This article/blog entry is to bring forth my opinion on the music teaching business in India and particularly New Delhi. Having taught at various music schools in New Delhi and also being the director at School of Symphony, I have come to know of a lot of truths about this business which many parents and students do not know and I would like to take this opportunity to share these with you.

1. The number of music schools in New Delhi has tripled in the last 2 years and this is because of the snowballing effect. Leading a life of a musician is still not that easy as far as financial earnings are concerned. Teaching music is the easiest thing that a musician can do and thus everyone wants to teach or start a music school even if they are not that proficient themselves. In fact I know many of my students who are already teaching to other students.
   
2. Group lessons are meant to teach English, Mathematics and not Piano, Guitar or Drums. But still many schools have group lessons because it makes more sense financially.
   
3. The standard for music lessons is one class per week in UK, Germany, USA, Italy etc. Schools which have high fees on the pretext of taking more lessons per week are just pulling a financial trick.
   
4. To learn music you are 20% dependant on your trainer/school and 80% dependant on your own practice and dedication.
   
5. One must enquire about the qualifications of the trainer as in most of the schools there are unqualified trainers as they charge less. But the qualification is not the only thing required in a good trainer. What a trainer must also have is the ability to convey and communicate efficiently. I have seen many highly qualified musicians who are not half as good when it comes to teaching. So the best way to find out the ability of a trainer is to take one class.
   
6. Check out the instruments that the school is providing you to learn on. 90% of the schools which are teaching piano do not even have a digital piano. I am yet to come across a music school in New Delhi which teaches keyboards on a keyboard which is better than Yamaha PSR 295. I am proud that I teach on Yamaha Motif XS which is the same model used by A.R. Rahman and Stevie Wonder. Similarly for drums, most of the schools teach on a basic Indian made kit to save money on purchase and repair. But take my word for it that it does help a lot to learn on good professional instruments. 
   
7. Music schools should organize regular workshops relating to topics which can be taught in a group and which are do not make sense to be included in normal courses. And there can be hundreds of such topics. Somehow parents and students do not realize this and so most of the schools do not take this initiative.
   
8. It really helps to play with other people as it teaches a completely different set of skills that are not learnt otherwise. So if your music school gives you or your child an opportunity to do the same it is absolutely great.
   
9. At the end of the day the most important thing to be able to learn efficiently is a good trainer with a small room and a good quality instrument. So these should be on your topmost priority while choosing a music school.

 Somehow all the parents who are in their 30’s these days want their children to learn music. And I admit that it is just absolutely amazing for a child to learn music. And in case you do not agree, take my word for it that it even helps the regular school studies. But at the same time I would insist that it is very important to choose a right teacher/school for the student as there are many musician/teacher/school quacks out there. A bad teacher has the ability to ruin music learning forever for the student. Good luck!