November 2, 2026

Private lessons are a core benefit to any successful middle and high school music program. Often these lessons are taught by local professionals or college music students. However, many school districts are located in rural areas where local professionals and college students simply do not exist, or in low-income areas where financial constraints prevent families from affording lessons. A parent’s financial concerns or lack of private instructors should never stand in the way of a student receiving private instruction. One solution for your band program is to create a mentoring program. The learning and social collaborations between two students in a music mentor program can be invaluable to your music program, and create lasting impressions for both mentors and their students. What is a Mentor Music Program? A music mentor program is a program in which the top students of a high school music program give private instrument instruction to middle school music students as well as high school freshman and sophomores. Peer teaching develops the skills of both students – the one teaching as well as the one being taught. Most programs are designed so that mentors’ participation is a privilege, for which they are not compensated. This system encourages the students to develop a peer relationship. Students participate because they enjoy making a difference for younger musicians, to demonstrate leadership experience and other skills to prospective colleges, and to fulfill community service requirements towards graduation. Usually when a family cannot afford private lessons for their child, that student must go without. A mentoring program allows all students to enjoy the benefits of music lessons, regardless of their family’s financial means. Recruiting Mentors Prospective student mentors should demonstrate the following qualities: Academic and musical achievement Extra-curricular involvement Good communication skills Well-developed friendships with other students Confidence and independence Ability to manage their own transportation needs Once you have identified students who would make capable mentors, request that these students attend an informal meeting about the mentoring program. The heart of the meeting is inspiring them with a sense of importance in the work they’ll be doing … they are creating the future of their own band or orchestra! Share with prospective mentors the opportunity to develop their leadership and communication skills, which will be an attractive skill to colleges to which they are applying. Create a vision for them of the fulfillment of helping a younger peer to achieve their musical dreams. Before the meeting, enlist the support of these students’ parents’ in having their child serve as a mentor, so that the path is clear for them to participate if they are interested in doing so. Developing the mentors There will be several training meetings for mentors, to ensure that they are approaching the lesson situation with appropriate sense of responsibility and are prepared for the teaching experience. These meetings should be mandatory for new and returning mentors alike, both to develop students’ skills and to create a culture of excellence in the program as a whole. These meetings take place during the first month of school, while the middle school students are enrolling into the program. In the first mentor training meeting, teach several mini-lessons with a mentor student in front of the group. Follow each mini-lesson with a group discussion of the teaching strategies you used, and brainstorm other strategies that might also be effective. These discussions will help the mentors begin to develop a model of the private teaching relationship and the skills involved. During the next two meetings, give each mentor an opportunity to teach a fellow mentor in front of the group for several minutes on a short, easy piece. Follow each mock lesson with a group discussion of the teaching strategies used and feedback on the student’s skills and professionalism. When set up as a positive, non-judgmental space in which everyone is learning and improving, this training is a very powerful experience for the mentor students. The feedback process is an additional opportunity to coach students on communication skills and the importance of giving constructive, positive comments. Meanwhile, the mock lessons will give you insight into each mentor’s teaching skills and alert you to areas that may require additional training and supervision. Mentors should be given basic instruction for choosing materials and structuring lessons. Give them an opportunity to see a few instructional books on their chosen instrument, as well as etude books and solo literature. Each mentor should ideally teach two students, giving them an opportunity to observe different learning styles and develop flexibility as a teacher, and increasing the odds that at least one of the relationships will be a great fit. Provide a list of what should be covered in a typical lesson – scales, exercises, solo literature (this includes audition material for more advanced students), their band / orchestra music, and etudes. Also give mentors a standardized assignment sheet, which they will fill out for their students each lesson. This mentoring relationship has specifically musical goals; mentors should be trained in setting appropriate boundaries should family or personal issues arise with a given student. Mentors should be clear how they would handle these situations, seeking to maintain the integrity of the musical mentor relationship and taking care to avoid stepping into a parental or counseling role. Recruiting Lesson Students All entering band and orchestra students should receive an informational packet at the beginning of the year to take home and read over with their parents. The last page should be a form that states the parent and the student have read through the material together and either will or will not be participating in the mentor program. Once the forms are returned, the middle and high school directors will set up mentor lessons with interested families. Be sure to follow up one-on-one with parents of students who did not return a “yes” form. Support the parents in making the right decision for their family, but don’t be shy about advocating on the child’s behalf for the tremendous