How to Keep Your Violin Studio Healthy

You probably have insurance for your car, home, and violin, but are you protecting your most valuable asset?

​The asset I am referring to is you and your students. Keep reading to help ingrain the importance of prioritizing health, learn how to properly wash hands and download some free hand washing signs for your studio. 

Visit the FREEBIES page to download a hand washing sign for your violin studio. 

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Now, as a registered nurse (RN), I feel even more qualified and vigilant about the importance of handwashing because the evidence is clear that we can prevent spreading and contracting diseases by properly washing hands. I wash and/or sanitize my hands about 200 times every shift to prevent the spreading of disease.

​It is so important to properly wash my hands as a nurse that I must be tested on my ability to perform adequate handwashing techniques properly. While you may not need to adhere quite to this level, you would be wise to increase your handwashing personally and your requirements for your students and/or children.

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After working with children for 25 years, I can not stress enough the importance of requiring students to wash their hands before lessons and when they touch their noses or sneeze during lessons. However, this is not enough because just like the violin needs to be taught, so does handwashing. Proper handwashing requires friction, techniques (like overlaid fingers in the picture below) and an adequate length of time. You can help make this fun by having your students sing their favorite violin piece in their heads to ensure they are washing their hands long enough. 

Not only do we have a duty to protect children, but if you are a self-employed violin teacher, you must keep yourself healthy by installing and enforcing handwashing policies. One year, I got run down by being too busy and not getting enough rest. This led to a weakened immune system, contracting pneumonia, leading to a $5,000 emergency room bill and 3 weeks where I could not work (= lost revenue). You can not afford this, so please take care of your most valuable asset - YOU. 


If students are sick, you can offer to reschedule their lessons or have a Skype lesson. If you are sick, get the proper rest and stay home. This is the right thing to do and the fastest way to resume your health. 

Download This Sign Here

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