David Cutler’s 'The Savvy Musician 2.0' is one of the most valuable resources available to aspiring musical artists today. With clarity and candor, Cutler outlines what truly matters, unpacking industry standards using real-world examples and showing exactly what it takes to share your work while building a fulfilling artistic life.

A thriving studio regularly evaluates its mission and operations, including aspects that inevitably change over time. We can’t escape taxes and insurance! And then there are life changes, including retirement. Often the answers will change as the studio evolves through start-up, growth, maturity, and succession planning. Let’s explore five essential questions that an independent studio owner (or any business) should never stop asking.

Are you thinking ahead about changing jobs, easing into retirement, or vowing never to retire? Some teachers plan for a specific new “third act” in their lives. Others maintain a studio into their nineties! Some changes we plan for; others surprise us. How do we make career decisions at life’s important crossroads?

Starting to wonder about retirement? Financial planning is essential. Equally important are transition challenges such as mindset shifts, identity questions, and new searches for purpose or meaning. Everyone navigates the retirement transition in their own unique way and in their own time. Here is a compilation of resources recommended by contributors in this issue (April 2026) of the 'MTNA Business Digest.'

This issue’s featured entrepreneur is Martha Hilley. Many know her as a long-time professor at the University of Texas, or as a past president of MTNA, or for her Southern charm and “darlin’!” greeting. Now meet her as an entrepreneur at age 79, opening an independent studio for senior adults. Watch her video to see her studio set-up and hear her story. Or keep reading for her story in her own words.

As piano teachers, we understand how to diligently practice our instrument and the art of music; however, do we prepare for career transitions that alter the course of our lives? All musicians traverse different seasons and that journey should include practicing the mental processes that accompany significant changes.

We owe a great deal to Beth Klingenstein for the many business columns she has written for the AMT. Her knowledge, research, and insights have contributed greatly to our profession. Thanks, Beth! In her last column (April/May 2007), Beth provided a list of essential elements of a professional studio. If you haven't read it, I urge you to do so. It is an excellent summary of professional tasks that we should embrace, and then revise and enhance as we start a new year of teaching. All are equally important; this column will explore only the first one, "Professional Attitude."

Professionalism was the topic of my initial column in the August/September 2007 American Music Teacher. I intentionally chose professionalism as a debut topic because I believe it is an essential element of all successful studios. As I re-read that column recently, I was inspired to take a deeper look at integrity, an element of professionalism.

Have you checked out these MTNA professional development resources recently? A vast amount of experience and insight is right here at your fingertips. Peruse these pages and come away with new ideas, helpful tools and creative ways to change up your studio.

• This section of the website offers a wealth of information for all aspects of running an independent music studio or school. Although some items are available to nonmembers, access to all Business Resources is one of the benefits of MTNA membership. Sign in with your MTNA username and password to access the complete list.
• Music teachers have some tough legal questions—here are the answers! Another benefit of MTNA membership, sign in with your MTNA username and password to access the complete list.
• These high-quality webinars are here to help you build your studio and enrich your teaching. This link takes you to the complete list of archived webinars. Nonmembers View allows nonmembers to view a small portion of each webinar. Members View allows signed-in members to view each webinar in full.
• These archives offer valuable articles; for example, check out the compelling February 2021 article: "Near, Far, Wherever You Are: Implications and Considerations for Remote Piano Instruction." Access to the e-Journal is another benefit of MTNA membership. The articles can be read, downloaded, printed or listened to aurally.
• This section of the MTNA website contains a wide variety of helpful resources for independent teachers with varied interests. MTNA membership is not required to view these resources.

Networking, networking, networking: it’s an essential tool for professionals in any industry. But where should you start and how do you know if you’re doing it well?