Musician toolkit.
A list of things worth having ready before your first booking or student, gathered by musicians for musicians.
Ready for lessons.
Your Police Vetted badge
A Police Vetted badge is a clear signal of trust. All Musician Gallery teachers must obtain one before their profile goes live, and it sets your profile apart from other platforms. To get vetted, sign up with CVCheck. When asked to choose an account type, pick Personal Account, not Business, since you're only getting a check on yourself. Then select Children's Worker Safety Checks and add New Zealand: Police Vetting to your order. It costs $81.40 including GST and takes up to 20 days. The cost is generally claimable as a business expense. You can still apply to Musician Gallery while you wait for your certificate.
A few of CVCheck's questions are written for HR admins rather than musicians. For the exact job title, enter something like Private Music Tutor. For the role description, a line about providing private music lessons is enough. If asked which organisation you're employed or self-employed through, list yourself or your own business name. Answer the questions about contact with children, elderly people, and vulnerable adults based on who you actually teach. Set the individual's primary role to Education. This is a standard vetting request, not one required under the Children's Act 2014, so answer No to that question.
Being clear about who you teach
Make sure your profile is clear about who you teach best. Whether that is young beginners, adult learners, exam candidates, or advanced students working toward performance. Parents and students decide quickly, so clarity here matters more than almost anything.
A sense of progression for your students
A written syllabus is not necessary to begin teaching. What matters is having a clear sense of how a beginner progresses toward more advanced work, one you can explain confidently when asked. If you teach within a recognised method or exam board, such as Suzuki, ABRSM, or Trinity College for classical, or Rockschool and Trinity Rock & Pop for contemporary players, mention it on your profile. It gives parents and students an instant sense of structure and credibility.
A lesson structure you adapt
Even a simple shape you adapt each week, warm up, technique, repertoire, theory, practice goals, saves you planning time once a full studio comes together, and keeps lessons feeling consistent for your students.
Something for younger students to hold onto
Stickers, a music scrapbook, or a special pencil matter more than they sound for keeping younger students motivated between lessons. This alongside a simple practice chart to track their progress goes a long way. Practice Log Template.
Your cancellation policy is ready to go
Musician Gallery's Standard Cancellation Policy already covers notice periods and refunds for you. If you'd like to add anything specific, like term breaks or how you handle catch-up lessons, there's an optional note field when you confirm each booking, and your client sees it before they pay.
A small yearly recital or showcase
It gives students something to work toward, and does not need a concert hall to matter. A local retirement home is often a beautiful space to share it in, a community that welcomes live music with open arms.
Ready for the enquiry.
Photos and videos
Clients are booking someone they have never heard play, for an event that matters to them. A few good photos and a short clip of you performing do a lot to position your profile as the right fit for a potential client.
Repertoire you can talk through
Know what you would play for a ceremony compared to a reception, or a corporate event compared to a private party. If you can describe a full set built for a relaxed outdoor wedding, or a quieter corporate cocktail hour, a client can picture their day before you have even spoken properly.
Establishing your technical needs
Establish clearly what you bring compared to what a venue needs to provide: power, a chair, table space, and sound if you are amplified. Having this sorted ahead of time heads off a lot of confusion on the day, especially with venues that have not hosted live music before.
Additional expenses for a gig
If a booking sits outside your usual area, calls for specific repertoire, or requires extra gear, it is worth factoring this into your rate before you finalise a quote. A simple per kilometre travel rate, the cost of sourcing sheet music and hiring equipment all add up quickly if left as an afterthought. Raising this upfront when a client enquires reads as professional, not as a surprise cost later.
Your cancellation policy is ready to go
Musician Gallery's Standard Cancellation Policy already covers notice periods and refunds for events. If there's anything else worth flagging, like how you'd handle a postponed date, there's an optional note field when you confirm each booking, and your client sees it before they pay.
Reviews
Once you have played a few gigs booked through the Gallery, a genuine testimonial from a happy client makes a real difference to future bookings. It is fine to ask directly. Most people are glad to help once they have enjoyed themselves.
Running it like a business.
A short, plain summary of the basics, handy to consider early on. None of it needs sorting before you go live, and it is general information only, not financial or legal advice.