We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hannah Taylor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hannah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

I would definitely consider myself your average private music teacher, except for the fact that I accept younger students than most. The industry standard, especially when it comes to voice teachers, is to not take on students until at least their late pre-teen years. I’ve taught voice lessons to students as young as 5, and I am confident in my reasons why.

Kids are going to sing. And now that they have constant access to all kinds of music, they are even more inclined to sing, which is the most wonderful thing- except for when it isn’t. Young girls will try to mimic Taylor Swift; young boys just want to rap. Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against any genre or Miss Swift! But when young kids attempt to mimic certain types of singing or mature adult voices, their own voices can unfortunately suffer damage early on.

I am always willing to accept new students of any young age, and though my goal is not to teach them technique meant for matured voices, I think it’s extremely important to begin teaching proper singing habits from as early as possible. It’s crucial that young kids learn that they are meant to sound like themselves and no one else. Their voice is unique and will never sound like Ariana Grande, but that’s not a bad thing! Ariana isn’t meant to sound like them. I strive to teach them that their voice is beautiful and can be shaped without completely changing it or distorting it, and I truly believe this education can be beneficial not only musically, but mentally as well. Kids gain confidence this way, as well as learning other techniques appropriate for their age, and in my experience, it’s only led to healthy and beautiful voices as they grow older, as well as confidence in their unique sound.

I will always be excited to take on young students for piano or voice, and I will gladly stand by that decision!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I grew up in a musical family and was put in piano lessons starting at age 4. I always loved singing and added lessons for it at age 12. I spent most of my growing up singing in choirs- traveling, auditioning, competing, and winning awards. I went to university on a vocal music scholarship and majored in vocal music. While in college, I participated in musicals, shows, choirs, and traveled Europe twice for choral tours. I began teaching private piano and voice lessons as a freshman and continued throughout college. After graduation, I applied and was hired as a private piano and voice teacher at The Dallas School of Music. I auditioned for and was invited to join the Dallas Symphony Chorus and was on the board of the Dallas, TX chapter of the National Music Teacher’s Association. After a few wonderful years at The Dallas School of Music, I decided it was time, and I started my own studio: The Hannah Taylor Studio of Music.

Over the years, my students have been accepted into and attended prestigious music schools and programs such as Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, the Greater Children’s Chorus of Dallas, and many other musical programs, summer programs, and schools.

In my studio, I host two formal recitals a year at The Sammons Center for the Arts in Dallas. I have students perform all kinds of music from Yankee Doodle, to Beethoven, to Moana, to Wicked. I encourage the discovery of all genres and aim to work with each student to help them reach their goals. My main priorities for each student in each lesson is that they will sing or play with healthy technique, that they will learn something new, that they will improve even in a small way, and that they will find confidence in their abilities. Music is such an incredible craft and making music uses so much energy and focus, as well as vulnerability and passion. Creating a safe and comfortable place for every student to explore their “voice” is of utmost importance to me.

I have been working one-on-one in voice and piano lessons with students for over 12 years now, and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon. I love it more and more all the time, and enjoy learning along with my students. Music makes the world better, and teaching kids to make that music is quite worthwhile, in my opinion.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I started college with the intention of receiving my degree in music education- the degree needed to be able to teach music in public or private schools. Before my final year of college, I began dreading the upcoming semester of student teaching and decided to change my major at the last minute to dropping the education part. I couldn’t stand the idea of teaching in a classroom. Working one-on-one with students is where my passion is. I love being able to connect with people individually, getting to know their personality and personal learning quirks, and being able to plan each minute of a lesson for exactly what they need. No core curriculum set up by the state, no unnecessary tests, no problems with some students being further along than others. I learned better in environments with private teachers or tutors, and I work better in them, too. I have never once regretted my choice to change my major last minute. I was able to receive all of the music education I needed to be able to teach privately, but could spend that student teaching time taking pedagogy classes that applied much more to my career goals. I am forever impressed and respectful of schools teachers, but it just wasn’t the path for me!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Be a great teacher, and people will pass the word along! I have been fortunate enough to hardly ever have to advertise my studio. The majority of my students are by referral.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.hannahtaylorstudioofmusic.com
• Instagram: @hannahtaylor_music