Introduction
There are various forms of music teacher however they generally fall into two fields: freelance and employed. Both fields come with their own sets of qualifications, financial personal challenges as well as many other requirements. The divide between self-employed and employed has been explored by various researchers. In an ISM (The Independent Society of Musicians) survey in 2021 of 350 peripatetic instrumental and vocal teachers, 41% described themselves as self-employed, with 42% employed and 3% as a worker. It must be stated that much has changed since then, but clearly the divide was quite equal. However, it is definitely an unstable career, with the other 15% stating that they were “unsure about their employment status”. Finally, it must be noted that the divide is not clear cut, with ISM finding that elements of many self-employed teachers’ careers are being controlled by music services or schools.
Qualifications and experience required
For a private music teacher, there are technically no formal requirements for the job. However, it is expected for the teacher to have a high level of music training, such as amusic degree, theory qualifications or a masters. Furthermore, the more qualified you are, the more students you can get and the higher you might be able to charge for your time. In an AGCAS (2024) profile on music teaching, they note that there are various qualifications to enhance teaching skills, such as the Trinity or ABRSM Level 4 Certificate for Music Editor. Both of which focus primarily on teaching children and young people. There is also the RSL Professional Diploma which has various levels and focuses more on older pupils. To better cater towards employed music teaching it may also be useful, although not required, to have a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) as it also showcases your teaching abilities, as well as your musical ones. However, for self-employed teachers, an ISM 2021 survey showed that there is little recognition for qualifications or experience when it comes to amount of pay. Although it may enable you to attract more customers if you have a resume with previous teaching education.
Any previous work experience will make a music teacher more desirable to their potential clients. Most music teachers will have most likely at some point delivered some form of teaching. As a study done by Kerry Boyle, between 2020 and 2021 shows, “Students are involved in delivering instrumental and singing lessons … often beginning with peer learning initiatives in school, or ‘helping family and friends”. Therefore, it is important to try some casual teaching, because other music teachers who you will be competing with will most likely have prior experience.
Knowledge, skill and personal qualities needed for success within music teaching
Some of the skills needed are obvious, such as significant musical abilities as well as some teaching experience. However, you will also interact with people of all age groups, especially parents of pupils, so it is important that you have good communication skills. Furthermore, you will have to discuss money with pupils or their parents, which could be awkward if you are not direct. When looking at various articles on what makes a good music teacher, it is clear that parents also value a strong passion for the subject as a whole, as well as whatever instruments you may specialise in. Furthermore, you should be able to adapt your teaching methods to various students, depending on what they best receive. Some pupils may respond better to learning how to play through observing, whereas others may benefit from a more theory focused education.
Duties and responsibilities
The day to day of a music teacher may vary depending on whether you are private or employed. However, there are some shared tasks, the National Careers Service (2020) specifies planning “lessons to suit the individual needs of students” … “set assignments”. For an employed teacher, there may be extracurricular responsibilities as well, such as organising ensembles. Although these may not be part of the job, it is one of the many extra responsibilities that a music teacher has. For a peripatetic music teacher, part of your day to day will include traveling to different schools, so it is important to plan your timetable around this.
Legal and Financial Issues
One of the most important parts of being a music teacher is understanding your employment rights, this is especially true for a peripatetic teacher. As Tom Thorn (2025) notes, “schools typically engage visiting music teachers either as employees or self-employed contractors”. However, due to recent policy changes, some schools are attempting to change their employed music teachers to self-employed contractors. As a self-employed contractor, you have less protection in certain areas, but also greater freedom in others. Whilst previously, they would have less control over what they taught, they now essentially have free reign. This means that lessons can be tailored more to the individual pupil. However, it would also be easier for a self-employed contractor to be let go from the school than an employee, so remaining one may be beneficial for security reasons.
When it comes to the financial side of music teaching, for a private, self-employed teacher, the rates are more or less up to you. The Musicians’ Union (2025) provides a minimum rate of £44 per hour for individual and small-group teaching. However, this may vary depending on where you are based in the UK. For instance, the average rate in London may be significantly higher than the rate in Cornwall. Furthermore, the rates can change depending on the level at which you are teaching. For example, if you are teaching someone casually, the rate may be lower in comparison to a pupil who is preparing for their Grade 8 Exam. Despite the freedom in private teaching, several issues can range from this arrangement. In some cases, pupils (or their parents) may not pay the full amount, and if this continues, a teacher may be forced to let this pupil go. If you were employed under an agency of some kind, then this issue of payment would be the problem of the agency, and have less impact on your personal income. But for a private teacher, this would be an awkward situation, and would lead to a loss in income. Furthermore, if you are a self-employed music teacher, you have to take care of your own taxes, whereas an employed teacher’s taxes will be taken from their salary. This is just one example of the financial issues that can stem from being completely self-employed.
Marketing and promotion
When it comes to marketing and promotion, for a music teacher employed under an agency, elements of marketing are done for you. However, both employed and self-employed teachers can simply gain pupils through word of mouth. In schools, your pupils may talk to their friends, who will then want to get lessons. Parents may also act as a form of marketing, talking to other parents about your lessons and so forth. A peripatetic music teacher may also be able to reach out to nearby schools in order to have mini workshops. These can be a great way to reach out to a large group of potential pupils, whilst also encouraging interest in music generally. Therefore, there are many ways to market and promote just in person. However, private music teachers may also wish to promote themselves through social media. This is a way to target specific groups and also try out different marketing methods to see which are the most effective, without much drawback.
For employed music teachers in school, setting up extracurricular clubs can be a great way to engage new pupils. This is also important for promoting the subject as a whole, with previous governments severely underfunding music. One study published by the website Music Mark (2025) shows that music as a whole needs £161.4 million over the next five years to ensure its future. Although music teaching is a small part of this, it is still relevant, as giving young people an interest in the subject can ensure its future.
Intellectual and Personal Challenges
There are many personal challenges that both self-employed and employed music teachers face. For self-employed, private music teachers, one of the biggest challenges can be driving to different schools and locations. Even a teacher in a relatively small area may have to go to five or six schools and work with students back to back during the working day. Amanda Pierce (2021) an ex-private teacher writes about what led her to quit the profession, noting the long working hours “7:30 am to 5:30pm” and the large number of students “50-60”. She noted experiencing a burn-out which led her to quit the profession, based on this exhausting work schedule. Another music teacher, David Barton (2019) notes that it can be difficult dealing with students who lack interest in the subject, “We are passionate about music…the same however, does not apply to everyone else” he goes on to write “I often come across teachers who are frustrated to the point of exhaustion because they cannot fathom why music isn’t their students’ number one priority”. Although this fact seems obvious, it can be difficult personally and intellectually to put effort into trying to get students interested in music, and be met with apathy. However, you can still try and make students enjoy learning about music, even if they are not interested in a musical career. In terms of intellectual challenges, for a private teacher with students of all different ages, it is important to understand that they will respond better to distinct learning methods. For instance, it’s generally believed that younger people learn instruments faster than older; therefore, it may actually take longer to teach older pupils the basics. It is knowing the best teaching methods for each pupil that will make the most effective music teacher.
Career-progression opportunities
There are limited progression opportunities directly from music teaching, but there are several in similar fields. For instance, managerial roles within local music services and leading or having a senior role in local ensembles. The skills learned from music teaching can be transferred into these roles, having experience in the field of teaching, can mean you have a greater understanding of the teachers and pupils you are managing. Furthermore, examiner opportunities may be accessible through music boards such as ABRSM or Trinity College London. Many of these opportunities are less progressions from teaching but rather side jobs. Although this could be seen as a drawback, it also showcases the leniency of private music teaching. Someone can take part in a wide range of music related jobs whilst continuing their teaching on the side. There is also simply the progression of teaching pupils of increasingly higher levels. If a private music teacher is effective at their job, they can charge higher rates generally, as well as for students of more advanced levels. It should be noted that there is a risk in doing this, as if a teacher’s rates are too high, they may lose pupils, even if they are a very good teacher. For a music teacher employed in a school, depending on its size, there may be opportunities to enter senior management roles over the creative arts. These types of jobs can be effective ways to support and enhance the creative arts within schools.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this research portfolio has shown that the world of music teaching is certainly tumultuous. There are great opportunities to create future musicians, broaden your musical and teaching abilities, as well as support the creative sphere as a whole. However, it is also difficult to have a reliable income, balance work and life, and career progressions can be far and few between. A private music teacher definitely faces the most issues, but it is also the most lenient of all the options, as they solely decide the hours they work, as well as where and how much they charge. Whilst this freedom can be daunting, it also leaves room for other music jobs on the side to have a secure income. For peripatetic music teachers, who either work under a music or school boards, there is more security when it comes to employment rights, and certain aspects like tax and pensions may be covered. However, they have less control over where and how much you work, which may be difficult for their personal life. For music teachers employed in school, their jobs are much more broad, having to teach a wide variety of pupils’ about music, even if they are not interested in it. Whilst this can be difficult, it is certainly the most secure of the different types of music teacher. All these types of music teachers have their pros and cons and it is clear that the creative field is one with many challenges, but also lots of potential. Playing a role in nurturing the upcoming generations of musicians can be extremely rewarding, and a great way to ensure, and strengthen the future of music.
Bibliography
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