Another moving question, but this one is different, I promise! (Seattle: houses, neighborhoods)

[1soprano]

Hi! I promise I have looked through at least 50 pages on this forum, because I know how annoying repetitive questions can be. I think I have figured out through everyone's help on good areas to live in. However, I have a different kind of moving question.

My husband has a few job interviews in the Seattle and Renton area and we'll be moving from Ohio. Fortunately or UNfortunately, however you look at it, my job allows a lot of flexibility. I teach private voice and piano lessons, so my job allows me to start-up wherever we move.

With that in mind, I am wondering what areas in Seattle would I be able to start up a successful private voice and piano studio (mainly voice, piano is only taught in conjunction with voice). We were lucky to find a wonderful area in Ohio where the middle and high school here is very competitive when it comes to show choir. Are there any schools like that in the Seattle/Renton area?

I hate to sound snobbish, but I would prefer to move to an area where people can afford lessons, as my lessons are not cheap; slightly above average, but I think it's well worth it

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. My husband is flying out in a few weeks for the interviews and I'd him to look at a few places.

[Xanathos]

You're in luck. Since he'll be working out of Renton (the southern tip of the East side), and since all of the money in this area is concentrated on the East side, you'll have your pick of locales if you want to start up the business in an area of affluence. Bellevue and Mercer Island are probably your best bets, though Redmond would probably also be a good spot, given all the Microsoft workers imported from Asia that live out there.

[Ira500]

That's not exactly true about " all the wealth concentrated on the eastside". There are plenty of very wealthy people in Seattle proper, and successful voice teachers on both sides of the lake. Also, you didn't say that your husband would be working in Renton, just that it was a possibility, right?
Anyway, a few places where a voice studio might be located:
NE Seattle( Ravenna, Wedgwood, Laurelhurst)..Eckstein Middle School, Roosevelt High School are nearby.
Bellevue: Bellevue has four well regarded high schools and is fairly centrally located for all things eastside.
Lake Forest Park/Shoreline: Shorecrest High School has an award winning and well travelled choir.
Madison Park/Madrona: If you could make yourself known to some of the private schools ( like Bush, Epiphany, and St. Therese), in addition to the public McIlvira, these are neighborhoods with expensive houses and vibrant retail cores.

[1soprano]

Thank you so much for your impute. I can definitely narrow down our choices with this.

[mrsincredible]

Speaking as someone who has looked around for good voice lessons on the east side - I didn't come up with much. I ended up trying a woman out who moved here from LA that I liked very much but our "meet in the middle" point was N. Seattle which is still a 20 minute drive for me (she lives in Ravenna).

You should be fine wherever you decide to set up shop as long as you distinguish yourself from the existing music schools. What makes you special or better than the security of going with a corporate brand that (hopefully) has vetted their instructors? I think the hard part is really getting the word of mouth out that someone has found a fantastic voice teacher and other people should check you out because you are SO WORTH IT!

Do you have a certain style or methodology that you specialize in?