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104: Laying Strong Foundations at the Beginning of Your Career with Emma Fernandez

Itโ€™s easy to think you need decades of experience before you have something meaningful to offer as a piano teacher, but todayโ€™s guest proves otherwise. In this episode, Iโ€™m chatting withย Emma Fernandez, an undergraduate piano major who is already running a thriving studio and building strong professional foundations. We talk about networking, professional organizations, social media growth, and what it looks like to lay intentional groundwork at the very beginning of your career.

  • Emma shared how she began her piano lessons and discovered her love for music through choir.
  • She explained how her teaching journey began during her final year of high school.
  • The importance of pushing past feelings of being โ€œtoo youngโ€ or โ€œnot qualified enoughโ€.
  • Emma described how her studio has grown to nearly 30 students in just three years.
  • She highlighted the value of surrounding herself with supportive mentors and professors.
  • She emphasized stepping outside her comfort zone to network and grow professionally.
  • How attending an MTNA Collegiate Symposium sparked inspiration early on.
  • The benefits of joining local music teacher organizations were discussed.
  • How festivals, recitals, and examinations provide growth opportunities for students.
  • The importance of prioritizing professional opportunities based on goals and finances.
  • Practical tips for making conferences more affordable.
  • How attending student events creates natural networking opportunities.
  • Emma reflected on how consistent posting fueled her rapid Instagram growth.
  • She emphasized authenticity and not overthinking social media content creation.
  • She encouraged young teachers to start building experience now rather than waiting for more credentials.

Links Mentioned

Today’s Guest

Emma Marie Fernandez is a pianist based in Fort Worth, Texas, where she runs a private piano studio from her home, teaching students of all ages and levels. As a teacher, Emma is passionate about fostering growth and creativity in her studio, and greatly enjoys sharing her love of music with her students, finding it an incredible privilege to have a small part in a student’s musical journey. She continually seeks to grow as a musician, and is actively involved in pedagogical research as an undergraduate piano major at Texas Woman’s University, where she plans to pursue an M.M. in Piano Pedagogy beginning this fall.

About Rachel Ehring

Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. Johnโ€™s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isnโ€™t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.

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