Lessons & rehearsals – basic info

The piano studio at Trevor House

 Arriving for your lesson or rehearsal

  1. On arrival, please do not go to the front door of the house, the studio is located in the garden which you can access by going through the garden gate to the right-hand side of the house (in the wall at the back of the driveway).
  2. This gate requires a code to unlock it, which is issued to regular students to allow access. If you are coming for a first lesson it will usually be unlocked in advance for you, but any problems on the day please call me or message me on 07703 371164
  3. Once you are in the garden you will see the studio straight ahead.  Walk down the garden path and come on in (no need to knock). You will then be in the downstairs waiting room. I will be there, usually upstairs in the piano room with a previous student, and I will come and find you when it is time for your lesson.
  4. If you are here for a piano lesson, there is a digital piano in the waiting room, please feel free to use it for a quick practise while you are waiting – just make sure the headphones are in …
  5. If you are here for a rehearsal, please feel free to get your instrument out of the case and ready downstairs. If you prefer to bring it upstairs still in its case (for example cellists) then this is fine too!
  6. For rehearsals it is not necessary to bring a music stand, there are several in the studio.
  7. If you need to use the toilet, there is one at the top of the stairs on the first floor outside the piano room. Please help yourself!
  8. If your shoes are cleanish I have no objection to you wearing them upstairs to play in.  Many students bring their own slippers or indoor shoes to pop on when they arrive. I recommend a shoe or slipper with a decent sole to give you the foot support to use the piano’s pedals sensitively.
  9. If you are a pianist, please wash your hands or use the hand sanitising gel available before sitting down to play.  There are sinks downstairs in the waiting area and in the first floor toilet.
  10. Please avoid putting items that generate condensation such as water bottles on any surfaces without using a coaster.
  11. Please do not place any metal items or items with the potential to scratch wooden surfaces on the piano.

 

Lesson schedules and payment of fees

  1. Regular students agree a block of lessons which are scheduled 6 times per year, roughly in line with the Warwickshire schools half terms. Normally a block of lessons will cover between 5-7 weeks.
  2. Once a block of lessons has been scheduled you will receive a request for payment of fees.
  3. Fees for each block of lessons are due in full before that block of lessons starts.
  4. If you are unable to attend a lesson for any reason, please try to give me more than 24 hours notice.  If you give me 24 hours notice or more I will refund or credit the fee for the lesson in full.  If you give me less than 24 hours notice the fee is not refundable as it is hard for me to fill the space at short notice.
  5. If you need to reschedule a lesson time from the original agreed block, I will make reasonable efforts to do so wherever possible.  Please bear in mind my schedule is usually extremely full so there are not always very many alternatives to the originally scheduled lesson times. 
  6. I do not teach a regular schedule in Warwickshire school holidays, but ad hoc lessons are often available.