Music Teacher Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)

Updated 2 December 2022

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Preparing for a music teacher job interview thoroughly and effectively can help you present your qualifications, skill set and persona for the job to impress prospective employers. Knowing how to articulate your knowledge and expertise in the different aspects of music, such as theory basics, orchestra and instruments, can help enhance your answers. Reviewing some commonly asked interview questions can help you identify the essential concepts that employers can ask you and prepare in advance to ace the interview. In this article, we discuss some commonly asked music teacher interview questions and share sample answers to help guide your preparation process.

Common music teacher interview questions

Here is a list of some common music teacher interview questions you can read through to prepare for your interview:

What are your qualifications for this job position?

The interviewer can ask you this question to assess if your previous educational experience and professional qualifications fit into the job role requirements. They can ask you this question to better identify if you can contribute to their organisation and job position. When answering this question, consider highlighting your educational background and achievements specific to this job and any other certifications you have gained to master any aspect of this domain.

Example: 'I received my educational degrees in sound performance and music education from Delhi University and have worked as a music faculty at Pune University. As part of my music performance curriculum in graduate school, I led various choral groups at state and national conferences. During this time, I also enrolled in an online certificate program to enhance my orchestration and vocalisation abilities. I gained recognition as a music maestro for my outstanding contribution to music at the inter-college level. I also teach college students to practise and strengthen their craft and understanding of music.'

According to you, what makes someone an excellent music teacher and why?

Interviewers can ask you this question to assess your overall personality and values that drive you every day to pursue music as a career. They can also try to understand your preference for qualities that make a successful music teacher while identifying your reasons for choosing those qualities. When answering this question, consider mentioning your goals and your vision that makes music teachers exceptional in their careers.

Example: 'According to me, an excellent music teacher is someone who knows their craft extensively and is clear on the specifics of the job while having a larger purpose for teaching music. They can adapt to any situation while still providing an excellent output for students and the institution they work with by remaining kind, patient and motivational throughout the teaching process. As a former student and music enthusiast myself, I believe kids need patience and kindness from their teachers. These qualities can help instil confidence and faith in the child's abilities.

Since music is an active and exploratory field that requires students to be present and perform in front of other people, it can get intimidating, so a music teacher can enable safer environments for students to express their potential authentically. Motivation is another essential quality of a music teacher. It allows them to identify their students' strengths and shortcomings while motivating them to perform better and improve their music skills. This quality enables teachers to guide their students' performances and help them achieve their creative goals. Motivation can also help them instil a lasting interest in music in students' minds.'

Why do you think music education is an integral part of a school's curriculum?

This question typically aims to test your passion for music. Employers may ask you this question to assess why you think music plays an integral role in education. When answering this question, consider highlighting how an integrative music curriculum can influence a child's development and interest in music while sharing your enthusiasm for the subject. You can also mention the benefits of music education on a child's holistic development.

Example: 'Music education plays a significant role in a child's overall development as it provides a medium for them to express their creativity and potential whilst feeding their curiosity to become well-rounded individuals. Learning music can benefit students in various other subjects, such as English literature, as students can often find connections between poetry and the lyrics used by musicians.

Music can also enhance students' reasoning and language skills, beneficial for their academic and professional pursuits. Since the music curriculum also involves extracurricular participation, like performing in choirs, orchestras or band shows, it can also strengthen their interpersonal and oratory skills.'

Did you face any disruptive situations when teaching students in your music career, and how did you handle that?

This question aims to test your problem-solving and decision-making skills. Employers may want to test your attentional abilities to ensure you can focus on the problem and think of an alternative way to solve it. Teachers deal with students from different backgrounds. They often face unexpected situations at work, so knowing how to handle disruptive situations can be essential in their careers. Consider sharing a specific example and use the situation, task, action, result, or STAR method to answer the question concisely.

Example: 'During my music lessons, I had a student who often reacted significantly in class to my teaching, due to which other students could also not focus on studies. After having many conversations with them and their parents, I started noticing a pattern. I realised their parents could not meet their basic attentional needs at home, which led them to fulfil that need during classes by distracting others. Once I realised the cause of his behaviour, comforting them during challenging times became easier.

Before I dealt with this situation, I acknowledged that their needs differed from other students and started accepting them for the issues they were facing. I then started appreciating them more in class for their efforts and enabled an environment where they could safely interact with their classmates and build teamwork skills. Slowly, they learned to act controllably and even cherished their classroom presentations and discussions with others. It was a challenging phase for me as a teacher, but the support from their parents and their cooperation helped them to behave positively in class.'

What is one aspect of teaching that you hope to improve as a music teacher?

Employers can ask you this question to assess if you have noticed any issues with the education system and what specific areas you would like to improve as a music teacher. It also enables them to understand if you have engaged with the subject in depth to notice any flaws in the education system. Consider personalising your experience to make the answer more credible when answering this question.

Example: 'One thing I noticed during my time as an assistant teacher was that there is still a lot of stigma and doubt about music being a fulfilling and mainstream profession. Many students and parents think that traditional career options like medicine and engineering are paths to stable jobs. Still, there is a lot of potential for skilled and talented musicians. I sensed a lack of awareness regarding this aspect of music. I want to provide first-hand factual information about how music can be a rewarding profession.

As a music teacher, I hope to encourage students to participate more in musical events. The curriculum often expects them to learn theoretical concepts without actively engaging with their vocal cord. I want to reinforce the sense of leadership and confidence that music instils in a person to educate students regarding its many benefits.'

How do you ensure a balance between fun classroom activities and behavioural control while teaching?

This question aims to test your organisational, project-management and prioritisation skills. Employers can ask you this question to assess how well you can manage your classroom lessons with diverse students and how you can still maintain discipline in class. When answering this question, consider mentioning specific measures you take to ensure a balance between fun and learning activities to promote the holistic development of children.

Example: 'I have been teaching as a music teacher for over five years now, and I have gained significant experience in understanding the students' and school's needs. I have noticed that students got incredibly excited whenever I introduced a new instrument to them in class, which often resulted in chaos. Initially, I found it a little challenging to maintain discipline in class. But over time, I could strike the correct balance between fun-loving activities and active learning.

I do this by promising certain rewards or benefits to the students, like a higher grade in extracurricular activities or a particular aspect of the subject. This strategy ensures that students listen more patiently and thoroughly to my directions and follow me actively during the fun and serious learning activities. I also sometimes give them free time at the end of the class to talk freely to their friends if they maintain discipline during the lessons.'