A disrespectful company - Piano Teacher AMADEUS MUSIC ACADEMY Employee Review

The employees I've met there are great teachers who know what they are doing. The facilities are great: pianos are in good conditions and that is better than in most schools. It is well located.

Mostly everything else. The school requires you to use photocopied copyrighted material to teach beginners and this material is far from what is best. There is constant pressure from the management about what to teach and even what not to teach, they impose their way of teaching and nothing else is allowed. It is hence impossible to adapt the teaching to the strengths and weaknesses of each student. Lessons get interrupted for different reasons. Students are almost forced to take RCM exams every year and forced on playing music that is often too difficult for them. This prevents the students from actually enjoying playing the piano so it explains why there are so few advanced students: they quit after one or two years. There are so many wrong things about what the school asks the teachers that I couldn't recommend anyone to work there or anyone to send their students there.

The school actually manages to have a great team of teachers. It also attracts a lot of new students coming from good families. The facilities are great, and so is the location of the school.

The team seems to change very often. I feel employees leave quickly after realizing how bad the work conditions are. It was my case. The administration comes into the lessons and tells the kids that their teacher hasn't taught them properly. You don't get paid for every hour of work (concerts, exams, meetings, watching the director teach) you do. You get blamed for students who are not practicing. Once you've done all the hard work, one of the senior management will take your good students, telling the kids they now need a better teacher. The school pretends to have a unique method, which clearly shows a lack of perspective. You have to watch the owners teach (without being paid) while there is very little to learn from them. I would guess about half of the students leave at the end of the years because the parents are upset about school management and hidden fees. You probably will also be blamed in front of the parents for their random organization. You're not really allowed to communicate with the parents even when it is to plan concerts and exams. You're not allowed to use any other material than what is in RCM books. Students are asked to do exams at least every year even when they are not ready, so end up having to teach pieces that are too difficult for students. You won't be allowed to bring your students to local competition without the approval of the director. You won't even be allowed to discuss it with the parents.