How to Find an
Exceptional Piano Teacher
The ultimate guide to selecting the right piano teacher for lasting growth and enjoyment
Rose Park
11/15/21 • updated 9/1/25 • 4 min read
When you look for a piano teacher either online or in-person, it can sometimes be difficult to tell whether the instructor is professional, friendly, and a good fit for you.
So how do you decide which piano teacher to choose? How can you tell if one instructor is more effective at teaching than another? And just as importantly, who feels more likable and inspiring to learn from?
It’s worth taking the time to compare teachers and find the one who is the best fit for you. The right instructor can have a lasting impact on your learning journey. Students often learn a great deal by observing how teachers play, think about music, and express themselves at the piano.
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Get a professional piano instructor from the start
The earlier you begin working with an experienced piano instructor, the quicker you will build a strong foundation in technique and confidence at the keyboard. This doesn’t always mean paying extra for someone with a long list of degrees or awards. What matters most is finding a piano teacher who can:
- Tailor your learning path to your goals
- Inspire a genuine love of music
- Encourage you to take on challenges and grow as a pianist
- Provide consistent, detailed feedback
A common mistake many piano students make is starting with a less experienced, lower-cost teacher and later switching to a more qualified instructor. This transition often creates confusion and can take years to undo bad habits with posture, fingering, hand position, or wrist control.
Each piano teacher brings a different approach to lessons. Some place more emphasis on technical exercises and precision, while others encourage you to focus on expression, interpretation, and playing with musicality. The key is finding the balance that helps you develop both the skills and the artistry needed to enjoy your piano journey.
Review piano teacher’s background
Degrees in Piano Performance or Pedagogy
When possible, take a moment to look at the degree your potential piano teacher earned in college. Many of the best instructors hold advanced degrees, such as a Bachelor’s or Master’s in piano performance from good music schools. Along with their degrees, they often show their ability through recordings, competition prizes, and frequent public recitals or concerts.
Here are a few helpful questions you can ask about a teacher’s education:
- Did you major in piano performance or another area?
- Do you have at least a Bachelor’s degree in piano?
- Did you take courses in piano pedagogy, music education, theory, or music history?
For Parents: If you are looking for a piano teacher for your child, you may want to start with someone who majored in music education with a focus on piano performance. These teachers are great for beginners because they can teach essential skills like reading music, understanding rhythm and theory, and building healthy piano habits. They often bring classroom or group teaching experience too, which can help younger children stay engaged and motivated.
As your child grows, sometimes within a year or two, it can be great to move on to a teacher with an advanced degree in piano performance. These instructors can guide students into more expressive playing and prepare them for recitals, local competitions, or formal music exams such as ABRSM or Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM). They can also support your child as they begin playing more challenging repertoire and developing confidence at the piano.
Competitions and Performance Experience
When you are choosing a piano teacher, look at their performance background. This might include winning competition prizes, making a debut, performing with other musicians, or giving solo and concerto concerts.
Start by checking the teacher’s website and reading their bio. If they share recordings of live performances, take a little time to watch or listen — it’s one of the best ways to get a sense of their playing and musical style.
A good piano teacher will usually share some of their performance experience, such as competitions, recitals, tours, summer festivals, masterclasses, or concerto performances. Seeing these details is important because students often feel inspired when they study with a teacher who is active as a performer. It gives them both a role model and real-world examples of musical expression.
Teaching Experience in Piano
Besides checking a teacher’s degree, it’s also good to look for a piano instructor with at least three years of teaching experience. Many great teachers have taken piano pedagogy courses in college, which gives them a strong background in how to teach well.
It also helps to find a teacher who is comfortable using piano method books. These books are especially helpful for beginners and children because they provide structure, introduce skills step by step, and make lessons more engaging. A good example is Faber Piano Adventures, one of the most widely used piano series for young students.
To find out if a teacher uses method books like Faber, check their teaching description on their website or ask them directly during your first conversation.
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Background Check
Not every piano teacher lists this online, but you should check if the teacher has done and passed a comprehensive background check, especially if the lesson is for your child. Some live online piano lesson websites, such as Lesson With You, offer free trial lessons with professional piano instructors who are fully background checked.
14 Questions to ask when finding a piano teacher
About the lessons
Once you’re done with narrowing down a number of potential piano teachers, the next step is to talk with them. Here are some questions you can ask:
- How much does each lesson cost?
- When and how do you prefer to receive payment?
- Do you have a cancellation policy? If so, are there any fees?
- Can lessons be rescheduled?
- Do you offer weekly lessons or lesson packages?
- Is there a family discount available?
- Do you teach in person only, or do you also offer hybrid or online lessons?
About the piano lesson curriculum
- How many piano students do you teach? What ages and levels?
- How do you build a lesson plan? Is the curriculum personalized?
- Do you expect students to participate in recitals, juries, or competitions?
- What are your practice expectations for beginners and advanced students?
- Which piano method books do you use?
- How do you motivate students to practice piano and improve?
- How long should it take for a student (beginner or intermediate) to level up?
Take a trial lesson first before you commit
When contacting potential piano teachers, make sure to ask if they offer
trial lessons. Taking a trial lesson will give you fresh insights on a couple of things:
- Does the teacher speak clearly and make the student feel comfortable? How do they respond to the student’s answers and questions?
- How does the teacher start and guide the piano lesson? Is it engaging? How often do they play and demonstrate at the piano?
- What is the teacher’s personality like—friendly, quiet, or a little strict? Do they seem approachable and likable?
- How often does the teacher give feedback? Do they pay attention to detail and correct mistakes? How does the student respond to praise and constructive criticism?
- How does the teacher end the lesson? When giving assignments or homework, does the student leave knowing exactly what to practice next?
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How to choose the right piano teacher after a trial lesson
Take your time when choosing the right piano instructor. In addition to evaluating the trial lesson and the teacher’s quality, it helps to think about a few other factors before making your decision.
Lesson Costs
According to our recent piano lesson cost guide, the average cost is $40 for a half hour piano lesson. Live online lessons using video chats typically charge between $20–40 for a half hour lesson. Local private piano lessons average $45 per half hour, while in-person group lessons can cost $20 for the same amount of time.
Flexible Scheduling
Lesson and Teacher Reviews
When finding a piano teacher online or in-person, you should always check and read the lesson reviews. If you’re particularly looking for a live online piano lesson, you will notice the reviews left in the teacher profile. If 8 or 9 out of 10 reviews are positive, that means the teacher is great and able to teach a high-quality piano lesson.
If you want to get in-person piano lesson recommendations, you can ask friends, neighbors or even find a piano teacher online and ask if they offer lessons in person.
Contracts
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Rose Park
Rose Park is a graduate of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University where she studied Piano Performance and Arts Administration, receiving both Bachelor's and Master's degrees before co-founding Lesson With You. As a pianist, Rose was a prizewinner in many international piano competitions and performed at various summer programs and festivals across the United States, Italy, and Japan.