It's all your business: having it all without doing it all.

I had just finished teaching a series of pedagogy classes, covering many business aspects of running a studio (including studio policies, marketing, recordkeeping, tax returns), when one of my students, with a deer-in-the-headlights look, asked, "Can I just keep working for you (the Community Arts School) when I graduate? I'll never be able to do all this? I just want to teach."

She had a point. At age 21, the prospect of establishing a home studio can seem daunting. She also, indirectly, reminded me that we tend to divide our profession into two categories--college faculty and independent teachers--and to describe these two categories largely by where the majority teach, such as at a college or home studio.

There are many viable alternatives for independent teaching that do not require investing in a home studio. The independent teacher does not have to "do it all."

Teaching at a Music Store

The Education Department at Meridian Music in Indianapolis describes itself as "the most contemporary and diversified music education facility in central Indiana?" A full-time director and 50 teachers work with 1,100 students. Services provided by Meridian Music for the independent teacher, as documented in the teacher contract, are:

* an adequately equipped teaching studio with a tuned piano

* support from the director of music education

* access to a copier for business use

* advertising

* student registration and scheduling

* an established studio policy

* voice mail

* use of the recital hall hall (free of charge)

At Meridian Music, studio teachers are independent contractors rather than employees. Teachers pay a percentage of the lesson fee to Meridian Music. Lesson rates are set by the store and are uniform for all teachers regardless of background. Teachers establish their own curriculum and have input into which students they will accept. The education director arranges cooperative recitals, summer camps and newsletters, plus is always ready to provide guidance and support with "tricky" situations, such as a parent who is behind in payments.

I asked one of Meridian's instructors, Rebecca Grausam, about her experience. She recently moved back to Indiana after completing her doctorate and working for a year in another state. In addition to benefits listed above, she mentioned the following:

* Students see the "big picture"--lots of other students also studying music; all different ages, levels and instruments. The environment is "alive and exciting."

* Without major investment, she had a studio up and running in a very short time. In less than a year, she is teaching 37 private students (piano and flute).

* Collegiality and interaction with other teachers: Grausam has started collaborating with a violin teacher and is looking forward to using the professional recital hall for concerts.

Some music stores or education organizations (such as a Suzuki Academy), may hire instructors as employees. In these cases, the teacher is obligated to teach the curriculum and classes that are specified by the organization. In return, the store may contribute to the specialized training that this teaching requires. With the growth of new teaching approaches, such as Recreational Music Making, we may see more demand and opportunities for teachers in a retail/education environment.

Teaching at a Private Music Academy

Cincinnati Music Academy (CMA) was started in 1997 by three music teachers. It has grown to include 21 studios in two buildings, with 30 independent teachers and 800 students. Amy Rose Immerman, co-owner, mentions the following benefits (in addition to those listed above):

* working with colleagues in a fun atmosphere

* a built-in support structure

* being associated with a reputable "institution"

* business cards, image and identity

* waiting area and teacher amenities (kitchen/lounge).

CMA does not have a recital venue. Some teachers will team up to share recital space and duties. Students pay teachers directly and teachers pay a rental fee to CMA. Each teacher sets his or her own rates, schedule, curriculum and policies.

Teaching in Students" Homes

Teaching in students' homes is also an option where the teacher does not need to invest in studio equipment. An innovative organization that specializes in this scenario is Midwest School of Music (MSM). Founded by Barbara Granneman in 1997, MSM teachers travel to homes and school sites. To make this feasible, with minimal travel time, MSM advertises extensively in a given geographic area to maximize the number of students available in a specific neighborhood. Currently, there is a full-time director, two part-time office staff, 80 instructors and 600 students.

MSM collects all fees (offering parents an e-billing option, plus credit card payments) and pays instructors twice a month. MSM organizes cooperative recitals, summer camps, and other events. MSM keeps 30 percent of the private lesson fee.

Many MSM teachers are those who have recently moved, plus MSM assists foreign teachers with securing work visas. Operating as schoolofmusic.com, MSM has a presence in several major cities, including Indianapolis, Phoenix, Austin, Los Angeles, Chicago suburbs, Washington, D.C., and Las Vegas, making MSM a virtual borderless organization.

Teaching Via Web Cam 

With advances in web cam technology and the increasing prevalence of high-speed Internet, a company like Emusicinstruction (Emusic) is another viable option for independent teachers. Emusic offers live, interactive, one-on-one instruction exclusively through web cams. Parents may be especially drawn to lessons that do not require driving and can occur in the comfort of the home, using technology that generation G ("gamers") children will find second nature and motivating.

Emusic is a new venture that utilizes existing and readily available technology to bring high quality instruction into schools and students' homes. Both instructor and student must have a web cam, computer and musical instrument. Emusic will help set up the software (a free download, skype) and get both parties up and running.

Emusic utilizes sound studio policies and business practices. They recruit and hire teachers, with a minimum of a master's degree, from anywhere in the country. Emusic coordinates marketing, recruiting and administration. Lesson payments are handled online through Emusic's payment center and teachers are paid by Emusic. Emusic keeps approximately 28 percent of the lesson fee.

The target audience is twofold--beginners who may want to "sample" an instrument and value the convenience of lessons in the home, and advanced students who want to access expert teachers for an individual "master class" regardless of where they live. Matt McGraw, founder, acknowledges that there are limitations. The teacher can't play along with the student, and can't physically touch the student. However, a teacher who is good at listening and can give verbal feedback and explanations, as well as clear demonstrations, will be an excellent fit for Emusic.

I asked Julianne Miranda, MTNA's chief information officer, about this concept. She reminded me that web cam, real-time training has been commonplace in the corporate arena for some time. Applying the model to our profession, as Emusic is doing, will resonate with those who are comfortable with the technology (an ever-increasing number of students, parents and teachers). A solid pedagogical approach can still be utilized, as both student and teacher use an acoustic instrument and there is interactive, live feedback. Miranda commented that the greatest impact of this model may lie in group instruction--imagine bringing an expert to your studio, via web cam, for a master class with your students.

Questions to Ask

Regardless of the type of business entity a teacher may consider joining, there are multiple issues that an independent teacher should investigate; some key questions to ask include:

* How much control does the entity (versus the teacher) have? What degree of control (or freedom) do you personally require? Some areas of control and freedom to think about include tuition rates, payment policies, teacher pay rates, curriculum, choice of students and scheduling.

* Will you be considered an employee or an independent contractor? As an employee, you will receive a W-2 form at the end of the year. Your employer will withhold taxes during the year; he will pay social security and unemployment taxes for you. You will report your income on a 1040 form and will not be able to deduct your expenses, as it is assumed that the employer is providing for your teaching needs. As an independent contractor, you will receive a 1099 form, and your employer will not have withheld taxes or paid social security and unemployment taxes. You will report your income on Schedule C and will deduct your teaching expenses. These are two very different tax scenarios and you should understand the implications of each.

* Will you be required to sign a contract, and if so, what are the terms? Especially note any clauses that will affect you if and when you leave the entity. Many will have a "do not compete" clause that says you may not take your students with you. They may also stipulate conditions such as not opening a studio within a specified number of miles of the entity.

* What are their policies for hiring? At a minimum, expect professional, academic, and criminal background checks. What level of education is required (if any)?

* What is the financial structure? Some entities charge the teacher a rental fee; others take a percentage of the lesson fee. Some entities set a uniform lesson fee regardless of the teacher's education and experience; others allow each teacher to set his or her own fee. Who is responsible for liability insurance, equipment maintenance, recital supplies, office expenses and taxes? What resources do you have access to?

* Who does marketing and advertising? How extensive is it?

* What is the professional image of the entity? You want to be associated with an entity that has a high quality reputation in the community. When I finished my master's degree,

I worked for several years for the Indianapolis Piano Academy. I loved

the collegiality; cooperative recitals were inspiring and fun. It was a joy to focus solely on teaching and to leave the administrative details to someone else. The time I saved on administrative matters was dedicated to additional students. It was a joy to not "do it all!"

BONUS BYTE

Websites for organizations referenced in this article:

Meridian Music, Education Department

(www.meridianmusic.com/education.html)

Cincinnati Music Academy

(www.cmamusic.org)

Midwest School of Music

(www.schoolofmusic.com)

Emusicinstruction

(www.emusicinstruction.com)

Karen Thickstun is adjunct faculty at Butler University and director of the Butler Community Arts School and maintains an independent studio in Nashville, Indiana. In addition to music degrees, she has degrees in economics and business.