Independent Society of Musicians

I am proud to announce that MusicTeacher.com is a corporate member of Independent Society of Musicians. Like so many of my fellow music teachers I have invested my entire life’s work into the music education sector, firstly as an individual professional guitar teacher and as now working with many hundreds of music teachers across the UK.

With all our careers so intertwined with the music sector, I felt that working with the Independent Society of Musicians to help give true representation for musicians to the government was critical. It is also central to the concept of holding up the very highest values of music education, from aspects such as safeguarding, quality of tuition and opportunities for student’s careers in the music sector.

Why is it that DBS Checks are so hard to apply for as an individual private music teacher? What is the impact of music funding cuts to local schools? How can music teachers work more closely with local councils to ensure noise levels from music lessons are not a problem for neighbours?

These are just a few of the questions I am asked by music teachers, highlighting the direct relationship between government and local government policy and our everyday music tuition that private music teachers offer.

From students, I am asked whether they have the same opportunities to learn music as their parents did and whether there are sustainable careers left in music. They want to know how they can build career pathways within the music industry and whether this can take them to where they want to travel in the world. All of these questions go back to the root of the issue, ensuring that there is a vibrant, health music industry, which upholds the very highest professionalism across the sector.

By joining with ISM, we can now be a force for change, to try to give positive answers to the questions above and many more. Specifically, by being more directly involved, through our ISM membership, in influencing with those who have the power to do something about it. This is why I place our relationship with the Independent Society of Musicians as core to our business principles, as we should be a positive voice for change to help ensure that every individual in the UK, child or adult, has the opportunity to play a musical instrument should they wish to and pursue a career in the music industry should they wish to

Matthew Rusk, Founder of MusicTeacher.com