A piano teacher is someone who takes others through music lessons and more specifically teaches them how to play music on the music keyboard. A piano teacher is tasked with teaching piano students how to read the keyboard, how to read the piano notes and basic piano rhythms. Some people are taught piano for pleasure and others for business such as music artists who make music and sell to listeners.

For one to be a piano teacher, they themselves must have learnt and mastered the art of playing a piano. They must be good in music, not necessarily singing but must have knowledge of music notes in relation to the keyboard. It is not a must but it is desirable that a piano teacher or one who wishes to become one takes classes in piano pedagogy which is the study of how to teach piano playing. This element of piano study sets out to train an individual on how to impart musical skills to piano learners and this can be done privately or semi-privately under instructions. Some of the topics covered in piano pedagogy are ear training, rhythm, notation, techniques, improvisation, slight reading, memorization and repertoire. After studying piano pedagogy, it is advisable that one obtains a certification. A certification for a piano teacher is good as it provides the proof that one is a professional in that area. It creates respect and credibility and thus one will have more stakes of having more students.

If one finds it necessary they may pursue studies in educational programs designed for teachers and covers areas such as handling learners; for example learning lesson planning techniques, concepts of teaching, general classroom management, instruction methods, teaching students with special needs among other areas.

Besides the training required to be a piano teacher, one will also need to learn how to be patient if naturally they are not patient people. Patience is important for a piano teacher especially for a beginner. If a piano teacher is easily irritable or easily frustrated, they can easily discourage or scare a piano learner. A piano teacher must have the patience to observe a learner and develop a way of learning that will accommodate the learner. However, patience should not mean lack of assertiveness. It is also important for a piano teacher to be passionate about their job. Music and passion are dear relatives of each other, therefore a piano teacher must love making music for them to be able to rub this off to the learner and make it easier for him or her to learn.

Other steps that may enable on to be a piano teacher include forming a base in the community. A potential piano teacher will need to create awareness of his existence in his community and even beyond. People will reach you only if you are known.

Being a piano teacher is a fulfilling job in itself as it provides the teacher with an opportunity to develop people’s gifts in the area of music and help them use their talents for the rest of their lives. Most piano teachers have flexible working hours because they have the option of making arrangements with their students on the hours they can have lessons and this enables them to plan and engage in other beneficial activities such as studying among others. As a piano teacher, one is guaranteed of a good pay because piano lessons are expensive. As a piano teacher, one may choose to be self-employed and not have to work for anyone thus liberating themselves from negatives associated with being employed.