We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katherine Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katherine below.
Katherine, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Success requires flexibility. I graduated with a Masters Degree in Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from the University of Houston in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. With a degree in opera performance, it seemed like my world was crashing down around me. Opportunities to perform were limited and the future of classical music seemed to be in question. I could have taken this to mean I needed to drastically shift my priorities and select a different career; however, instead I decided to focus on a different aspect of music: teaching. Because I was able to reframe my situation, I was not only able to continue pursuing what I love, but I was able to I create new opportunities for myself and have grown those opportunities into a new thriving business providing private voice and piano lessons.
Katherine, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am an opera singer and music educator. I began singing when I was just seven years old.. I began private voice lessons in my teen years and continued to sing throughout high school, college, and grad school. In 2018 I graduated from The Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and in 2020 I earned a Masters from The University of Houston. Both degrees are in vocal performance. When I graduated grad school in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I had to reevaluate my long-term plan regarding my career goals. Although performance is still my ultimate goal, I shifted my focus towards teaching. I have built a studio of over 40 students studying voice and piano at all levels. I am passionate about sharing my enthusiasm for music and creating a safe and inclusive space for my students to create, grow and refine their talent.
In addition to my teaching endeavors, I am still an active recitalist and performer in the Houston area. I have recently joined the Houston Grand Opera as a staff chorister and continue to make music with Chapelwood United Methodist Church.
I find that by balancing my teaching and performing endeavors I am able to not only better myself as a performer and educator but also demonstrate the demands and rewards of the career to my students.
Owning your own business can be extraordinarily taxing and challenging; however, I would have it no other way.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
Over the past eight years, I, much like many artists, worked in the service industry to make ends meet. Throughout college and graduate school I used restaurant work as well as occasional teaching (voice) to fund my education and competition fees. In 2021, I decided to prioritize what makes me happy music. I decided to go all in on teaching and performing. It was very scary to go from a position of financial stability to getting my own small business off the ground. Although there were some growing pains, I was able to grow my private teaching studio to 40 students and in my free time I was able to focus on excelling in my performance opportunities.
For me the key to building a clientele base as I transitioned into teaching full time was by word of mouth. I focus on creating bonds with the families that I work with so that they will refer me to their friends. The process to building a full studio took time, but by providing a reliable service, arriving promptly, and building strong relationships with my students and their parents I have created a thriving business.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Word of mouth was the best way for me to build up my reputation as a music teacher. I concentrated my work in specific neighborhoods so that I can bolster my reputation within these communities. Students and parents refer me to their neighbors and friends and because of that I have multiple clients in the Heights, Memorial, and Sugar Land.
Contact Info:
- Website: Thejonesmusicstudio.com
- Instagram: @katherinejonessoprano
- Facebook: Katherinejonessoprano
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCuPUQK2-ROqB_FQJGSyWWzQ