Music at Yarrells

We offer regular individual music and voice (singing) lessons. These are taught by qualified specialist music teachers. Children usually follow the syllabus of the Associated Board or the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

A commitment to regular practice is essential. These lessons are offered during the school day and last for half an hour.

For the sake of a child’s academic progress it is not advisable for a child to be registered to take more than TWO individual lessons within school time in any one term.

Piano:

We recommend as strongly as we can that you do not consider piano lessons unless you have a piano at home for practice.  However, a good keyboard with a weighted key action could be used to start with. (The Clavinovas we use at school are touch sensitive and closely resemble a standard acoustic piano).

Practice:

All lessons require a child to practise on a regular basis. If a child does not follow the practice/homework routine recommended, the lessons will lose their value as well as their sense of fun.  We all want the children to enjoy playing and achieve success;  individual lessons are a commitment for everyone concerned.  The children need to be aware of this and should be encouraged to value the experience, be willing to practise and arrive well prepared for lessons.

Concerts:

It is very beneficial for someone learning an instrument to become involved in concerts, either as a soloist or playing as part of a group. Please be aware that as a concert approaches, the weekly lesson might be given as a group lesson in order to rehearse the skills of playing or singing together.

Insurance:

Parents should have suitable insurance for children’s instruments.  The school takes the best care possible to see that instruments are kept sensibly during the day, but cannot take responsibility against damage or theft.

Notice:

If you wish to cancel individual lessons at any time, you must give half a term’s notice, otherwise half a term’s fees will be charged in lieu of notice.  Please email us with instructions to cancel.

Email Us

Trial Lessons:

All of our visiting music teachers are happy to offer an initial block of 5 lessons, after which progress and aptitude can be discussed without any further obligation.  We will assume your child wishes to continue with lessons unless you inform us otherwise before the started lessons have finished.

If you would like your child to take individual music or voice lessons during school time, please contact the School Office. Some lists are full, but if that is the case, your child can be placed on a waiting list.

Lessons are normally arranged during the school day. Before/after school lessons are sometimes available and priority for these times will be given to senior children (Years 3-6). The lessons are timetabled on a ‘rolling’ rota basis during the day so that it is unlikely for a child to miss the same lesson more than once in a term. Sometimes in the rota they do not miss a lesson at all (breaks, prep, etc.)

Lesson times are posted on the music notice board outside Skylark. If there are problems/conflicts with a specific rota, the Director of Music, a member of the music staff or the pupil’s Form Teacher will make adjustments as needed.