Here are the answers to some of the questions you might have. If there are any others, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

 

How can I book piano lessons?
If you are interested in arranging piano lessons for yourself or your child, please contact me on 01244 880989 or or get in touch by completing my contact form. I will be happy to answer any questions you have.

 

At what age can my child start piano lessons?
I give piano lessons to children from age seven and above and adults of any age. My oldest piano students are in their mid 80s … but there is no upper age limit. When teaching in school I take children from Year 3 upwards.

Would you teach an adult piano learner with no experience?
Yes. I am happy to teach total beginners of any age.

 

What times are you available to teach piano?

I teach every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8am through to early evening. Understandably, the after-school and evening time-slots are the most sought after so I'm more likely to have free times to offer during the day.

 

Do you have a waiting list for piano lessons?

Yes. When all my teaching time-slots are full, I’m happy to keep names on a waiting list and contact you when a suitable time-slot becomes free.

Do you teach during the school holidays?
Yes, I teach piano all year round and expect pupils to attend piano lessons every week. The exception is the piano learners I teach at school –although in the past, many of these have booked lessons in my home during school holidays.

 

Do you take any time off?
I never teach piano on Christmas Day or Boxing Day and take short periods of time off for holidays during the year. I always give as much advance notice of my holiday dates as I can.

 

Is the lesson fee likely to increase?
The £15 amount I charge for a half hour lesson is relatively low for the Chester area and considerably below the Musician’s Union recommended rate (£38.50 per hour). I do increase the fee from time to time – but give a few months' notice of this.

 

How often should I have piano lessons?
Piano pupils attend lessons weekly (with a reasonable amount of time off for holidays). If you are unable to attend at the usual time, please give 24 hours notice and if this is not given, the lesson must be paid for. (Cases of sudden illness or an emergency are an exception).

 

Do I need a piano at home?
If you are going to learn to play the piano, you must have a suitable instrument at home to practise on – ideally a piano (my preference would be acoustic although electric pianos are fine) but - if not - a full-sized keyboard will be adequate – at least in the early stages.

 

Are the piano books expensive?
I try to keep the costs down by sticking with one set of piano course books (the John W Schaum series – beginning with Pre-A The Green Book). I also provide each pupil with a notebook free of charge in order to keep a record of his/her progress and to give a few practice tips. (NB During the coronavirus pandemic, I emailed notes to students rather than using notebooks. I may decide to continue with this practice). Students who choose to sit piano examinations will need to buy the relevant book of pieces but I teach scales without the use of a book. I recommend a Christmas carols book but this is – of course – optional. Some students prefer to have a variety of sheet music to learn from but this can often be obtained second-hand (e.g. from charity shops) – or printed free of charge from certain websites.

 

What if I don’t want to take piano examinations?
Not all of my students choose to take piano exams and I am happy to teach all types of music to suit individual preferences. Many of my students bring along their own choice of books or individual sheet music.

 

Do you help prepare piano students for school music exams or competitions?
Yes, I help students work on specific pieces in preparation for performances, music competitions or school exams (e.g. GCSE and A Level Music).

 

Do you give a free trial lessons?
The fee is the same for all my piano lessons - £15 per half hour. However, there is no obligation to continue learning piano and lessons can be terminated at any point (although I do, of course, appreciate as much notice as possible).

 

Can I sit in on my child’s lesson?
I don’t have parents sitting in the room while I’m teaching as I feel this can be distracting for the child. However, parents are very welcome to wait in the small porch area which is just outside the piano teaching room. I am very used to dealing with shy or nervous children and have not yet met a child who was unhappy to sit in the piano room without a parent.

 

Have you had a Disclosure and Barring Service check?
Yes, I have an Enhanced Criminal Records Certificate – which I needed in order to teach in a primary school.

 

How do I pay for piano lessons?
I accept cash or cheque given on the day of the lesson. I’m happy to accept payments in advance (but not in arrears please). Some of my piano learners prefer to pay for 5 or 10 lessons at a time and I keep a record of this in the notebook/emailed notes. I do not have the facility to accept credit/debit card payments.

 

What advice do you give on practising?
Always aim to practise every single day. You should really start this habit from your very first piano lesson. Pick an ideal time when you are going to be free every day. With children, this is often in the morning before school as after-school can be taken up with activities, meeting up with friends etc. In the early days, 10 minutes practice is fine – and it’s far better to practise the piano for 10 minutes every day than half an hour just before the lesson.

 

Do you teach piano learners from the same family?
Yes, I have done this several times. I teach all my pupils separately with one-to-one tuition and the lesson fee is the same - £15 for half an hour.

 

 Call now to book lessons at 01244 880989 or or get in touch by completing my contact form