Page 36J+ JUNE 1920 THE ETUDE More Income for Music Teachers How and Why One Teacher "Made Good" at an Increased Price By George Mortimer Brush is, after all, they who must pay the ultimate in success or failure. An hour devoted to the minute needs of one pupil is not too much time to devote to so delicate a subject. An intelligent taskmaster will let his pupil demonstrate ten or fifteen minutes and during the same period of rest will discuss and awaken the pupil's inter-est from an intelligent point of view, that some degree of individuality may color even the drudgery of the class-room. A word of counsel from such a mistress of song as Lehmann or Sembrich is priceless, but the sums that pour into greedy pockets of vocal mechanics, not to say a harsher word, is a regrettable proceeding. Too many mediocrities are making sounds. Too many of the same class are trying to instruct, but, as in politics, the real culprit is the people. As long as the public forbear an intelligent protest in this direction, just so long will the studios be crowded with pathetic seekers for fame. What employment these infatuated indi-viduals enjoyed before the advent of grand opera and the movies became a possible exhaust pipe for their vanity is not clear, but they certainly should be dis-couraged. New York alone is crowded with aspirants for the stage, and their little bag of tricks is of very slender proportions. Let us do everything in our power to help the really worthy talent, but it is a mistaken charity, and not patriotic, to shove singers and com-posers so-called, of American birth, upon a weary public which perceives nothing except the fact that they are of native birth and have no talent to warrant such assumption. "I do not think the musical observers are doing the cause of art in this country a favor when columns are written about the inferior works of the non-gifted. An ambitious effort is all right in its way, but that is no reason to connect the ill-advised production with Amer-ican hopes. On the contrary, it does us a bad turn. I shall still contend that the English language is not a pretty one for our vocal exploitations, and within my experience of the past ten years I h^ve heard but one American work which I can sincerely say would have given me pleasure to create, that same being Mr. Henry Hadley's recently produced Cleopatra's Night. His score is rich and deserving of the highest praise. "In closing I should like to quote again from Mme. Lehmann's book an exercise that would seem to fulfill a long-felt want: "'Th e great scale is the most necessary exercise for all kinds of voices. It was taught me by my mother. # She taught it to all her pupils and to us.' "Here is the scale as Lehmann taught it to me. "It was sung upon all the principal vowels. It was extended stepwise through different keys over the entire range of the two octaves of the voice. It was not her advice to practice it too softly, but it was done with all the resonating organs well supported by the dia-phragm, the tone in a very supple and elastic "watery" state. She would think nothing of devoting from forty minutes to sixty minutes a day to the slow practice of this exercise. Of course, she would treat what one might call a heavy brunette voice quite differently from a bright blonde voice. These terms of blonde and brunette, of course, have nothing to do with the com-plexion of the individual, but to the color of the voice. UPO N looking over my ledger for two years past I find that there has been a steady increase in patronage from month to month. When I left for a six-week vacation on the first of last August, the names of six pupils appeared on my waiting list, notwithstanding the fact that my price for lessons was almost double that of any other teacher in the town and that there is a state normal school located here which includes a piano course in its curriculum. No extra fee is charged by the school for this music course and credit is given to students taking it. On January 1st of last year I raised my prices 25% and my class remained intact. A month before the raise went into effect I informed my patrons of my intention, simply telling them that with increased ex-perience my services were worth more and that the h. c. of 1. induced my action at this time. July 31st my income had reached the maximum at the price charged. During the last week of my vacation I began to reason as follows: "It is not wise for you to teach so many pupils each day; you cannot stand the strain indefinitely, although you love the work; your income should be more, and the only way you can increase it is to raise your price. You have a waiting list. No doubt some, say ten, will refuse to pay the increase. Even so, your income will be as large as formerly and you will have more time for recreation." Accordingly, when I arrived at my studio on Sep-tember 15th the day was spent in calling my patrons by phone, informing them that my fee for lessons would be increased 20%, to become effective at once. This made my price just double that of any other teacher's in the town. Of the forty-two patrons on my list only three seriously objected to the advance, saying that they must have time to think the matter over. Two of these called the following day and said that they had thrashed the matter out, and had decided that their children must continue with me. The other felt she could not afford the new price. So my list of forty-two was reduced to forty-one! I have to work just as hard, but I am better paid! In notifying pupils of the increase I simply stated that it had always been my intention to get a certain price for a forty-minute period, and that it seemed to me the time was now ripe to realize my ambition— when there were more applicants for lessons than I could possibly accommodate. This statement in itself was not without its psychological effect. "THERE' S A REASON" when the public sees fit to pay a certain teacher twice as much for lessons as it does all competitors—this, too, in face of the fact that lessons may be had free by all pupils attending a certain local school. A customer pays twice the amount for one piece of merchandise in preference to another because he' believes the expensive piece to be worth more; and, as a matter of fact, it is—if quality and workmanship are superior. Hence, the gist of my advice to teachers is. use business-like methods; don't "knock" your com-petitors ; work and study continually; read musical maga-zines and keep abreast of the times; try to increase your musical understanding and improve your teach-ing, thus making your fee worth the amount you see fit to charge. Since my teaching career began I have always kept in mind two mottoes: "Do I T WEL L !" and " GE T RESULTS ! " Before accepting a pupil I have an agreement with the parents that one or two lessons per week, as the case may be, will be paid for, whether the lesson is taken or not. This is an ironclad rule. So far as I remem-ber, in fifteen years of teaching experience, I have never kept a pupil waiting when the lesson time arrived; therefore I exact punctuality on the part of my pupils. Some years ago I had more or less trouble with tardy pupils. The first time one failed to appear promptly, I waited ten minutes, then I left the studio and took recreation or went about other business. The tardy pupil found me gone. I did this in several instances. The lessons were paid for, however. I have tried to educate the parents of my pupils to assume the same attitude toward music study as they do toward their children's school, and if pupils lag in their work I inform the parents of the fact and assure them that it is a waste of their money and my time if the work assigned is not prepared. I also put the children on their mettle by making them understand that I will not retain a pupil who persists in shirking her work. One must advertise, but advertise effectively. I have six public recitals each year—three before the holidays and a like number about the middle of June, the series of three representing primary, intermediate and ad-vanced pupils respectively. For such occasions I obtain the use of a church and put a whole or half-page dis-play "ad" in the daily paper, naming my pupils, noting special features of my program, and inviting the public to attend. I have attractive programs printed and see to it that they are free from typographical errors. Last spring one of the churches was trying to raise a fund to purchase an electric motor for the pipe organ. I held my recital in that church and charged 25 cents admission. A nice sum was realized and this amount was turned over to the pipe organ fund. This is effect-ive advertising and beneficial to all concerned. To sum up: I conduct my class as though I were directing an organized school. There can be no laxness in business methods and discipline if one would succeed financially as a teacher. A good working system established, I am in a posi-tion to give pupils of my best and endeavor to direct their development so that some of the beauties of my beloved art—-music—will be manifest to them. And in the case of susceptible and gifted ones who remain with me long enough, I can make clear the meaning of Keats' well-known lines: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever; Its loveliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness; but will keep A bower quiet for us, and a sleep Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing." Count the Cost By Constanza M. Foster The Only Cure "Lehmann said of this scale: Tt is the only cure for all injuries, and at the same time the most excellent means of fortification against all over-exertion. I sing it every day, often twice, even if I have to sing one of the heaviest roles in the evening. I can rely absolutely upon its assistance. I often take fifty minutes to go through it once, for I let no tone pass that is lacking in any degree in pitch, power, duration or in single vibra-tion of the propagation form.' "Personally I supplement this great scale often with various flor;d legato phrases of arias selected from the older Italians or Mozart, whereby I can more easily achieve the vocal facility demanded by the tessitura of Manon or Faust and change to the darker-hued phrases demanded in Carmen or Butterfly. "But the open secret of all success is patient, never-ending, conscientious work, with a forceful emphasis on the WORK:' BEFORE you decide to go in for a musical career, sit down and count the cost. There are several points to be considered: 1. Are you really so much in earnest that you can put aside the thousand-and-one diversions that make up your social life?—the teas, dinners, luncheons, and meetings with friends, which if not severely curtailed will inroad your practice hours and delay you on the way to your goal. 2. Are you willing to guard your health—even to be a little "fussy" over the matter—to restrain your appe-tite in all directions, and to get enough sleep to repair the body tissues? For sturdy health is one of the major assets of the artist, and no one, even with unUsual gifts, can attain his highest notch without good dependable health to back him. 3. Just how much—or how little—are you going to let the pricks and thorns of a musical life sting youp Have you sufficient philosophy to withstand all the spiteful criticisms that will undoubtedly come your way? Will you preserve a good-humored tranquility when someone tells you that your "method" is all wrong; that you have wasted time on an infinitesimal talent, or an ill-informed teacher? Can you bear the covert sneer; the patronizing air of superiority; the caustic criticism? If you cannot, you will get more pain than pleasure out of your musical career, no matter to what heights you attain. Try something else. But it is indubitably true that the one who can so weigh values that things will appear in their right per-spective—the light, trivial pleasures against the real and vital issues of life—such a one will build up a fine, artistic career, and will find the utmost satisfaction in it, and in the development of his natural talent, be it small or great.
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