Why Group Lessons Could Be Your Music School’s Biggest Opportunity
The New Challenge for Music School Owners
If you own a music school, you’ve probably felt the post-COVID pinch. One of the toughest challenges? Finding qualified instructors. It was hard enough before the pandemic, but now, the talent pool is even shallower. Naturally, many school owners turn to group classes as a solution. But here’s the problem: group lessons often come with a stigma. Parents (and even school owners) tend to view them as a cheaper, second-rate alternative to private instruction.
But what if that thinking is all wrong?
The future of your school isn’t about finding more teachers—it’s about reimagining the experience you offer.
The Hidden Power of Group Lessons
Ask most music educators, and they’ll agree—playing in an ensemble brings an energy and excitement that solo performance simply doesn’t. Ensemble playing is communal, dynamic, and fun. It helps kids stay motivated and connected. Yet, many of us hesitate to offer group lessons because we grew up in a private-lesson-first model. We started with one-on-one lessons, then later joined ensembles, if at all.
That hesitation is understandable—but it might be time to reconsider.
What if your group program wasn’t your backup plan—but the thing that made your school unforgettable?
The First Barrier: Your Belief
Before you can successfully offer group lessons, you need to believe in their value—not just for your school’s bottom line, but for your students. If your only motivation is to increase revenue by fitting more kids into fewer teaching hours, parents will see right through it. But when you genuinely believe that group lessons provide a richer, more engaging musical experience, your enthusiasm will be contagious.
So how do you get there? Start by reflecting on how kids actually learn.
If you believe in the magic of groups, your families will believe it too.
Kids Learn Best in Groups
Think about it: almost everything kids do is in a group. School? Group learning. Sports? Team activities. Dance, martial arts, gymnastics? All group-based. Music, oddly enough, is one of the few areas where we default to one-on-one instruction.
That sends a message: that music is so complex or specialized, it requires individual coaching. But is that really true? Is learning an instrument harder than learning to dance or play soccer? Not at all.
Parents sign their kids up for music lessons because they want their child to grow—personally, emotionally, socially. They want their child to build confidence, learn focus, and develop resilience. And group lessons can deliver that, often more effectively than private instruction.
Parents aren’t buying lessons. They’re buying confidence, joy, and growth.
Rethinking the Music Lesson
When we shift our focus from perfect technique and note-reading to excitement, progress, and belonging, it opens the door to a new model. In group settings, kids get to experience the joy of music right away. Programs like Kidzrock and Piano Jam do exactly that—they put the ensemble experience front and center from day one.
Rather than spending months mastering scales alone, kids join a “band” or ensemble immediately. They play music together, feel part of a team, and gain confidence in their abilities. The technical skills will come in time, just as kids learning a language start by speaking before they learn grammar and reading.
Let kids fall in love with music first—the skills will follow.
Flip the Script: Make Private Lessons the End Goal
In most other activities—sports, dance, martial arts—kids start in groups. The ambitious ones eventually seek out private coaching to refine their skills. Music education has done it backward. We start kids in private lessons and delay (or skip) the ensemble experience altogether. What if we flipped the script?
What if private lessons became the next level that kids aspire to, after discovering the joy of making music with others?
Make private lessons the reward—not the requirement.
Practical Considerations
Some music schools may worry about space or logistics. And it’s true—group lessons require room to rehearse and perform. But if you’re considering a new location or reworking your setup, group classes are worth exploring. They offer:
- Scalability: More students per teacher means higher profit margins.
- Stronger community: Kids feel part of something bigger, and parents appreciate the social, team-based element.
- Higher retention: Kids are more likely to stick with music when it’s fun and social.
Group classes don’t just fill your rooms—they fill your community with music.
Group Lessons: Not Plan B—Plan A
Group classes shouldn’t be the fallback plan for when you can’t find teachers for private lessons. With the right approach, group lessons can become your school’s biggest opportunity to stand out, scale, and create meaningful, memorable musical experiences for your students.
If you’re ready to see what this could look like at your school, Kidzrock and Piano Jam are proven models that can help you get started. These programs aren’t just alternatives to private lessons—they’re better for many kids, delivering faster engagement, excitement, and a sense of success.
A Big Thanks to Our Contributors
I want to give a special shout-out to these music school owners who generously shared their ideas and experiences for this episode:
- Scott Mulrooney, The Music Shop – Southington, CT
“If I had to do it over again I would have focused more towards lessons and growing that component of the business. Retail can be a nice addition to your revenue stream, but you must purchase carefully to avoid overextending yourself with products that don’t move or get comparison shopped against the online giants.”
- Dominic Randolfi, Jamm Studios – Merseyside, England
“Do it. Done in the right way it can be lucrative. A good idea would be to partner with brands, most will give additional trade discounts for educational purposes. Building that relationship will bring other brands to you: we have done this successfully, and now we have a strong list of contacts to go to if we want to do anything special for shows or events.”
- Joe Summa, Greenwich Music – Riverside, CT
“Leave retail to Amazon, if you’re doing well with lessons try to build on that.”
Pros: Cash cow since we own all the instruments, great feeder for new students
Cons: Pain in the ass during the thick of it but still worth it overall
- Kelly Marsh, Key To Music – Port Saint Lucie, FL
“Consignment is a great option. For the first 5 years we had over $100,000 in instruments. I do not miss it. I have no instruments and I’m making more money. Spend time on sales, concerts, customer experience.”
- Karen Zgonc, ZTunes – Atlanta, GA
“Affiliate of Music and Arts. Pros: Easy commission check every month. They take care of everything. New families visiting our site at the beginning of the year. Cons: Busy work for about 4 weeks of the year. Stress of losing track of an instrument. Their paperwork system is dated.”
- Joe Johnston, Cameron Musici – Livonia, MI
“Pros: Reliable revenue, connects us to schools, drives private lessons and sales, engages whole families, and builds long-term community ties. Cons: High investment and maintenance costs, requires a service department, and consistent issues with delinquent accounts.”
Their input is helping music school owners everywhere think bigger, try new things, and reimagine what’s possible in their schools.
