Applying for a Position: What You Need to Know

About Us

Hi! My name is Kimberly Cann, and to put it shortly (as it relates to the studios): I'm the Founding Director of Piano Lab and a 2006 Eastman grad with over 20 years of music performance and education experience. I officially opened our studios in 2010, and I am passionate about finding new ways to better support teachers as they, too, support the next generation of learners!

As a studio, we strive for excellence in every respect on behalf of hundreds of students, fellow instructors/performers, a multitude of collaborative arts programs and the community at large. For quite a while, we've been getting more students than we can handle with our current Faculty (and 4 studios), and we are seeking highly motivated instructors (whether brand new or experienced) to add to our team.

Whatever your particular blend of interests and talents, artsy Asheville is a great base-of-operations for someone who is looking for a balanced career in education, performance (collaborative or solo), and/or other areas of the music profession (and beyond, of course). In fact, one of the greatest "side perks" of taking this position is the automatic PR and instant number of professional contacts, etc. that can be sent your way! It has been my great pleasure to supply many local churches, schools, bands, theater companies, etc. with our Piano Lab musicians for part or full-time work over the years.

And in conclusion, we are looking for someone with a particular set of ethos & mindset who will truly be happy working within our studios. Before we go any further, please read on to get a sense of the environment we've worked hard to create (for everyone with whom we connect or mentor!).

Best,

Kimberly

ABOUT US

MINDSET & MISSION

First & foremost, we strive to follow The Four Agreements*...
1. Be impeccable with your word.
...and the art of communication is worth our continued practice.
2. Don't take anything personally.
Every now and then, you'll bump into someone out there who's having a bad day or is challenged in communicating. The right attitude makes all the difference in how you move forward!

_____

*Ancient Toltec wisdom, as laid out in a cool little book by Don Miguel Ruiz

3. Don't make assumptions.
Never a good idea, period. For instance, it's a bad idea for me to assume that everyone who may read this already understands its integral importance! :)
4. Always do your best.
And forgive yourself for the fact that your "best" will vary from day-to-day. None of us are perfect Superhumans, after all!

And here are a few additional thoughts straight from the horse's mouth...my mouth, lol. These are bullet points touching on larger topics, of course, but they provide a glimpse into the culture & the mindset surrounding our studios (and if these truly resonate with you, then we might be on our way to a great fit)!

+ Encouragement & kindness go a long way when used effectively in teaching!

+ In all relationships (professional and otherwise), clear communication is key.

+ One should never be afraid to ask questions.

+ Teaching music--like most everything else--isn't one-size-fits all. Adopting varied approaches for students and situations is essential to true success.

+ Classical music is one genre. Classical training does not require that classical music (by the narrowest definitions) be studied at the exclusion of all else...and in fact, that's generally a bad idea.

+ Ego (and its cousin, impatience) have no place in good teaching and mentoring. Moving at the pace of the student and enriching each life with whatever it's ready to take in--that should be the goal.

+ There's a difference between attention to detail (good) and endless nit-picking (no thank you, lol).

+ Practice makes perfect. Nope.

Practice makes permanent. Indeed.

Perfect practice makes perfect. Getting warmer.

Strive for "perfection," sure...but aim especially for creativity, expressiveness, confidence, & continuity. YES.

+ A big part of our job as music teachers is to mentor the next generation of creative problem-solvers and to model life skills like patience, organization, and pacing.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The instructional offerings within our growing set of four (4) award-winning music studios are in high demand, and we are seeking several more instructors to help us rise to the next level of service for our community! We also enjoy the process of mentoring teachers who could use guidance and experience, so please reach out--even if you lack experience!

LOCATIONS:

Our studios are all within roughly 20 minutes of each other and span North & West Asheville, Biltmore /South Asheville, Fairview, and Mills RIver.

SPECIFICS:

In particular, we are seeking instructors who

+ are comfortable working with children ages 5 & up,

+ possess skills in more than one area of music, and

+ who teach piano, guitar, and/or violin.

REMUNERATION:

Highly competitive & commensurate with experience! Additional pay is available for those with the ability/desire to take on additional responsibilities (i.e., group-teaching & facilitating some *small* Covid-safe Family/Pod group lessons; taking on certain responsibilities outside of teaching that pertain to the studio's needs and the individual's abilities & skill-sets. More info on these topics will be provided to promising, interested candidates).

ADDITIONAL PERKS:

+ Automatic PR and active studio efforts to acquire a healthy number of students on your behalf in very short order!

+ Access to tons of free printouts and resources to make teaching easier and more fun.

+ Arrangements of favorite pieces for your students--just ask the studio office!

+ Access to the studios for your own practice, recording, etc. outside of teaching times

+ Zero headache with administrative work, biling, recital planning, etc.--the office handles all of that!

HOURS:

Work hours could be tailored to the needs of the right candidate, but ideally, we are looking for someone who would like to take on at least 15+ hours per week...

HIRING TIMELINE: We would like to have new instructors in place ASAP/within the next 3-5 weeks.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you were referred to us via a professor at your college or university, you may temporarily skip the initial process below and simply reach out via text to get the ball rolling. Please text Kimberly at: 828.273.5420, and we will schedule a phone interview.

If you were NOT referred to us via your college/university music dept., then please begin by sharing the following materials with the Google folder linked below:

1. COVER LETTER

2. RESUME OR CV

3. VIDEO RECORDING. This does not have to be a professional recording. Using your phone in your living room is fine. We just need to see your competency/proficiency on any instrument(s) for which you'd like to be considered. Be sure the video is angled to show your technique (e.g., side profile showing you & the piano keys). Video length: no less than 1 minute, and as long as you'd like. Entire pieces not required. Youtube links are also fine.

SHARE EVERYTHING VIA THIS GOOGLE FOLDER, PLEASE: CLICK HERE

If you have any difficulty with the folder, you may email the materials instead to office@ashevillemusiclessons.com