Piano Power logo

We empower teachers.

Piano Power knows that happy teachers make happy students. We offer full health benefits, competitive pay, and fully compensated driving time.

We value your talents and your time.

Are you a musician seeking respect, stability, and a community that values your talents? Tired of exploitative jobs and stodgy studios that leave you feeling undervalued? We get it. We’ve been there. You deserve better.

Piano Power believes that every musician is worthy of a fair, respectful workplace that acknowledges their talents. Over the past 16 years, we’ve crafted a great culture for over 100 Chicago-area musicians.

Don’t take our word for it – click play on the video below to hear from three of our awesome instructors.

We understand that it can be risky to try a new studio.

You might worry about not getting enough students, having too much driving time, or not having enough teaching experience. But our teacher-centric culture means that we don’t thrive unless you do.

Here are our Core Values:

Happy teachers make happy students.

Keeping teachers happy has always been the foundation of our success. We attract and retain great teachers by providing financial security, health benefits, and a fun, respectful workplace. We work diligently to fill your schedule and compensate you for all driving time.

Emotional intelligence.

We hire for emotional intelligence first, and outstanding musicianship second. You are bringing your full self to your work, and we treat you like a full person in return.

Humor and humility.

Music education succeeds when it’s fun. We turn down the pressure, turn up the smiles, and never take ourselves too seriously.

A culture of mentorship.

For you to be an outstanding mentor, you deserve to have an outstanding mentor. From day one, you’re matched with a Lead Teacher, a high-EQ veteran who’s always down for a coffee hang or a check-in text.

Fun, customized, anti-competitive lessons

We never put our teachers into a “one-size-fits-all” curriculum. You have full freedom to customize your lessons for each student, based on their interests and learning style, to maximize enjoyment for you and your students.

Thinking about making the switch to Piano Power?

Say goodbye to financial stress that leaves no time for creativity. Piano Power can help you achieve financial stability, health insurance, ample time for music-making, and a supportive community. Level up your lifestyle as a working artist, with productive teaching hours and time for creative exploration.

Amplify your career and harmonize your life.

Here’s the tracklist for your ‘Career Makeover Mixtape’:

1.

1. Tell us about you

Apply and tell us about you.

 

2.

2. Do a phone call with us

Do a phone call with us to confirm we’re a great fit.

 

3.

3. Show us your musical magic

Show us your musical magic.

 

4.

4. Try a lesson with one of our students

Try out a lesson with one of our students.

 

5.

5. Start teaching with us!

Start teaching with us!

 

6.

6. Watch your schedule fill up.

Watch your schedule fill up!

 

Ready to transform your career?

Click below to apply online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why work for Piano Power?

Why work for Piano Power? Unlike other lesson providers, we are a teacher-centric, local, Chicago-based business. In other words, we focus on a satisfying work experience for our teachers — great student matches, professional development, efficient routes, full schedules, and an engaged artistic community. Furthermore, our professional admin team keeps everything — logistics, payment, scheduling, and marketing — running smoothly.

What is the pay?

Our introductory rate is $35-$50 per teaching hour, based on experience. We provide generous annual raises for great performance, substantial bonuses for reliability, full compensation for your driving time, and comprehensive health insurance for qualifying teachers.

Do you provide health benefits?

We provide full health benefits for teachers who teach four or more days per week.

Why do I need a car?

Lessons are in our clients’ homes, and our teachers commute from house to house.

Is there a travel or gas stipend?

We compensate our teachers for all in-between-lesson time at City of Chicago minimum wage, currently $15.80/hr.

Where will I be teaching?

Our clients primarily live in the North Shore (e.g., Deerfield, Evanston, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Wilmette, Winnetka). We have a smaller number of students on the north side of Chicago (e.g., Andersonville, Avondale, Bucktown, Gold Coast, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Logan Square, North Center, Ravenswood, Rogers Park, Roscoe Village, Uptown, Wicker Park).

On average, how many days a week do I work?

You set your own schedule. Our teachers generally teach three to five days per week. Reliable teachers maintaining a four-day (or more) weekly schedule are eligible for substantial bonuses.

What if a client cancels?

We maintain an annual limit of two cancellations during the school year and three during summer to make sure you have consistent families on your schedule. Once a client reaches that limit, you’re fully compensated for all future cancellations.

How can I prepare for an interview with Piano Power?

We look for musicians who can sight-read, develop an original composition with a student, and arrange a pop song by ear. We evaluate these skills during the interview.

But more importantly, we’re looking for empathy, good listening, and the ability to discover what motivates your students. We highly value interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.

Also, the power of patience, positivity, and a sense of humor can’t be denied. We appreciate humor especially when it reflects an aptitude for honest self-assessment. Evidence of humility and an honest desire to improve your craft can also go a long way.

These qualities don’t always correlate with being a conservatory-trained musician, but they do correlate with being an effective music teacher.

Read the priceless quality I look for in a music teacher.

Once hired, how will I be evaluated on an ongoing basis?

We’re very invested in helping you be the best teacher you can be. Once hired, you’ll be paired with a Lead Teacher — a veteran mentor who’s always a text away. Your Lead Teacher is also available to observe one of your lessons upon request. Having a dedicated mentor is a huge factor in making your Piano Power teaching experience happy and meaningful.

On a more formal level, we’re looking for teachers who can retain students, maintain at least a 90% attendance rate, respond promptly via phone/email/text, encourage recital participation from their students, and inspire great feedback from their students’ families.

What if I refer a new teacher?

You receive a $300 bonus!

What's the company culture like?

We nurture a feeling of teacher community, which is especially important when we work remotely. That’s why we have parties for teachers twice a year (our last one was at Sleeping Village), informal “Idea Potlucks” for teacher enrichment, weekly “office hours” via Zoom, a Telegram group chat, and field trips to teacher performances around the city! We love that so many of our teachers are working musicians, and we love seeing them in action!

FREE GUIDE!

How to Give the PERFECT First Lesson

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