Instrumental Music Lessons
Introduction
All boys are actively encouraged to learn a musical instrument or have singing lessons, either as a beginner or to continue studies already begun at their previous school.
The Head of Performance is always happy to speak to boys and their parents to discuss instrumental or vocal tuition. All enquiries about the Instrumental and Vocal Tuition Scheme should be addressed in the first instance to the Music Administrators at the College (musicadmin@radley.org.uk).
All boys, whether or not they have instrumental lessons, have many opportunities to get involved in ensembles - the choirs, bands night, percussion ensembles as well as the full array of orchestra, bands and theatre ensembles
To find out more, do get in touch All concerts are open to boys and families - from small recitals to competitions, large ensemble concerts to visiting recitals We would love to see you there
Sam Gladstone Precentor
Lessons
Tuition is available for the following instruments: bagpipes, bass (jazz & orchestral), bassoon, cello, clarinet, DJ & music production, drum kit, euphonium, flute, guitar (classical, electric, acoustic, bass), harp, harpsichord, horn, jazz piano, music technology, oboe, organ, percussion, piano, saxophone, singing, trombone, trumpet, tuba, viola and violin.
Weekly forty-minute lessons are provided by visiting specialist teachers, on a rota basis for boys in the Lower School and outside academic lessons in the Sixth Form.
Lower School boys will miss some academic lessons, games or other College activities to attend these lessons and they are charged for separately
Practising
Boys who have music tuition are encouraged to organise regular practice in their own free time The Music School is open every day from 7 00am until 10 15pm and there are a large number of practice rooms available during that time By undertaking regular practice boys will make good progress so it is important that they are aware of this commitment beyond the individual weekly lesson
New boys are given assistance and advice on how to organise their practice and to use available time to best effect We would also hope that regular practice would be encouraged at home during the holiday It is however essentially a question of selfdiscipline and most boys learn how to manage their time so as to ensure the necessary practice gets done each week.
Reporting
All boys get a written report from their specialist music teacher at the end of each term along with their academic reports. The Head of Performance or other full time music dons are available for consultation at Parents’ Meetings during the year, and are happy to be contacted informally at other times to discuss any problems that might arise.
Beyond The Individual Lesson
The main purpose of learning to play an instrument, apart from the personal satisfaction of achieving some degree of proficiency, must be to make music with other people Music is a social art, and there is a large variety of performance opportunities available to boys of all levels of achievement
There are also a number of College Competitions during the year for instrumentalists and singers The full-time staff and the visiting specialists run a number of ensembles and groups providing essential opportunities for all boys who express a wish to do so to participate in music-making together These activities are provided free of charge.
Practical & Theory Exams
The College can enter boys for the practical and theoretical examinations of all the major examining boards and such examinations usually take place at Radley Entry fees are paid by the College and charged to a boy’s account
For practical examinations we provide a range of support including accompanists and rehearsal time to ensure thorough preparation for the examination and, where possible, also offer mock practical exams beforehand, conducted by an experienced examiner of that particular board
Theory of Music and Aural Work
It is challenging for a Visiting Music Teacher in a 40-minute lesson to combine teaching a boy the technical aspects of playing the instrument alongside the theory of music and aural skills needed, particularly in the upper grades Extra support is also therefore offered by the fulltime members of the department free of charge enabling pupils to enter both practical and theoretical examinations of all the major examining boards with confidence.
Singing
Around a fifth of the school currently have singing lessons and all boys who play an instrument are encouraged to sing in the choir. This experience is not only rewarding but also useful for the development of aural skills which will enhance and develop instrumental progress. A string player, for example, who is used to singing in a choir, will find it much easier to maintain his intonation when playing if he is regularly creating melodies with his voice; wind and brass players similarly have their pitching, music reading and breath control enhanced and developed by taking part in singing activities. As a consequence of the importance we attach to singing we offer 8 free singing lessons to all those who sing in the choir over the academic year or a credit for 8 lessons to those choir members already receiving weekly vocal tuition. This is credited to the account of the end of the summer term.
Fees
Individual instrumental and singing lessons are charged per 40 minute lesson; details are given on the annual fee notice issued with the first account With the exception of the very first term, where fees are invoiced in arrears, all fees are invoiced in advance Currently, for the Michaelmas Term, ten lessons are invoiced, for the Lent Term eight lessons are invoiced and for the Summer Term seven lessons A credit will be given on the following term’s invoice in the event that the full number of lessons are not received (other than for lessons for which a boy is absent - see below)
For boys entering the school, lessons will be invoiced at Leave Away for the Michaelmas Term.
Absence
If a boy fails to attend a previously timetabled music lesson for any reason the lesson still has to be paid for and will be charged to the boy’s account as if he had attended We will then follow our Procedure for Absences
Visiting Music Teachers work at the College on a freelance basis and specifically allocate their time to Radley across the academic year, often turning down other guaranteed work Their teaching here may form only a part of a broader schedule involving travelling to and from other schools Therefore once boys are timetabled teachers will expect to be remunerated regardless of the reason for a pupil’s absence
The Head of Performance will however do everything time permits to chase up persistent absentees in conjunction with Tutors. See our Procedure for Absences.
Music award holders, or others who receive free lessons as part of their award, will also be charged for any lesson they miss.
Instrument Hire
The College owns a stock of musical instruments which may be hired Most boys already have an instrument or purchase their own once they start to make progress Staff are always willing to advise on the purchase of instruments and can often negotiate advantageous terms on behalf of pupils and parents
There are special lockers in the Music School where boys should store their instruments and music Standard name tags are available for instrument cases and all music must be clearly marked with the owner’s name Parents are advised to ensure that their son’s instrument is insured against “all risks” up to its full replacement value The College cannot accept any responsibility for loss or damage to an instrument, however it is caused
Hire Charges
A charge is made for all instrument hire including percussion each term and these are detailed on the annual fee notice Reeds, strings and music are charged to boys’ accounts at cost
Contract
Conditions of Instrumental and Vocal Tuition
1 The Visiting Music Teacher (VMT) and the parents of the pupil receiving instrumental tuition or singing lessons agree to be bound by these conditions Throughout these conditions parents are deemed to include a parent, or a guardian, or whoever is responsible for paying for the pupil’s education
2 The VMT undertakes to provide the number of lessons specified in the invoice subject to condition 4 below The first lesson of the academic year will be decided independently of the pupil but thereafter the VMT agrees to liaise with the pupil at the end of each lesson to decide a suitable time for the following week
3 In the case of a pupil’s absence the VMT will allocate a lesson for the pupil but it is then the pupil’s responsibility to contact the VMT or Music Department at least 72 hours beforehand if this time is not possible
4 The pupil’s parent undertakes to pay the fees for each term in full in advance of the first lesson Please be aware that lessons for Shells will be billed in arrears for the Michaelmas Term and in advance for the Lent and Summer Terms.
5. The first lesson of each academic year will be arranged by the VMT or Head of Section. Thereafter the VMT agrees to liaise with the pupil at the end of each lesson to decide on the next lesson time, ensuring as much as possible that the date and time is suitable for both teacher and pupil. Once arranged and agreed with the VMT this time cannot be changed except by mutual agreement.
6. In the event of an absence the next lesson will be arranged by the teacher. It is the pupil’s responsibility to check the lesson time and swap if the time is not possible.
7. Once the pupil has agreed to a time the VMT will not be under any obligation to refund the cost of the lesson if for any reason the pupil fails to attend. If, however, the VMT is obliged to cancel a scheduled lesson, or is not able to continue teaching at Radley College, the pupil will receive no charge for the cost of that lesson. VMTs will do their best to offer extra lessons for lessons missed for their own illness or absence but this cannot be guaranteed
8 The pupil will not be entered for any examinations, competitions or public performances without the prior consent of the VMT, the pupil, and Radley College’s Head of Performance
9 Once lessons have commenced they will continue from term to term until terminated in accordance with condition 10 below, or the boy leaving Radley College Unless terminated in accordance with condition 10, the parent must pay for the next term’s lessons, even if the pupil stops attending such lessons Similarly, if a pupil stops attending lessons while a term’s lessons are ongoing, the parent or guardian is not entitled to any refund of fees already paid
10 This agreement may be ended by either the VMT or the parent by giving a full term’s advance notice in writing to the Head of Performance A term’s notice is deemed to be prior to the start of any term to finish at the end of that term, or at Leave Away to finish at the next term’s Leave Away
11 In the event a music teacher should leave College we will reassign the pupil to another existing teacher or appoint a new teacher Such a change will not void the requirement for a term’s notice
12 Please note that Radley College consider it in a boy’s best interest to continue with instrumental/vocal lessons throughout GCSE and A’ Level exams; requests for a ‘sabbatical’ may be refused
Procedure for following up music absences
All lessons except the very first lesson of the academic year are put on the timetable by the teacher Thereafter, times are agreed in consultation with the pupil at the end of each lesson (providing they attend) and published on SOCS where they can be consulted at any time during the week from a computer or tablet
To help pupils familiarise themselves with these arrangements, all new boys (Shells) are given a talk on how to arrange and organise lessons in the first week of the Michaelmas Term by their Form Master
If an unforeseen problem should arise during the week, boys are expected to speak in person to the Head of Performance or a full-time member of the music staff at least three teaching days in advance. If all else fails we may try to contact the VMT and make alternative arrangements, but as many of them teach at other schools any rescheduling will be at their discretion
After the first or non-consecutive absence an email is sent to the boy by the Music School and copied to the Form Master.
N B As the pupil was absent the teacher will have arranged a lesson for the following week without the knowledge of a pupil’s availability, though they will do their utmost to arrange a suitable time Having missed a lesson it is a boy’s responsibility to check the timetable online ASAP and let the Music Department know if the time is not possible.
After a (second) consecutive absence an email is sent to the boy by the Music School and copied to the Form Master and their Tutor In the case of irregular attendance, the boy may be approached directly by the Music Department or asked to come and talk to us
3. After a further (third) consecutive absence an email is sent to the boy by the Head of Performance and copied to the Form Master, their Tutor, and the parent, informing them of the continued lack of attendance Where possible we will also see the boy to talk through the absences
4. In exceptional circumstances, if a member of the full-time staff is not teaching and if we are made aware in time that a boy is missing a lesson, we may contact a boy’s Social or if he is in a lesson, the Don teaching him, but this would be unusual
5. Please note: It is the pupil’s responsibility to arrange suitable lesson times with their teacher, turn up to lessons and to check the timetable.
Chasing absences risks using up the Music Department’s valuable contact and teaching time for those pupils who do attend Our procedures are there to balance giving the boys the guidance and prompting they need with our other music commitments.
We will always charge for absences from a lesson for any reason (including illness or injury). Dons will always release boys for a music lesson
