Transcript: Snapshot 033 — Kay Lowry
Transcript for Snapshot 033 – Kay Lowry
Andrea: [00:00:00] Hey, it’s Andrea with Music Studio Startup, the podcast about the business of teaching music. Learn from the startup stories of music teachers who are doing incredible things with their studios. Be inspired by creative musicians who are branching out and thriving as entrepreneurs. Be empowered by the insights of experts who will help you grow your own studio.
Let’s get started.
Welcome back. We are doing a special series on the podcast this summer called Studio Snapshots. Rather than the in-depth process oriented interviews you’re used to hearing, these rapid fire interviews, give us a glimpse into a guest’s studio at a moment in time. They’re part reflection, part anticipation of the future, and fully a celebration of where these teachers are today.
Today I’m talking to Kay Lowry. Here’s Kay’s Snapshot. [00:01:00] Hi, Kay. Welcome to the podcast. Can you introduce yourself and tell us briefly about your studio?
Kay Lowry: Hi, Andrea. Thank you for having me. I’m Kay Lowry, and my studio is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. I’ve been living here three years, but I’ve been teaching about 40 years, and currently most of my students are online.
Andrea: Okay. Thank you for that intro, and today we are doing a snapshot interview, which is a quick, rapid fire just check into your studio at this moment of time, so we’ll jump right in. What are you celebrating from the last school year?
Kay Lowry: Well, when I moved here, I took my studio completely online so I could capture the students that I previously had in my other location. And I’ve been here two and a half years a hundred percent online. But I am celebrating that I have recently accepted four local students and they have really put a lot of energy into my [00:02:00] teaching. It has been so fun.
Andrea: How were you challenged last year?
Kay Lowry: Challenged. Well, I think there’s a subtle shift that is happening with beginners and parents.
It’s been happening for a while. I hear a lot of teachers talking about it on social media, and this is that our students are learning differently, they’re retaining differently, and they’re practicing differently at home. And so my challenge is to try to meet those differences with my studio and my teaching.
Andrea: Yeah, I think a lot of teachers are feeling that right now. Did you take any risks or go outside your comfort zone last year?
Kay Lowry: I really did because I’ve come to a point where I feel like it’s time to give back to the profession. So I presented at the MTNA National Virtual Conference this year that was outside of my comfort zone. I’ll be [00:03:00] presenting in person in June at the Texas MTA conference and I’ll be exhibiting at the Oklahoma MTA conference. I’ve never done any of those things, but it’s my way of giving back.
Andrea: Well, I saw your presentation at Tempo and I thought it was fantastic. So well done. Thank you for doing that.
And what are your takeaways from that experience in going outside your comfort zone in that way?
Kay Lowry: Wow. It’s challenging. To the core, I have to evaluate what do I have to give that is of value to teachers and then also stay true to, I think what has worked for me and what I see really brings a spark to the eyes of my students.
Andrea: And what do summers look like in your studio for your students and also for you?
Kay Lowry: This summer is different. I for the first time in a long, long time, I’m taking an extended time off, probably about six [00:04:00] weeks with no teaching. And the reason I’m doing that is for my current clientele, they have just had it with summer lessons and so I increased my prices where I could make it doable. Many of them travel overseas and it’s just going to be a break for all of us. It’ll be different.
Andrea: All right, and what are you doing this summer to prep for the next school year?
Kay Lowry: So in regards to that subtle shift I mentioned earlier. Next year, I am looking to incorporate buddy lessons or small group lessons back into my studio.
I previously had done that with my in-person students, so I’m very excited to offer that to my local students. And some of my online students will be in partner lessons as well, so I’m going to spend the summer writing lesson [00:05:00] plans for Buddy lessons so that I know exactly what I’m gonna to be doing each week for these multi-level type lessons in the fall.
Andrea: Have you done the online buddy lessons before?
Kay Lowry: During pandemic we did, and I’m really hopeful that I can really drill down and refine it better, and I did before. At that time we were kind of scrambling and I’m hoping to just get really good at it and the kids are already excited about it.
Andrea: What app or tool has made the biggest impact on your studio or life management in this last year?
Kay Lowry: I love Practice Space. They keep innovating. They make it easier for me to give assignments with not only just written instructions, but audio, video, so many rich things. I can challenge my students. I can put them in groups, which I’ll do this fall. I’ve done two challenges on practice space [00:06:00] where my studio has to accumulate a certain number of points, and as they do so, they buy virtual tokens. And when we get to a certain amount, I donate towards adopting an animal. So this year we adopted a sloth from the Houston Zoo, and it’s just a way for us to just have some fun and them to be able to realize they’re practicing for a cause, so to speak. So Practice Space has been a game changer. So fun.
Andrea: Oh, that does sound fun. What’s one area of your business where you tend to get carried away or maybe even go a little overboard just because it’s something you really enjoy?
Kay Lowry: Boy, you really know how to ask a nosy question!
Um, because most of my students have been online, it’s been really important for me to have something tangible in their hands while I give the lesson. So [00:07:00] I tend to mail things through the snail mail to my online students and of course the same things I’m providing to my in-person students, but I love to go to the post office.
I live in a small town and the post office has a really cool vibe. So I will make little packets where I send practice kits to my students where I send all of their ribbons and their manipulatives and stickers and things, and I do try to keep track of my expenses so that at the end of the year I can see how much have I spent on that versus what’s the benefit and, and it’s been a really good benefit. The kids do like to get those packages in the mail.
Andrea: I’ve done that on occasion in my studio too, because I just remember how much I loved getting mail as a kid. And it can be a sheet of stickers. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but I’m with you.
And where can listeners get in touch with you?
Kay Lowry: I’m [00:08:00] on Instagram as @pianomusicforkids. I am online as pianomusicforkids.com and also YouTube @pianomusicforkids.
Andrea: All right. Kay. Thank you so much.
Thank you for taking the time to be with us, Kay. We’ll include a transcript and all the links mentioned in this episode at musicstudiostartup.com/snapshot033. The Music Studio Startup website is also filled with lots of other resources for music teachers just like you who wanna set up their studios for success this summer, including our very popular self-paced Business Building 101 course, and our hub and mastermind for studio owners who wanna be supported and challenged to grow as entrepreneurs.
If you are ready to dive in, the live summer cohort of Business Building 101 is underway. Teachers are actively working on setting up and revamping their studios and it’s not too late to join in. Visit musicstudiostartup.com/businessbuilding101 to enroll. That’s all for [00:09:00] today. Thanks for listening.
I’ll be back next week.