20 Workshop Ideas

While those of us in Australia are starting to rug up for the winter, I know that the summer break is quickly approaching for the rest of the world. The summer break can be a fantastic opportunity to refresh and revitalise with a well-earned rest, or to undertake your own professional development. It is also an excellent opportunity to expand the skills and knowledge base of your existing students, and to attract new students to your studio by running summer workshops.

Below is a list of 20 workshop ideas –

1. The Art of Accompanying
2. Duet Playing
3. Performance Preparation
4. Analysis
5. Musicianship / Aural Skills
6. Intensive Theory
7. Audition Preparation
8. Song Writing
9. Improvisation
10. Composing for your Instrument
11. Local Composers
12. Conducting
13. Beginning Teaching
14. Exam Preparation
15. Music History (a series of workshops focussing on different periods of music)
16. The Music Industry
17. Recording a Demo
18. Writing Grant Applications
19. Putting on a Concert
20. Performance Practices of Musical Periods (a series of workshops focussing on different periods of music)

I publish a brochure advertising the workshops, which outlines the topics, educational objectives and outcomes. I have also found it useful to recommend an appropriate age range for certain workshops, and with more popular workshops I usually schedule multiple sessions aimed at different age groups. When running the workshops I always provide a list of resources (books, scores & recordings) that have been used throughout the workshop, so that students can follow up on composers or pieces of interest afterwards.

I have had a lot of success advertising my workshops through other private teachers, and in some cases have had interested teachers come along also! Many of the topics are not ‘instrument-specific’; so don’t forget to advertise your workshops to teachers of instruments other than your own, and through local networks such as community choirs, local schools and youth orchestras.