We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Edmund Yu. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Edmund below.
Edmund, appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
Even as I began to teach my very first piano student, I had a vision of where this was all going. At the time, I had a mundane “9 to 5” at the headquarters of a global corporate firm in downtown Manhattan, so coming home in the evenings to my “real” job was an exciting time for me. I was 24 years of age, a few years and 2 jobs into the post-college real world when I knew that the novelty of being in the corporate world was long gone. Although I was an inexperienced teacher at the time, I knew that I could build something that would eventually become my professional career. So I figured the first task was to give this business a name. As I put some thought into the business name, I was moving toward developing a classical piano program for serious students. But I soon realized I hadn’t been much of a serious student myself, so I quickly moved on in a different direction. My foundation in piano was built on classical music so its style, forms, and techniques were already instilled in me. Naturally, I passed on that same foundation to my students. Students responded well to these classical-based techniques and my straightforward and clear instructions. The more direction I gave, the better the students’ results.
I was pumped at seeing students learn as much as they did, and I knew that my direct teaching style which had roots in classical music, would be the “method” to my students’ successes. Not only could I see my piano students thriving, but I also had a bigger vision that included students in guitar, violin, and voice. Yes, this was the birth of my pursuit to create a music studio for beginner students in all of these instruments and more, and the name it would come to be known as is Music And Method.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a music teacher of piano, guitar, violin, and voice in Staten Island, New York and I started Music And Method in 2002. We are a small music studio that specializes in piano lessons for beginners but we also work with students of all levels. My musical journey began at the tender age of 5 when my mother, a novice piano player, gave me piano lessons at home. I suppose I should have expected this since we are Asian, and she took both of my older sisters down this same path a few years before me. When I could outplay my mom on the piano, I began working with various private teachers through the years: Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Chan, and Lydia. Over the years, I learned to play the violin and guitar as well. And as I grew older, I joined small ensembles, orchestras, church choirs, and high school musicals. As much as music was an integral part of my childhood and adolescence, I went through a time of musical rebellion when I wanted little to do with music at all, but somehow it always managed to maintain a significant place in my life.
When it came time for me to join the working world, I considered my options in anthropology, as it was my major in college. However, I could not see a career in this field for me. So, I did the unexpected and applied for and eventually landed a job at a law firm doing graphic production. My boss was pleased with my performance there and my effort was recognized as I was promoted to Junior Presentation Specialist. Even though I enjoyed 4 weeks of vacation per year, and achieved some success at this company, the comfort of this office environment wasn’t enough to keep me there. I struggled to accept this job as my profession. Something inside of me was uneasy and kept telling me to “get out of Dodge”. But where would I go and what would I do? Music was always a passion of mine, so I wondered if this was where the “path” was leading. Little did I know I could make a career in music. However, my outlook became clear after I began working with my first piano student. For the first time, work was enjoyable and fulfilling, and became my passionate pursuit.
At Music And Method, our mission is to build a sound foundation of music literacy for all. Oftentimes, students only learn how to play music. I believe there is a limit to understanding music when expression is the only goal. So we work hard to teach students how to read music in its written form. When a student becomes musically literate, the symbols and notation in a song become much like driving directions: at the light, make a left, drive 5 miles, and then your destination will be on your right. It does take work to learn, but once fluency is achieved, music literacy will take the guesswork out of how to play a song! Reading music is our mantra and the heartbeat of Music And Method. We currently offer lessons in piano, guitar, violin, and voice in both private and group settings. We’ve assembled an exceptional team of 4 teachers whom I am proud to work alongside. Together, in the next several years, I’d love to grow Music And Method to become an integral part of music education on Staten Island.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
My teaching story began when a friend of mine asked if I would teach the piano to her 5-year-old niece. My friend knew of my music background, so decided to ask if I was interested in working with this little girl. Without much hesitation or thought, I agreed. This came about while I was working full-time at the corporate firm in New York City. It was a welcomed change to my routine and I felt fulfilled to do it because I was putting my skill and talent to good use. I thought, “All of those years of piano lessons are finally paying off!” Little did I know, I was truly beginning a journey that would take me for a ride for almost 22 years. Along the way, I discovered my strengths as an educator and what would become my teaching method. Teaching my very first student marked the start of this invaluable life experience and it has led to countless opportunities to work with so many people.
I was very fortunate that students’ families liked my teaching and were kind enough to tell others about me. One student led to another and then another. I must have done something right to have earned so many referrals! Fast forward to my 18th student and I was feeling positive about my side hustle. My students were learning to play music, and their parents were happy. I was rushing home almost every weeknight to meet with my students and my schedule was getting booked. I couldn’t ask for more…except for one thing. I never had 20 students on my schedule, yet I was on the verge of reaching this milestone, once again. Before this, whenever I had almost reached 20 students, someone would quit unexpectedly, or someone, after months of trying, would finally give up learning to play the piano. But this time I was determined to hit that 20-student mark, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.
I took a risk and did something drastic. In January 2007, just shy of 20 students, I quit my day job. It was the right time for this move. Now that I could spend normal business hours working at Music And Method, I felt that I could meet and surpass the 20-student mark. And I did! Things seemed to be going great until they began to fall apart.
Five months after quitting my job at the corporate headquarters, summer began. There was one not-so-small detail I had forgotten when it comes to teaching. Many students take a break every summer in favor of holidays, sandy beaches, and pink lemonade. Sure enough, one by one, my students began to put a hold on lessons. Although I lost most of my students that summer, this experience reminded me that one of the biggest responsibilities of my job is to recruit new students. This small, but significant epiphany motivated me to be more passionate about the work that I do. And it helped me to be proactive in building up the number of students in my studio instead of waiting for prospective students to call me.
At one point, there were enough students who were interested in music lessons that I wasn’t able to handle all of the requests I received. Since I didn’t want to turn anybody away, I decided it was the right time to bring on another piano teacher. This was helpful because it enabled me to relieve my hectic teaching schedule and focus on the other responsibilities of running a music studio business like improving student experience, community outreach, program development, and marketing. Having a trusted teacher on board gave me a big boost of confidence as I took another step towards realizing my vision for Music And Method. Since then, we’ve added two more members to our teaching team.
Having our teachers on board and working with a steady and increasing stream of students, the next logical step for us was to secure a teaching space. I am pleased to have been able to partner with a local church on Staten Island and conduct our lessons at their facility. Our teachers have access to teaching space at the church, and we also have the privilege to work with several members of their community.
Recently, we’ve improved student experience at Music And Method by offering ensemble lessons in piano, guitar, and violin. These classes have been refreshing for the students because they can work closely with peers and learn to play songs together. The idea of combining the talents of multiple musicians is a big part of the musical experience: think Simon and Garfunkel, the New York Philharmonic, and the Three Tenors. At Music And Method, we aim to create a collaborative experience in our ensembles and offer our students the best opportunities to learn to play music.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Through the years, I have been very fortunate to have worked with many good people who have allowed me to teach them. I started as a youthful and inexperienced teacher, but my enthusiasm and fresh perspective quickly settled me into my new role. I think that students see my passion for and commitment to the process of learning to play an instrument. I set goals for students that are realistic and use effective strategies. I have a practical approach to my lessons that I think students appreciate. Positive results always speak for themselves.
A good reputation takes time to build up but only moments to tear down. I work hard to maintain the standard we have set for our students and teachers at Music And Method. Then, and now, our students value our goal to spread music education and I am grateful that they continue to tell others about us.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.musicandmethod.com
- Instagram: musicandmethod
- Facebook: musicandmethodsi
- Youtube: musicandmethod9223
Image Credits
Robert Esomar Photography