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Learning to play the piano is much more than reading music and playing the keys, which in itself is a good reason to take lessons.  As students continue to study, many of them learn to manage time, set goals, and stay on track until those goals are reached. Studying piano helps develop organized thinking patterns, and helps the student discover many different approaches to learning by using their mind, eyes, ears, and hands. They will experience what it means to commit to a task, keep motivated, take steps to complete that task and enjoy personal satisfaction when they succeed. Most importantly, students often begin to realize that their success or failure is their responsibility.  Studying an instrument also increases appreciation for music and other musicians, as students often gain a clearer understanding of how much effort it takes to be good at something.  Taking piano lessons usually produces much more than being able to play the piano. Without the students’ realization, the process of learning piano can give them skills that they will use throughout their lives in many different situations.  

OMTA members are private studio teachers and college music faculty across Oregon and parts of Washington and California. They represent a wide variety of teaching styles and approaches, and all share a commitment to quality music education.  OMTA teachers offer their students extraordinary benefits provided by OMTA. For example, performance opportunities abound, ranging from studio recitals and local events to Statewide Festivals and state, regional, and national Competitions.  Additional benefits include Syllabus––our popular, optional graded curriculum that covers technique, music theory, sight reading, rhythm reading, and repertoire. The ten levels of Syllabus are graduated in difficulty and challenge students to achieve musical goals. After completion of a level, students can opt to be assessed by a master teacher who provides a helpful critique.

Congratulations on choosing to participate in music lessons! Music has been found to enrich the lives of all who participate in its creation or in its enjoyment. When you choose to take music lessons, you are choosing to learn a skill that will benefit you and bring you joy your entire life! No price can be put on such a beautiful art as music. Yet, obtaining the skill will certainly require assistance from a professional—your music teacher.

Your teacher has chosen to make music their business and their occupation. As with any business, costs are calculated to both ensure that the highest quality product is given and that the business makes enough profit to continue providing their services.

All independent music teachers (IMTs) differ in methods of operation. However, the tuition of nearly all teachers covers the following:

• Time Spent with the Student - Lessons, performance classes, group lessons.
  
• Time Spent in Preparation for the Student - Trips to the music store, lesson planning, bookkeeping, development of curriculum, etc. It has been cited by professional music journals that for every hour enrolled in piano lessons, you are investing in at least two hours of the teacher's time!
• Your Teacher’s Training and Experience Recital Costs and Preparations - Programs, refreshments, facility rental.
  
• Professional Organization Memberships - Memberships are maintained by the teacher to enhance their teaching skills and provide the student with opportunities for festivals, competitions, and performance events.
  
• Professional Journals - Publications to assist the teacher in keeping current on new teaching materials and trends.
  
• Studio Expenses - Copying, computer software, incentive programs, instruments, tunings, repairs, newsletters.
  
• Music books and CDs - Materials purchased by the teacher to keep costs low for students.
• Property Taxes, Self-Employment Taxes, Insurance, Business Licenses, Retirement - The IMT has no corporation to assist in providing health and life insurance by matching funds. Tuition helps cover the increased living costs of your self-employed teacher.
  
• Continuing Education - Lessons and classes that keep the teacher current on methods and techniques.
  
• Book and Music Club Memberships - This enables many discounts to be passed to students.
  

Shop around! Not every teacher is right for every student. You will want to be sure that your music teacher provides those things that are important to you as well as the things that are important to your student’s musical developments.

Start by interviewing several music teachers to learn more about their education goals and expectations, philosophies of music education, teaching experience, curriculum, and studio policy. But above all, find out how they demonstrate commitment to excellence in music education.

No price can be put on such a beautiful art as music, but by investing in music education, you can learn a skill to enjoy for a lifetime!