Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Raquelle Blackwood. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Raquelle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard
I definitely take a more holistic approach to music, and I think this helps me stand apart from others in my industry.
I have a relatively strict classical background in piano, and my lessons growing up were pretty rigid. I wasn’t necessarily encouraged by my teachers to explore other kinds of music, though I am grateful I was never actively discouraged. I was always expected to practice 30 minutes a day, 7 days a week, and this is especially where I depart from my original instruction.
When I say I’m a holistic music instructor, I mean that I take into account every part of a student’s schedule. Most of our kiddos are in school all day, with 2-3 extracurricular activities and homework to attend to after school. When they step into my studio, they’re already exhausted, so I don’t burden them with strict practice regimens right off the bat.
Rather, I teach them how to practice effectively. When a student starts and you throw them into a 7 days a week practice schedule, there’s little to no chance they’ll actually keep up with it—no matter how much they want to actually play! So I start with helping them carve out time; 15 minutes after school, twice a week maybe. Then we try to slowly increase it based on their priorities.
Some students just want to pick up a hobby. For these people, 3 times a week is usually plenty. Some kids want to grow up to be composers, and I discuss the necessities of a more extensive practice schedule while also working with a “starting point.” And then we talk about HOW to practice when you actually make it to the piano, learning how to make the most of their precious time.
The last thing I also do differently is I ask students about their self-care. It’s a bit of a buzzword these days but students especially need it more than ever, and it has reverberative (pun intended!) effects on their music-making. With voice students especially, it’s important to account for managing illness, stress, and vocal hygiene. Since each student’s instrument (voice) is different, they each need individualized instruction. Actually identifying the cause of an unhelpful practice behavior (usually a mental block) is the most effective way to use our practice time, and I’ve seen outstanding results in relatively short amounts of time.
All in all, playing music is not a linear process. It’s as complicated as we are human, and that’s the fun of it! Every student receives something different from music; for some, it’s a form of expression, an outlet for stress, a career path, or all of the above! This is why I choose to treat it as individually as each student experiences it.
Raquelle, 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 never sought to become a music teacher. I thought I would be terrible at it. I did the whole “starving artist” thing–and hated every minute of it. I waited tables while I waited on the big break that never came. In truth, it was never coming, because my heart wasn’t in the right place.
Fed up with living this way, and through a series of mental health struggles and a life-changing diagnosis, I started looking for other work. I wanted to finally utilize my music degree, which was collecting dust at the bottom of a closet. I decided to take the leap, and applied to a few teaching positions. I accepted one day a week at first to test the waters, and immediately fell in love.
Since then, I’ve expanded that one day a week to a full-time gig and a budding business. Currently, I teach piano, voice, songwriting, release-planning, and self-marketing. I teach both classical and commercial styles. I also provide Tarot card readings and alternative spiritual coaching on the side.
Due to the individuated nature of my courses and the eclectic nature of my business model, I help my clients solve a wide range of problems, including but not limited to: how to find their natural singing voice, how to stylize their music, how to prepare for a sonata competition, chord theory, how to record and release their music, Tiktok marketing, career guidance, and even helping someone move through the grief of a departed loved one (I must note that I am not a mental health professional, but as a Tarot reader, people often need help moving through grief and loss of direction).
I think I’m most proud of the community I’ve built with my services, as well as the ability to maintain a safe space for my students. As stated above, I’m not a mental health professional, but due to my own experiences with mental health and trauma, I’ve learned how to move through the healing process and am passionate about creating a space for people to do the same if needed. I’m proud of the high-quality education and life skills I am able to provide to my clients and the results that they’ve had as a result. I’m proud of helping my students reach excellence. Teaching has given me direction and purpose that I didn’t know was possible, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I think this might be a bit controversial, but I had to unlearn the idea that productivity is everything. We start sending kids to school when they’re four or five years old for all the right reasons: we want them to get a solid education, make friends, and set them up on a good career path.
However, when I emerged from college and started my career path, I realized that I was so burnt out every day that I could hardly make it out of bed. And I know I’m not the only one. I see people on social media all the time asking what’s “wrong” with Millennials and Gen-Z. I don’t think that anything is wrong with us, though–I think we’re just realizing our worth and are brave enough to stand up for the life we deserve.
We saw our parents work jobs they hated and live lives that were not their own to give us a better life. They told us, “you can do whatever you want if you work hard enough!” and we really internalized that. Don’t get me wrong, I totally believe that hard work is important. I just don’t think that it needs to be our everything, and often what we want is not what we actually need.
I love what I do, but I also love living my life. I love going to the beach once a week and marveling at the dolphins peeking their fins out of the water. I love renovating bookshelves I find at flea markets, and spending time with my partner and our dogs. I try to, as much as possible, organize my life so that there’s plenty of time to spend with my friends. I used to view these simplicities as luxuries that would come around only when I had accomplished all of my work goals. But when I decided to heal myself mentally, I realized that these weren’t luxuries; these were necessities, and the absence of them was actually taking away from my career.
So I try to model this for my students. Kids sometimes tear up in our lessons, telling me that they’re so exhausted. Music can be extremely therapeutic in this way. They let it all go, and they admit that they don’t feel like enough a lot of the time. I’ll usually ask them what they need; sometimes they want the distraction of the music lesson. Other times, they need to vent, or ask for self-care tips. We talk about meditation techniques and I try to encourage them to prioritize their own joy, when applicable.
I have this dream of owning my own storefront in this city with a business model that reflects these ideals. I want to offer ample time off for my employees, health and mental health coverage, and create a sacred space for all who enter to feel respected. I want to do what little I can to show that there’s a different way to do capitalism and business in general. I’m glad I’ve unlearned my own toxic productivity, because it’s given me a whole new goal to work towards which aligns with my values.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think the main thing that has helped grow and maintain my reputation is authenticity and excellence. I hold my students to high standards, but I also hold space for them to be human. Music is an incredibly sacred art, and as such it needs to be treated with respect. There’s times to drill tough passages, and there’s also times to explore. I encourage my students to do both, and above all, to fall in love with the craft and the work which is required for excellence within it.
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Headshot: Alex Mars