Most lessons are conducted at my home. Should time and space permit it is
sometimes possible for me to see students at Truro College, where fully equipped
practice rooms are available. This, of course, means "term times only" during
normal college hours.
Click the link to see what the
A.B.R.S.M. forum has to say about tuition fees.
One thing
you’ll quickly learn is that private music lessons aren’t cheap. However bear in
mind that music teachers have to eat, too, and to make it a viable career they
can’t undercut each other too much. With music lessons you get what you pay for
– a bargain is going to be no real bargain at all in the long run if you or your
child want to learn and advance properly – you need a good teacher for that, and
a good teacher will cost you money.
Costs
It’s quite typical to pay £12-15 pounds per half hour for music lessons. At a
lesson a week (and a half hour is the minimum you can reasonably get away with
each week), that’s £60 a month, no small amount on the family budget for most
people, especially in these days of rising energy costs and interest rates.
That means you don’t undertake it lightly. It’s impossible to do music lessons
on the cheap – going to a competent teacher means you have to plan ahead to be
able to afford things. After all, lessons are ongoing, and will probably last
for years. The more advanced you become, the better a teacher you’ll need – and
that costs even more.
All too often, voice coaching is even more expensive, especially advanced
coaching, which can cost up to £50 an hour. In other words, taking music lessons
can be a serious financial commitment.
Ongoing
Over the course of a year you’ll be spending at least £720 on lessons, and quite
possibly more than that. Think of it as a test of how serious you are about
music lessons (be they for you or your child). It could well mean doing without
other things. Consider further – over the course of a decade, that’s more than
seven thousand pounds, which is the equivalent of a cheap new car.
However, this is an investment in your life. Even if you don’t become a
professional musician, knowing how to play an instrument and taking it as far as
you can makes you more rounded as a person and that can’t be measured in
financial terms.
The same is true with your child. What he gets from music lessons is much more
than music, but a discipline for working and an ethic that will stand him in
good stead for the rest of his life.
Subsidised Music Lessons
Many argue that music lessons are for the middle classes, and their cost does
mean it’s difficult for those on limited incomes to afford them. However, many
councils offer subsidised after-school music lessons that are available to all
pupils. Depending on where you are, the lessons can be around £35 per term, with
another £15 for instrument rental, which is a lot cheaper than private lessons.
You might also find that some teachers will be willing to take on exceptionally
talented pupils at a lower than normal rate if the parents can’t afford to pay.
Be aware, though, that these teachers are rare.
Ultimately, though, in almost every case, individual tuition means spending
money, and whether it’s for yourself or your child you’ll need to be willing to
make some sacrifices to afford it. But your dedication will reap great rewards.