ITP - 42: International Music Teachers and Building Programs Abroad

Greg: Hey, welcome to the International Teacher Podcast. I’m Greg, the single guy, and with me today is Kent, the cat guy. Matt is not with us again, but we’re going to keep things moving and hopefully he’ll be back soon.

Kent: We’ve got a great guest today. His name is Chris Comer, and he’s coming to us from the perspective of a music teacher in international schools. We’ve never had a music teacher on before, and we’ve actually had a few requests for this.

So, welcome to the show, Chris.

Chris: Thanks, guys. It’s really nice to be here on the show with you.

Greg: Chris also has his own podcast, and we’ll get into that. But one of my favorite questions—something we ask our guests—is how they got into international teaching. So tell us your story.

Chris: Yeah, it’s a great question. I love that question because everyone I’ve met in international schools has some kind of journey.

For me, I come from a bit of an international background. My parents are Dutch, my wife has Lebanese and English heritage, so travel was always part of our lives.

I trained as a music teacher in Australia, but even before finishing my degree, I was already thinking about teaching overseas. I first heard about it during a university lecture where someone spoke about teaching in England. At the end, they casually mentioned international schools.

My wife and I looked at each other and thought, “That’s exactly what we’ve been thinking about.” That moment really stuck with us.

Greg: So that planted the seed.

Chris: Exactly. After that, it was always in the back of my mind. I was playing professionally as a musician, running my own music school, teaching bass guitar, and doing a range of things in education.

I taught in Australia for about two years in a high school, and then life circumstances shifted. We started seriously looking at international schools.

My wife found a position in Argentina, and we had always wanted to live in South America—mainly for the language. As Australians, we don’t always get strong exposure to second languages, so immersion was really appealing.

I applied, got a job, and we packed up everything very quickly. Suddenly, we were in Argentina without having ever been there before.

Greg: That’s a big leap.

Chris: It was. My wife had the main contract at first, and I went over with the intention of figuring things out. I started a master’s degree and did some part-time teaching.

Not long after, a primary music position opened up, and I stepped into that role. It was a great opportunity to learn more about elementary music teaching.

We ended up running the music department together for a few years. It was an incredible experience—living in a new culture, learning Spanish, and fully immersing ourselves.

You couldn’t function in Argentina without speaking Spanish. You couldn’t get groceries, a taxi, anything. It forced you to learn.

Greg: So it was total immersion.

Chris: Completely. It was everything we had hoped for.

Greg: And you were always interested in teaching music specifically?

Chris: Yes, absolutely. That was always my path. It just took a slightly different route to get there.

We spent three years in Argentina, traveled a lot around South America and North America, and had an amazing experience.

But around 2011 or 2012, the economy in Argentina became unstable, and things got financially difficult. We knew we needed to move on.

Greg: So where did you go next?

Chris: I found a position in Malaysia. I had experience in both primary and secondary music, so I applied for a primary music role and got it.

This time, the roles reversed. I had the contract first, and my wife found a position later—teaching art, which she really enjoyed.

We didn’t target Malaysia specifically. We just knew we wanted to stay in Asia. Once we got there, we absolutely fell in love with it.

Greg: Were you at a well-known school there?

Chris: Yes, I was at Garden International School. In Argentina, we were at St. George’s College in Quilmes, which is a traditional British international school.

Garden is also based on a British model, but with a more international approach.

Greg: And both of you teaching music—did that ever create challenges?

Chris: It can. Some schools don’t want a couple in the same department. It actually worked out well for us that my wife transitioned into teaching art.

From what I’ve seen, it can be difficult to find two roles in the same specialty at the same school.

Greg: That makes sense.

Greg: Let’s go back a bit. How did you personally get started in music?

Chris: Music was always around me growing up. My grandfather was a classical pianist and choir conductor. My dad is a musician as well.

But as a kid, I wasn’t that interested. I just wanted to play soccer.

I did a bit of music, but I didn’t enjoy it much at the time. Then around age 13 or 14, my mom encouraged me to try something else in case soccer didn’t work out.

So I picked up the bass guitar, not even really knowing what it was. I started playing with my dad, who would call out notes while playing piano.

Within about a month, I was playing in a trio with my dad and grandfather—three generations together.

Greg: That’s incredible.

Chris: It was a special moment. But the real turning point came when I injured my knee at 15 and had a full ACL reconstruction.

I couldn’t play sports for months, so I focused entirely on music. I practiced for hours every day.

Within a year, everything changed. Music became my main focus, and I lost some of my passion for soccer.

From there, I studied music at university, played in orchestras and bands, and eventually worked as a studio musician.

Greg: So bass is your main instrument?

Chris: Yes, electric bass is my primary instrument, but I’ve played a range of instruments, including double bass during my studies.

Greg: Music teachers always seem to play everything.

Chris: That’s part of the job.

Greg: If we walked into your house right now, how many instruments would we find?

Chris: Fewer than before because of moving around internationally, but still quite a few. I’ve got two bass guitars, several guitars, some drums, and a home studio setup.

Most of my production work now is digital, so I use a lot of sampled instruments, but there are still plenty of instruments around.

Greg: That sounds like a great setup.

Chris: It works well.

Greg: What is it about music teachers that made you want to support them and build a community?

Chris: Being a music educator is a unique experience. We all carry personal musical stories, and that becomes part of our identity.

There’s a deep connection to what we teach. It’s not just content—it’s something we live.

In international schools, music teachers often operate in isolation. You’re running concerts, extracurricular programs, and classes, sometimes as a one-person department.

I wanted to create a global community where music teachers could connect, share ideas, and support each other.

Greg: That’s a real need.

Chris: It is. In some regions, there are networks, but many teachers are completely isolated. They might be the only music teacher in their school.

So I started building a platform to connect people—sharing ideas, resources, and conversations about music education.

Greg: And that’s led into your current work?

Chris: Yes. I’m also doing a PhD focused on music education in international schools, so that keeps me connected to the field while I build these networks.

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Greg: Let’s take a moment to remind listeners how to reach out to us. You can find us on Instagram and Twitter at ITPexpats. You can email us at [internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com](mailto:internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com) or visit our website.

Greg: All right, back to the show.

Greg: I’ve got a scenario for you. Let’s say I’m a new international teacher, and I’m a music teacher coming from a system where I had strong support, resources, maybe even a full set of instruments. Then I land in a small international school somewhere, and there’s almost nothing there.

Maybe the previous teacher left and took everything, and now I’m expected to build a program from scratch—with a concert coming up soon. Does that fit the kind of situation where someone should reach out to you?

Chris: That’s exactly the kind of situation we’re trying to support. It’s very common. Teachers arrive in a new school and realize they have to build everything from the ground up.

Sometimes it’s a brand-new school with no existing program. Other times, the previous program has fallen apart, or resources are incomplete or mismatched.

So the question becomes, where do you start? That’s where community matters—having people to ask, ideas to borrow, and examples to follow.

Greg: Because it’s not just about curriculum—it’s instruments, setup, performance, everything.

Chris: Exactly. You might walk into a room with 30 clarinets and nothing else, or a mix of instruments that don’t logically fit together. Or you might have nothing at all.

In many international schools, there isn’t a long-standing tradition or structure for music programs. You’re often told, “Build something. Put on a concert.” And you have to figure it out.

So we’re trying to create a space where teachers can ask those questions and get real, practical answers from people who’ve been through it.

Greg: And those experienced teachers are out there.

Chris: Absolutely. Many have been in the same school for 10, 15, even 20 years. They’ve built programs from scratch and have a wealth of knowledge.

In our community, someone can ask a question and quickly get multiple responses with ideas and solutions. That’s the power of connection.

Greg: Let’s talk about your project. It’s called Music Teachers in International Schools. What are the different parts of it?

Chris: It started with a Facebook group, which now has over 900 members and is very active.

From there, I wanted to expand into something more structured and useful. So I started a podcast where I interview music teachers about their experiences.

The idea is that someone new to international teaching can listen to these conversations and get a sense of what it’s really like.

Greg: And you enjoy that side of things too.

Chris: I do. I love audio, sound engineering, and editing, so it was a natural fit. And the response has been great. Now people are reaching out to be on the podcast.

Greg: That’s a good sign.

Chris: It is. It shows there’s a real need for these conversations.

Chris: The next step is creating live sessions—webinars or interviews where teachers can join, ask questions, and interact directly.

We’re also working on building more resources to support teachers in practical ways.

Greg: You’re also doing consulting work, right?

Chris: Yes. I work with teachers and schools, often helping them build or improve music programs. One area I’ve been focusing on is musical theatre, which I developed a lot of experience in while in Malaysia.

I’m also involved in another project called the Beginner Orchestra Project, which focuses on supporting early-stage orchestras.

Greg: What does that involve?

Chris: We create original compositions designed for beginner orchestras. Many international schools have mixed groups of instruments, and it can be difficult to find suitable music.

So we compose pieces that work across strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, and even instruments like guitar and ukulele.

Greg: That’s incredibly useful.

Chris: It is. We tested everything during COVID, and now that schools are back to normal, the response has been really positive.

Greg: That sounds like something a lot of teachers will want to check out.

Chris: Definitely.

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Greg: I want to ask you something else. You’re doing a PhD, you’ve got this growing platform, you’re doing consulting—where do you see yourself going with all of this?

Chris: Over the past year, it’s been a bit of an experiment to figure that out. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t looked at recruitment sites and thought about going back into an international school.

But more and more, my path seems to be heading toward what I’m doing now—these projects, the community, the research.

Right now, for example, I’m traveling for work. I’m speaking at a conference in the Netherlands, then heading to India to run workshops with teachers and students. After that, I’ll be in Bangkok working with FOBISIA, and then back to Kuala Lumpur for a musical theatre workshop.

So I’d like to continue doing that kind of work if there’s demand for it.

Greg: That’s a great position to be in.

Kent: Let me ask you this—are young people still getting into music at the same rate, or is that changing?

Chris: The research suggests that music education is actually declining in popularity, especially at the higher levels. Fewer students are choosing to study music in their final years of school or at university.

This trend is being seen in places like the UK and Australia, and it’s likely happening globally.

Greg: That’s surprising.

Chris: It is, especially because people still love music. It’s everywhere in culture. But when it comes to formal education, the perceived value has changed.

A big part of that is economic. Students and parents are thinking about career pathways, and music is often seen as less stable compared to fields like STEM.

So even though the passion is still there, the number of students pursuing it academically is decreasing.

Kent: That’s tough to hear.

Chris: It is. And that’s part of what we’re trying to address—helping people understand the value of music education and what it contributes beyond just career outcomes.

Greg: I want to share something related to that. In one of the countries I worked in, live music was actually restricted for a long time.

We had a jazz band that eventually got to perform publicly, and it was incredible. It really showed how powerful music can be in bringing people together.

Chris: That’s a really important point. In some countries, cultural or religious factors can limit music programs, and that adds another layer of complexity for teachers.

It’s not just about building a program—you might also be navigating restrictions or perceptions about music itself.

Greg: Exactly.

Greg: Let’s end with something fun. I have to ask—recorders in elementary school. What’s your take?

Chris: I love this question. If you had asked me 15 years ago, I probably would have said I hated the recorder.

But I’ve come to appreciate it. When it’s taught well, it’s actually a really effective learning tool. It helps with coordination, pitch, rhythm, and basic musical understanding.

It’s also accessible—cheap, portable, and easy to distribute to students.

Greg: That’s not the answer I expected.

Chris: It’s not perfect, but it has value. And it can lead into other instruments like flute or clarinet.

Greg: Fair enough.

Kent: That’s a solid defense of the recorder.

Greg: Chris, this has been a great conversation. We really appreciate you coming on and sharing your experience.

Chris: Thanks so much for having me. I really appreciate what you’re doing with the podcast.

Greg: If listeners want to connect with you, what’s the best way?

Chris: The easiest way is to search for Music Teachers in International Schools on Facebook. You can also find me through my website and podcast.

If anyone has questions about international teaching or music education, feel free to reach out.

Greg: Chris Comer, thanks again for joining us.

Kent: And for everyone listening, we’ll see you next time on the International Teacher Podcast.

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Greg: One thing I want to jump back to is what you said earlier about music identity. That really stuck with me because it’s not something we talk about a lot outside of music education.

Chris: Yeah, it’s a fascinating area. There’s quite a bit of research around musical identity—how people see themselves as musicians and how that develops over time.

For many of us, that identity is formed through personal experiences—family, early exposure, opportunities, even setbacks like injuries or changes in direction.

And then when you become a teacher, you carry that identity into your classroom. It influences how you teach, what you value, and how you connect with students.

Greg: That makes sense. It’s not just about teaching notes or rhythm—it’s about sharing something personal.

Chris: Exactly. And that’s where it becomes complex. You’re balancing your own identity, your students’ experiences, and the expectations of the school system.

In international schools, that complexity increases because you’re also dealing with different cultural expectations around music.

Greg: And sometimes even restrictions.

Chris: Yes, absolutely. In some places, there are limitations on what you can do musically. That adds another layer to how you build a program.

Greg: Let’s talk about that idea of music programs being isolated. You mentioned earlier that music departments can feel like islands within schools.

Chris: That’s a really common experience. You have your curriculum, but you also have concerts, extracurricular activities, productions—there’s so much happening that sits outside the standard timetable.

So you’re often operating in your own world, and that can be isolating.

Greg: And that’s where your community comes in.

Chris: Exactly. By connecting teachers globally, we can share ideas, support each other, and reduce that sense of isolation.

Greg: I think that’s something a lot of teachers can relate to, even outside of music.

Chris: Definitely. But I think music amplifies it because of the nature of the subject.

Greg: That’s a great point.

Kent: It also sounds like what you’re doing is giving people permission to ask questions they might not feel comfortable asking in their own schools.

Chris: Yes, that’s a big part of it. Creating a safe space where people can say, “I don’t know what to do,” and get support without judgment.

Greg: That’s huge.

Chris: It really is. And the response has been great. People are willing to share, help, and collaborate.

Greg: That’s what makes these communities work.

Chris: Exactly.

Greg: All right, let’s bring it back to something practical. If someone is listening right now and they’re thinking about going into international teaching as a music teacher, what’s one thing they should be prepared for?

Chris: Be prepared to be flexible. You might not walk into a fully established program. You might have to build something from scratch or adapt to a completely different context.

But that’s also what makes it exciting. You have the opportunity to create something meaningful.

Greg: That’s a great way to look at it.

Chris: And don’t be afraid to reach out. There are people out there who want to help.

Greg: Perfect.