Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Personal Concierge, I Learned from Being an Orchestra Teacher

Recently, a client said to me, "Thank you for being able to pivot on this." I smiled and said, "No worries!" My thought, however, was "I've been pivoting before pivoting became the overused buzzword of 2020."

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As a public-school orchestra teacher in Bergen County, there are always situations that force you to turn on a dime. Some of them you can anticipate; others, not so much. Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about:

• There is a rehearsal the day after your Winter Concert
• A fire drill 10 minutes into the start of your once-weekly lesson time with a particular group of students
• Your classroom is being used by the PTO that day, and you have to teach lessons on the stage of the multi-purpose room--with gym going on down on the floor during your lessons

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For the pivots you can anticipate, preparation is key--in the long-term and the short-term. What I mean here is, if I know that I have a rehearsal the day after my concert--for example, I can have the music we'll be working on selected months in advance. However, as that rehearsal date gets closer, I have to have the music copied and ready for distribution; that means marked with bowings, and pages taped together.

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Those unanticipated fire drills or room usages require quick thinking. How do I condense that 40-minute lesson plan into the 20-minutes of teaching time I'll actually have? How do I coordinate with the gym teacher so we can both accomplish our goals for the day--without disrupting each other too much? The ability to edit, collaborate, cooperate, communicate, and remain unflappable while doing these things are tools in the traveling instrumental music teacher's utility-belt.

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The Day-to-Day Orchestra Teacher Experiences That Shaped Me

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As you can see from the picture, this student is in the cafeteria, not a music classroom. This was a pretty typical experience for me, as most of the time music classrooms are shared spaces, especially at the elementary school level. If the general music teacher was in the building on the same day as me, then the band teacher and myself would have teach in alternate spaces--the library, the cafeteria, or another space shared by teachers or specialists who were scheduled in different buildings on different days of the week. This means I was never in the same room with the music stands, books or folders, or anything that one might walk over to a filing cabinet to get--dry-erase markers, chalk, a paper clip! If I thought that there was a remote chance that I might need it, I had to bring it with me before class started! I had to do this, too, for multiple levels, as both fourth and fifth grade lessons might be scheduled back-to-back. And then schlep it all back to the music room, usually before that alternate space was being used at the end of the day for part of the dismissal process!

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I did this for thirty years! It is part of my nature to constantly be thinking ahead, because I did it for such a long time. Teaching in the cafeteria, library, or OT/PT room were actually great places to teach because they were quiet, confined spaces. Over the years, in different school systems in different states, I taught in some pretty unique spaces. These include:

• A hallway
• A breezeway connecting two buildings
• The landing of a stairwell
• The stage of the multi-purpose room, with gym class going on during my lessons--every week. I remember the balls that would come flying through the curtain occasionally. Dodgeball, indeed! LOL

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How My Clients Benefit from My Prior Experience

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You might be thinking, "All of that's fascinating. What does any of it have to do with being a personal concierge?" I'm glad you asked! Those experiences of having to expect the unexpected, and to be constantly prepared for any possibility are a boon to my clients because:

• I arrive prepared. When I come to a client's home, I always have with me what I call my "MacGyver bag." In it, I usually have scissors, tape, shoe covers, a garbage bag, paper towels, disinfecting wipes. Depending on the tasks I've been asked to do, I might have other things--like an extension cord or food-handling gloves.
• I think on my feet. Having that "emergency kit" gives me options on how I can handle certain situations. When I come up with a solution to an unexpected challenge, I typically text my client to make sure that what I'm thinking aligns with what they want.
• I have a large supply of patience. Let's face it, household tasks are tedious. Tedium is my middle name! In a classroom, giving up is not an option; fortitude and creativity are key to problem-solving, even when it is something like folding and putting away laundry.
• I notice the details. Being in a classroom gives whole new meaning to 'situational awareness.' As an orchestra teacher, I had to notice what each student was understanding or not understanding--based on their performance, using my eyes and ears. I had to find kind and creative ways to correct bow hold, finger placement, rhythmic errors. On top of that, though, I had to notice when someone might not be feeling well, or becoming frustrated, or getting distracted. That noticing and awareness carries over into serving clients. While I may not catch everything, I will be paying attention for leaks, nicks or scratches, or anything out of the ordinary.
• I provide well thought-out communication. Before texting or calling my client when something unexpected arises, I do try to have a range of solutions in mind to present to them--so they can give me a response on the spot, without entangling them in an endless back-and-forth. When it is a simple question or request for clarification, I again provide as many specifics as I can in order to save the client time and to provide the right solution. In a school setting, building principals have so much to deal with that they, too, need communication that is clear and concise. Years of writing to and speaking with colleagues, principals, and parents taught me to layout the details--thoroughly and efficiently.

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Lifelong Learning as a Personal Concierge

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One of the most exciting things about being a personal concierge is how much I learn from working with my clients.

• I learn what they need to function optimally in their lives
• I learn how to improve my services and processes
• I learn how to better prepare for each of my client visits
• I learn new ways of helping with household chores
• Most importantly, I learn what is really going on for them--what their challenges are, their likes and dislikes, hopes, dreams, and annoyances.

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Every experience is unique, and I enjoy all of them. I am truly blessed to have such great clients!

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Want to experience the benefits of working with a former orchestra teacher? Ready to reap the rewards of having your household chores and errands handled by someone who is detail-oriented, observant, and prepared? Let's have a conversation! Call (201)707-5813 or book a Zoom chat at https://calendly.com/marciamarino332/30min