Review

Rebecca Osborn
The Private Music Instruction Manual: A Guide for the Independent Music Educator:

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
Date of Publication: 2004
Language: English

Primary Genre: Study Material - book

Osborn's Manual is a comprehensive guide to “independent music instruction,” i.e. private teaching. Organized into twelve chapters followed by sixteen appendices, the author covers every topic imaginable. Of particular interest is the author’s attention to areas many private teachers have never considered including taxes, record keeping, liability issues and evaluation tools.

The book begins with a chapter on formulating a mission statement and business plan, complete with questionnaires concerning the potential teachers’ background, suitability for various student ages and reasons for choosing this career path. Following this, the author, an experienced teacher, deals with educational areas such as choosing a text, structuring a lesson, determining practice requirements, dealing with student motivation, and preparing for student performances. The majority of the book concentrates on the practical aspects of private instruction: setting up a studio, beginning advertising, dealing with liability, setting studio policies and tax advice. There are also a multitude of pragmatic examples contained in the text and appendices such as mileage logs, press releases, practice sheets and evaluation tools, award certificates, and overdue payment notices.

At the beginning the author reminds us that regardless of a chosen career, most musicians will teach private lessons. Our musical training, especially for those schooled in performance, rarely covers the art of one-on-one instruction, and certainly overlooks the legal and financial components that are presented so well in this book. The sample forms alone are significant. I would recommend this book to all of us who value the art of private teaching.

-David Mathie
Boise State University