Chris Rolinson   B.Mus.(Hons.)   DipLCM.   DipVCM.(Hons.)   Cert. Ed.(Dist.)   APRS

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What styles of music do you teach?

A. All styles. You tell me what music you’d like to learn and that's what we'll do.
My own background covers classical, rock and pop so it should not be long before you are playing music you’ll enjoy!  This helps keep your motivation levels high, which is essential when you learning to play an instrument.

 

Q. How long is a lesson?

A. Young beginners usually have 20 minutes, with adult and more advanced students having 30 minute lessons.

 

Q. How long will it take me before I'm any good?

A. A good question, and the only truthful answer it that it all depends on you! Being totally honest, to learn how to play the piano well requires an enormous commitment.  Simply put, you won't get very far if you don't practise. 

Progress does tend to come in fits and starts; some weeks you seem to work hard and get nowhere, other times the penny just “drops” and you seem to go full steam ahead for a while.  It’s important not to get despondent when you hit a “trough”.

 

Q. Will I HAVE to take examinations?

A. Definitely not, but I will enter you into appropriate examinations if you want to do them.

 

Q. Can I learn about music theory?

A. Of course. You learn the basics of music through playing and you can formalize your growing knowledge with written theory exams if you wish. 

Q. Can you help me with GCSE and A level Music?

Yes of course!  I used to teach both subjects at secondary school.  Besides the obvious assistance I can give with the performing elements, I can especially help with the compositional aspects too.  I am a professional composer with several TV credits and published music to my name.

Q. I already play another instrument. Will learning the piano interfere with that?

A. No, providing you have time to practise both. In this case, it may probably help more than hinder.  You may be interested to know that I can also accompany instrumentalists for examination purposes.

Q. What is your policy on payment?

As I run my private practice to the nationally agreed standards of the ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians), I have a policy that all lessons, once arranged, must be paid for “up front”.  We sign an agreement together to this effect when you start lessons.

Only if there is a genuinely extraordinary reason, can lessons not be deemed chargeable.

However, if you can give me a minimum of twenty-four hours notice, I will always attempt to re-arrange your weekly lesson for no extra charge, though this is not always possible at busy times.

Q. What about Child Protection issues?

I possess a current (March 2007)CRB Disclosure certificate and am registered with the ISM as a professional private teacher, so you can have full confidence in my professional integrity.

The need to protect our children is paramount and yet to learn an instrument effectively can mean there is a need for some touch to take place, mostly on the hands of the learner.  For this reason alone, please note I will not conduct a lesson with any person under the age of 16 without a parent or some other responsible adult present in the teaching room. 

While this can present a problem to some parents, especially as older teenagers gain independence, I hope you will appreciate my stance on this.  In these days of ever increasing awareness of issues surrounding children and adults, I have a responsibility not to allow my position of trust to be compromised in any way.