Understanding and Attracting Retired Adult Students

Question: I am trying to increase the number of daytime/adult students to expand my teaching hours and income. I live in an area with lots of children, but also a sizable retiree population. What do you think of offering discounts to entice those living on retirement income to fill those earlier time slots when the kids are in school?

Answered by Leila Viss  (See more on Leila below)

Teaching adults is a wonderful and rewarding opportunity to increase your income. Most K-12 students need a before-or-after-school time, but adults can squeeze in between those book-end hours. However, resist the temptation of offering a discount for “retirees” (likely the adult population most interested in pursuing lessons) and instead, consider offering…

1) A Variety In Types of Lessons for those who are…

Resuming Retirees: (Note: they would rather avoid that word “retirees” but it will be used here anyway). Although most are on a set income, in my experience, most are eager to rekindle their passions they have set aside for years and are willing to pay the price. Students will honor you and the lessons if your private lesson rates are inline with your experience and what you offer them–the chance to resume and develop beloved skills of making music–priceless. View this Clavier Companion article featuring perspectives from adult students.

Recreational Retirees: Others look for new ways to fill their time and wish to try new activities. Providing Recreational Music Classes (RMM) or at least partner lessons can offer a social learning community with health benefits too! Group instruction is easier on their pocket book but also financially rewarding for you. It is possible to earn 2-3 times more income teaching in groups. (Note: group instruction requires more planning, perhaps more equipment and knowledge of group teaching principles.) Brenda Dillon has some great resources on RMM instruction. If you plan to attend the MTNA National conference in NYC, there are plenty of sessions devoted to this topic. Would love to hear from those who attend!

Eager to Laugh: Within either format, humor and laughter are the biggest components to a successful lesson, ongoing achievement and student retention. Playing a musical instrument is not easy–Dalai Lama says it best: ” When people laugh it is easier for them to accept new ideas.”

2) Flexibility in Scheduling Lessons

Policies: As retirees begin a new chapter in their lives, they tend to travel a great deal. Make sure your policies provide some wiggle room so that lessons can be scheduled around their itineraries. My private students usually schedule two a month, then will change to every week for a stretch, then opt to take a summer off. Flexibility for group instruction may require more creativity on your part:

  • schedule short sessions (one month long)
  • offer make-up lessons at another group lesson
  • give credit for a limited amount of missed lessons (one per session?) and place the credit towards the next session of lessons
  • design a fair flat fee that works for you and them even if they miss a lesson

Reminders: Since these potential customers have choices with what they do with their time, it is important that they arrive at every lesson on purpose and for pleasure and not out of pressure. Since you must make accommodations for them, you must also set a fair “drop-in” lesson rate for yourself. In addition, make sure to protect your time and schedule lessons around your availability.

My adult student retention rate is very high because they appreciate sensitivity to their lifestyle, and of course some humor too! Offering variety and flexibility to retirees will attract students and boost monthly income. Providing choices in lesson format and scheduling recognizes their unique agendas. This results in loyal students who return for more, and are happy to refer you to their friends. This, in turn, will boost your annual income for years to come.

…Read the next article on Marketing to Adult Piano Students


Leila Viss owns an independent piano studio which features a tech-savvy lab. She seeks to create innovative teaching methods and successful practice strategies to encourage the average player of any age to stick to the bench for life. She holds a Masters Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Denver and has presented at local, state and national conferences. She adjudicates at local, state, regional and national piano and composition competitions. She serves on the Keys to Imagination Advisory Board and holds a full-time church organist/pianist position.  Leila posts regularly on the MusicTeachersHelper blog.  Visit her studio website.

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