Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I arrange an additional consultation lesson?
CJ: If you have been given a consultation lesson and are not yet ready to commit to full-time lessons, you can arrange a second consultation lesson for £20. You can have as many consultation lessons as you please, however it is more cost-effective to commit to a lesson plan.
Q: How many lessons will I get in a year?
CJ: Those studying full-time are given 40 lessons every year, however, extra lessons in the school holidays are available at no additional cost if you are on a lesson plan. I teach for a minimum of 45 weeks every year, so make the most of your weekly slot!
Q: How often will I be billed for piano lessons?
CJ: Lessons fees for an academic year are billed in equal instalments that can be paid monthly, termly or quarterly.
Q: Will my tuition fees ever change?
CJ: Every five years a review on pricing and billing is conducted. The next review is in 2022; until that time, lesson fees will remain as listed on the Prices page.
Q: How much does it cost to sit a graded exam?
CJ: All graded exams are sat through ABRSM, visit their website for a full list of their exam fees: ABRSM Exam dates and fees.
Q: Can lessons take place at my home?
CJ: All lessons take place in my teaching studio. In exceptional circumstances home visits can be arranged at an additional charge.
Q: How much notice do I need to give to rearrange or cancel a lesson?
CJ: If you know that you will not be able to attend a piano lesson then I will require at least one week’s notice. If I have an suitable time slot for that week then I will offer it to you. If less than one week’s notice is given then I am not obliged to offer you a replacement slot.
If you choose not to accept the time slot offered to you for replacement lesson, I am not obliged to offer you an alternative time slot for that lesson.
The only exception to the above is if the student has to miss two or more lessons on account of a serious illness.
Q: How much notice do I need to give to stop my lessons?
CJ: You will need to give four week’s notice if you wish to terminate lessons. This does not apply if you have been studying with me for less than a month.
Q: My child is a student. Can I sit in on his/her lesson?
CJ: Absolutely! I think it’s fantastic when parents take an interest in their child’s musical education. You might learn something as well!
Q: How much practice do I need to do?
CJ: Practise is best done regularly and often, ideally 4-5 days a week. For beginners this can be as little as fifteen minutes a day; the important thing is to play regularly to become familiar with the piano.
If you have trouble motivating yourself to play outside of lessons you should ask yourself why you are learning the piano to begin with. If you do not enjoy playing the piano in your own time, then I am afraid lessons will not get you very far!
If a student is consistently failing to put in the required practise, then I may terminate lessons so as to offer the time slot to somebody else.
Q: Do I need a piano at home?
CJ: Yes, you will need an instrument to practice on during the week. I strongly recommend that all students invest in an upright piano. Though an electric piano may be tempting, I do not recommend buying one to learn on (see more below).
Believe it or not, the price difference between an electric piano and a good second-hand upright probably isn't as much as you might think!
Q: Can I buy an electric piano instead?
CJ: I advise all of my students to practise on an acoustic upright piano. Electronic keyboards are not recommended; the reason for this is that it is impossible to develop an acute hearing for the sound of the piano whilst playing an electric instrument.
When you play a key on a piano it triggers a hammer, which hits a string, which creates a sound amplified by the soundboard. The sound that is made is incredibly responsive to the touch of the pianist. On an electric piano, all that is heard is a recording of somebody else's sound.
If you would like to read more on upright and electric pianos, take a look at my Piano Buyers Guide.
Q: Are there any performance opportunities open to students?
CJ: Yes, I encourage my students to perform as often as possible. I organise two student concerts every year: a summer showcase in June/July and a Christmas concert in December.
I also encourage students to participate in the Chichester Festival of Music Dance and Speech. The festival has classes for all abilities and it is an excellent opportunity to meet other young pianists and receive feedback from an experienced adjudicator. Find out more here.
