COVID-19

My studio is open for face-to-face lessons again, following the UK government’s easing of lock-down restrictions.  Measures to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 continue as they were prior to lock-down. 

The guidance below is specific to my students and any parents / carers accompanying my students to lessons in my studio.  This is based on government guidance as outlined here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/shops-and-branches#shops-4-1

If you plan to visit my studio, you should read and follow these instructions.

Arriving for the lesson

  1. On arrival, please do not come through the gate into the garden early.  Please wait until your allocated time.  There is hand sanitising gel on a table immediately inside the garden gate.  Please use it.
  2. Anyone aged 10 or over should wear a face-covering when entering the studio building (this is not required for students aged 9 or under).  Students should come upstairs to the piano room in the normal way.  Any accompanying parents or carers must remain in the waiting area downstairs.
  3. Wash your hands.  This applies to students and parents or carers accompanying students.  There are sinks to wash hands both downstairs and upstairs in the studio building.  Paper towels are provided for hand drying, and waste bins for disposal, which will be emptied regularly.

During the lesson

  1. Please avoid touching surfaces as much as possible.  Obviously the piano keyboard itself is a surface which all students will be touching.  This will be therefore be cleaned between each lesson using the method recommended by Dr John Zeigler: https://www.pianoeducation.org/pnohygen.html
  2. Once you are sitting at the piano and I am sitting on the sofa you may remove your face covering in order to play the piano comfortably, although if you prefer to keep it on then please do so.
  3. Please remind younger students about social distancing within the studio environment and remind them to avoid touching surfaces as much as possible.
  4. I will remain on the sofa at approximately 4 metres distance from my students throughout lessons.  There is ample room for me to sit in a position from which I can see the student’s hands and teach effectively while adhering to social distancing recommendations.  I will use a nearby digital piano for any demonstration purposes required.
  5. The studio has five windows on the first floor, and 4m of glass doors on the ground floor.  These will all be regularly opened at appropriate times during the day (or remain open throughout the day, depending on conditions) to provide fresh air ventilation.  

After your lesson

  1. Please put your face covering back on.
  2. Please avoid touching surfaces as much as possible.
  3. Wash your hands again.
  4. Please leave the studio promptly.  Students interacting and exchanging a few words of encouragement at the changeover point between lessons is one of the lovely things that happens in the studio, however this is to be avoided where possible at the moment.  For this reason lessons will finish a couple of minutes early.
  5. Please use the hand sanitising gel as you exit through the garden gate.