Habs Boys - A guide to Music lessons

A guide for parents and guardians Music Lessons

The Music School

The Music School

Music is central to life at Habs, exceptional in both its quality and breadth of opportunity. With over 70 ensembles rehearsing every week, over 20 major concerts per year, and lunchtime performance opportunities every week, our musicians are part of one of the most vibrant and diverse music programmes in the country.

It is an exciting time for music at Habs. We are working together with the Girls’ School on more and more projects, raising the potential of what we can offer even further. We visit concert halls in London several times a year, curate projects through recording (our Big Band recently recorded at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios), we collaborate with drama to produce new work, run music partnership programmes in the community, host several summer schools a year, and much more. Alongside our outstanding orchestral programme, the pinnacle being our combined Habs Elstree Symphony Orchestra, we have an exceptional jazz department, sending students every year to leading conservatoires in London and beyond. Since 2022 we are delighted to offer tuition in Indian Classical Music, on instruments such as Tabla, Dhol, and Harmonium. We have exciting young songwriters, rock bands, composers, improvisers, one of the largest guitar orchestras in the country - all genres and styles of music are given equal platform, we want our leading musicians to guide our course of study, allowing them to impact the shape of what we offer with each generation that passes through the school.

For any young musician who wants to discover their potential, whilst experiencing a breadth of styles and opportunity along the way, Habs is the perfect place. Together with our talented young students we are immensely excited about what the future holds for Habs music.

Mr Tom Taylor Director of Performance Music

Choosing an instrument

We are proud to offer an diverse range of instruments at Habs. Tuition is available on the following:

Bassoon

Baritone

Cello

Clarinet

Double Bass

Electric Bass

Dholak

Dhol

Drums

Euphonium

French Horn

Flute

Classical Guitar

Electric Guitar

Harmonium

Oboe Organ

Percussion

Piano

Saxophone

Tabla Trombone

Trumpet

Tuba Voice

Viola

Violin

Applications

How to apply

All applications for instrumental or vocal lessons should be directed to the Music Administrator via musicschool@habsboys.org.uk.

After submitting the following application form the Music Administrator be in touch regarding a starting date for lessons or if your application has been added to the wait list.

Fees and Agreements

Fees

2024/2025

Individual music lessons - £295 per term

Group music lessons - £180 per term*

Aural & Theory Lessons (Group) - £95 per term

Instrument hire - £40 per term

*Group music lessons are offered only after consultation with the Music School and cannot be guaranteed.

The School’s policy is to give 30 lessons in the year (though not necessarily 10 per term). The parent/guardian will be invoiced in advance. The cost will be reviewed annually alongside ordinary school fees.

Timetables

Music lessons are scheduled by the Music Administrator to take place weekly during term time and are 30 minutes long. Lessons rotate between the teaching days of the VMT (Visiting Music Teacher) minimizing consecutive clashes with academics.

Timetables are published on SOCS - it is best practice to check SOCS regularly.

Each friday the timetables for the following week are printed and displayed on the notice boards in the Music School and a full list of Prep pupils’ lessons is sent to the Prep School.

Rescheduling a lesson

If a student wishes for a lesson to be reschedulesd, they must submit this to their VMT and the Music Administator with 2 school days’ notice. This will then be considered within the context of the request and a new time may be granted.

Missed lessons

If appropriate notice is not given, the school is not obliged to rearrange the lesson and the parent/guardian is responsible for payment for the missed lesson without refund. This includes pupil absence due to illness or for religious observance. Any lesson missed by the VMT will be made up or refunded.

Make-up days

At the end of each term there are ‘make-up days’ when any lesson missed by the VMT is made up (most students will not receive a lesson during this week). Lessons given on makeup days will not necessarily be on the same day or time as is customary, even if the pupil normally has a fixed slot.

Stopping lessons

Lessons may only cease following 10, 20 or 30 lessons.

If, at any time, the parent/guardian wishes lessons to be discontinued, the parent/guardian must give notice in writing to the Music Administrator (musicschool@habsboys.org.uk) before the following deadlines

Stopping at week 10: the first day of October half term

Stopping at week 20: the first day of February half term

Stopping at week 30: the first day of May half term

If appropriate notice is not given, the parent/guardian is responsible for full payment of the fees.

Study leave

Due to study leave, upper school students receive a reduced number of lessons in the summer block. Year 11 and Upper Sixth students will receive five lessons in the summer block. Lower Sixth form students will receive eight lessons. The termly billing will reflect this.

Examinations

Students of all years are expected to attend music lessons during their mock examinations/ yearly exam weeks. The only execption to this is Lower Sixth students who will not be scheduled for music lessons during their mock examinations period.

Academic staff

Students should give academic staff at least two days’ notice about a music lesson. Students should be courteous to academic staff when asking permission to miss the lesson, however the academic teacher cannot refuse such permission. It is the responsibility of the student to determine what academic work has been missed in their absence.

Prep School pupils will not have lessons scheduled during their allocated games afternoon. Senior School students are expected to leave games to attend scheduled music lessons. The only exception being a student on an external fixture, in which case lessons can be rescheduled via the Music Administrator with the appropriate notice of 2 school days given.

Games lessons Additional materials

Additional materials (sheet music, reeds, strings etc.) are not included in the lesson fees. The parent/guardian may be asked by the teacher to obtain these as and when necessary.