Inherited Music Students: What Teachers Can Do

When the Playing Level Doesn’t Match the Expectation 

If you’ve been teaching an instrument for a while, you’ve probably encountered this scenario: a student transfers from another teacher and tells you they’re “working on an advanced piece” or preparing for a high-level exam. You expect a strong, confident player — but instead, you hear inconsistent tone, shaky rhythm, and fundamental gaps in technique. What do you do?

Whether the issues stem from past teaching, self-teaching, missed fundamentals, or overambitious goals, these students can be challenging to work with — but also very rewarding and a real opportunity to make a difference. In this article, I’ll share some practical ideas for working with inherited students who aren’t at the level they think or claim to be — while keeping them motivated, confident, and moving forward. I’ll be using flute-specific examples (since that’s my area), but the strategies apply equally to teaching any instrument.

Start with Assessment — and Sensitivity

Your first step is a diagnostic lesson — not just to hear what piece they’re playing, but to get a sense of tone production, technique, posture, rhythm, musical understanding, and general playing confidence. Take notes, but don’t rush to “fix” everything straight away.

Be diplomatic. You might notice their right hand fingers are flat, or they’re tonguing every note regardless of the phrase — but tread gently. Saying “We’ll revisit a few fundamentals to give you a really solid base” is much more encouraging than “You shouldn’t be doing Grade 7.” Avoid criticising their previous teacher and focus on what you’ll build together.

Fix the Problems Without Demoralising the Student

It can be tempting to start drilling scales and correct every fault, but this can easily overwhelm or discourage a student — especially one who already believes they’re advanced. Instead, balance technical repair with musical enjoyment.

Let’s say the student is “doing Grade 7” but can’t maintain a consistent tone throughout registers. Rather than jumping into a Grade 7 piece with limited success, you might bring out an easier piece with beautiful phrasing, such as Nostalgia from Lyrical Flute Encores or an expressive duet. This allows you to work on breath control and tone without highlighting the technical gap.

Use this also as a chance to work on expression and phrasing — areas sometimes neglected if the student has been struggling to achieve the technical level for an exam.

Set Achievable Goals

Inherited students often arrive with big expectations. “I want to finish Grade 7 this year” or “I’m auditioning for youth orchestra.” But sometimes these goals are not realistic at their current level.

It’s important to reframe what success looks like. Instead of saying “you’re not ready for Grade 7,” try: “Let’s work together to make your playing stronger and more confident. Once your foundations are in place, we can return to the Grade 7 material, and you’ll fly through it!”

You might also focus on short-term, achievable goals, such as:

• Improving tone in the middle or high register

• Developing a more relaxed left-hand position.

• Playing a duet with clear, accurate articulation.

These kinds of goals feel manageable and show the student they are progressing, even if it’s not via grade levels.

Prioritise the Big Gaps

It’s tempting to try and fix everything at once, but it’s much more effective to target a few high-impact areas.

Hand position is often a core issue. Spend time revisiting how to balance the flute and gently reshape the hand and arm positions, playing easier pieces so the student can focus fully on finger and hand shape. I once inherited a student with very collapsed left-hand fingers and a right thumb that was positioned too far forward. We used mirrors and simple hand exercises to adjust her position over time, while playing simple yet musically engaging pieces.

Tone is another area worth prioritising. Start each lesson with just a minute or two of long notes, and frame it positively:

“Even professionals revisit these kinds of exercises to refine their tone — we’ll use them to really strengthen your sound.”

You can also introduce short, focused studies — perhaps from the easier Moyse, Andersen, or Köhler books — that isolate one element, such as finger agility or a specific tonguing pattern. These studies build control without overwhelming the student.

Keep Communication Clear and Encouraging

It’s essential to keep students (and often their parents) informed — but in a positive, empowering way.

If a student is not ready for their exam, let them know that this is not a failure, but part of their progress:

“Let’s delay the exam so you can walk into it feeling confident and proud of your playing.”

Some students might resist this at first, especially if they’re comparing themselves to peers. Try framing it as a path to even greater achievement. You’re not holding them back — you’re giving them tools to move forward.

If parents are involved, explain that you're rebuilding technique to ensure their child is well supported in the long run. Avoid placing blame on the previous teacher; instead, focus on the positive changes you’re already seeing.

Rebuild Confidence Alongside Skills

A student who thought they were advanced — and is now realising they have more to learn — can quickly lose confidence. It’s vital to build them up as musicians, not just as exam candidates.

Celebrate the small wins:

• “That was a beautiful tone on that long note!”

• “You kept your fingers curved all the way through that passage — fantastic!”

• “Your rhythm was so much steadier this week!”

Help them feel ownership over their progress. You might say, “You’re really developing your musical expression,” rather than always pointing to levels or grades.

Final Thoughts

Inherited students come with their own musical story. Sometimes they’ve rushed through grades without mastering the skills they need; sometimes they’ve developed habits that need to be gently undone. But with care, creativity, and clear communication, these students can grow in both skill and confidence — and you’ll play a vital role in helping them get there.

Working with an inherited student isn’t just about correcting faults — it’s about meeting them where they are and giving them the tools to go further than they ever imagined.

MORE FOR TEACHERS

Karen North is a music teacher, mentor and book author. She is passionate about bringing music into the lives of children and adults and has enjoyed working in music education for over 40 years.

Karen is the author of the popular method books "The Young Flute Player" and has commissioned over 100 new works for intermediate flute repertoire in "Lyrical Flute Legends" , "Lyrical Flute Encores" , "Inspiring Flute Solos."  and Inspiring Flute Duets as well as an exciting collection of 40 new easy pieces in, "Lyrical Flute Miniatures".

Karen has written two books of music games (with printable templates) "Fun & Games for Music Lessons", "More Fun & Games for Music Lessons 2" and has recently worked with specialist consultants on repertoire books for Violin, Clarinet and Saxophone.

Karen also organizes an international FLUTE CHAMPIONSHIP each year, to give students of all ages and abilities an opportunity to submit a video performance to an outstanding panel of judges. Her workshops for teachers are enthusiastically received and she also offers an online mentor group for flute teachers.