketing, student retention, bookkeeping — the Signature Course covers all of it across 59 lessons. The complete system for building a private music studio that's profitable, sustainable, and built around your life.

$1,250 · or 3 payments of $500

Learn More →

Keep the momentum going

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🎓 Build a Studio That Runs Like a Business

Signature Course · $1,250 · 59 lessons · Everything to launch & grow →

🚀 Part 3 — Making Your Studio Thrive

À La Carte · $500 · Marketing, growth, recitals & income →

🗺️ Build Your Studio Foundation First

Startup Toolkit · $50 · Business plan, pricing & branding →

🗺️ Not Sure Where to Start?

Free · 2 minutes · Start Here page →

7 Strategies for Building a Music Studio Business Model That Crushes the Competition

Do you dream of owning a successful music studio business that stands out from the competition? The music industry can be tough to navigate, but with the right strategies, you can create a business model that crushes your competitors and attracts loyal clients. In this article, we've gathered seven proven strategies for building a music studio business model that is both profitable and sustainable. From effective marketing techniques to innovative strategies, we'll show you how to differentiate your business from the rest and create a brand that resonates with your target audience. So, whether you're just starting out or looking to take your existing music studio to the next level, read on to discover how to build a business model that sets you apart from the crowd.

1. Start with what instruments you can teach. I’m a horn player but also accomplished at piano. So I offer lessons for both piano and horn. And since horn is more of a speciality instrument, my studio is filled with mostly piano, although it is starting to become more even. Let’s say you play violin, you could potentially also teach viola, cello or bass, and possibly guitar. Vocalists, just because you are a tenor doesn’t mean you can’t teach other ranges. Think of this as a way to open up how many more students you can teach, meaning you are that much closer to having a full studio.

2. Determine the teaching level you are comfortable with. You don’t have to be an advanced player at any instrument to teach beginning level lessons. My beginning teacher only taught through intermediate lessons. I switched teachers when I became too advanced. You do have to have specific skill sets, like being able to read the notes, rhythm, counting and such, you can read more here how teaching helps to increase your own musicianship, and as long as you are proficient at the basics you can teach beginning levels.

3. Decide what age groups you intend to teach. You don’t have to teach just young kids, you can teach any age you want from the youngest to the oldest. I personally don’t start students younger than 6, and generally I suggest boy around 7 but it’s based on the maturity level of the child. A good rule of thumb I like to use too, is if the child can read and write their ABC’s.

4. Decide how you are going to market yourself. Are you an after school only teacher or can you teach during the day. This will determine where you will post openings in your studio. If you are able to teach during the day, homeschool students are going to be where you want to focus your attention. They often do their activities during their school day. Or do you only want to teach in the afternoons, maybe because you have another job during the day?

5. What is your goal for each of your students to obtain? Are you wanting to teach future solo performers, church piano players, introduction to music/beginning skill sets to set them up for another instrument later on, hobby player? Have a firm idea on the type of students you want to attract.

6. Determine if you are going to teach in one place (renting a space, in your home) or if you are going to be traveling to the students. This will determine the geographical area in which you will teach. Good rule of thumb, keep it within a specific radius of your house so you aren’t spending all your time driving here and there.

7. What do you intend to get out of teaching private music lessons? And this is important because like any job there are going to be days you don’t really want to teach (yes it happens) and you will have to remind yourself why you are doing this. “ I get to teach today because ___________ (fill in the answer). When you turn the attention into, “I get to work with” instead of “I have to teach” and turn it into a service act makes all the difference on those days where you might be struggling trying to balance teaching with everything else you have going on in your life!

Need more help in getting started with your music studio? Our 12 week Successful Music Studio Strategies online course is here to make every step easy and give you the tools for success. Click here to learn more!

Happy Teaching!