Accelerated Piano Programme
OUR LESSONS
Hybrid Small Group/1-to-1 Lessons
Our classes have multiple students. Each student gets 1-to-1 time with our tutors but has some individual time to practice too whist the tutor listens to other students. Child classes have a maximum of 4 students per class. Adult classes have a maximum of 3 students per class. There are some really great benefits to this approach...
Personal Practice
We have multiple digital pianos in our studio and each student uses headphones so only they can hear what they play. Students don't hear anyone else playing. There is additional headphones for the tutor to listen to the students play.
Not Like School
Lessons are not delivered like in a school classroom setting - the tutor will go around student on an individual basis rather than teach everyone at the same time. This allows each student to progress at their own rate.
Breathing Space
Lessons are designed to give breathing space for individual practice. A piece of music can be practiced whist the tutor attends other students. This can make the lesson and practice less stressful. This approach helps develop independent learning and problem solving. The tutor is always in the room if help is needed but we try to reduce the over-reliance of the tutor jumping in all the time.
New Music
Over 95% of our begginer students complete and master at least 1 new piece of music every week! This builds confidence and gives a sense of forward momentum and progess. We don't spend months or years on the same songs!
Time For Focus
We feel that a 30 minute lesson is often too short. There is sometimes a rush to cover everything and there ends up being too much emphasis on trying to remember everything to practice at home.
Our lessons are 55 minutes in duration. This allows time for focus on learning and practice.
Incorporated Practice
Practice is incorpated into our lessons. For begginer students, there is no requirement to practice at home.
For kids, any practice at home will require minimal supervision - kids will only need to go over what they have mastered in the lesson.
OUR ACCELERATED PIANO PROGRAMME
Sight Reading
Our approach dramtically increases sight reading ability - the #1 skill needed to learn new music fast!
Interpretation
Contrasting genres require different techniques. Through the first two method books, students will master classical, popular, jazz, and baroque pieces.
Technical
Scales and arpeggios are an important foundation to being able to play fast notes and more complex music with accuracy.
Chords and Improvisation
Learn how to read chord charts, lead sheets, play chords and improvise over them.
Musical Ear
There is an emphasis on getting students to FEEL not THINK the music. It's important to form a connection with it.
OUR STUDIO
Lesson Times
Below is our general times when are classes run. Times are subject to availability.
Kids Classes
Monday: 4pm-7pm
Tuesday: 4pm-8pm
Wednesday: 4pm-7pm
Thursday: 4pm-8pm
Friday: 4pm-7pm
Saturday: 11am-3pm
Adult Classes
Monday: 2pm-3pm, 7pm-9pm
Tuesday: 8pm-9pm
Wednesday: 2pm-4pm, 7pm-9pm
Thursday: 8pm-9pm
Friday: 7pm-8pm
Saturday: 1pm-2pm
Tuition Fees
Tuition at Top Notes Piano is paid on a rolling monthly basis. There is no minimum term contract with tuition and tuition can be stopped at the end of any given month. Below are the current monthly fees for lessons.
£84 per month (£24 per 55-minute lesson based on 42 weeks of the year). This is for a 55 minute lesson each week (outside of holidays. There are no additional fees for method books, sheet music or access to some of our apps.
The way the monthly rate is calculated is by using the following formula:
(£24 x 42 weeks)/12 months = £84 per month
The monthly tuition fee is based on the cost of 42 lessons a year being spread into 12 even monthly payments. The nature of this means that:
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some months have more or fewer classes than others,
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the payment remains the same even if there is a holiday period in the month,
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ceasing tuition within 12 months may mean that the average cost per lesson is slightly higher or lower than the price per lesson stated above.
For new students, your first payment will be a pro-rata lessons fee. For example, If a child is starting lessons in the middle of the month and there are two lessons remaining in that month, the first payment will be £48. Thereafter, it will be £84 from the 1st of each month. If the pro-rata payment for the first month would exceed the regular monthly payment, it will be capped at the monthly payment.
We don’t refund for missed lessons as every student is reserved space each week, but we do have an incredibly flexible rescheduling policy which allows you to catch up on any lessons missed so long as you are actively registered with us and have no outstanding payments and there is no time limit to reschedule lessons.
If cessation of lessons occurs, a refund is not issued for any remaining lessons in that month, however students are entitled to have 1 lesson per week up until the end of the month. If a tutor cannot run a lesson outside of a holiday period, generally a refund will be offered for that lesson if it is not suitable for the lesson to be rescheduled.