MobiriseLessons are normally on a weekly or fortnightly basis, but other arrangements can be made to suit your schedule. We endeavour to offer pupils a regular timed slot, but can also accommodate shift work and irregular lesson times subject to availability.
Lessons begin on the hour and last for 50 minutes. This allows for a safe changeover of pupils and for cleaning and ventilation to be undertaken in line with our COVID-secure procedures (detailed below).
When paying for a single lesson, please bring cash to your lesson. If you wish to pay for a term of lessons, this can be done via Bank Transfer. We are unable to accept cheques or take debit/credit card payments at this time.
No! You start by booking a single introductory lesson during which we get to know you, listen to your voice, and show you some basic techniques and vocal exercises. You do not have to prepare a song in advance. Following this introduction, you can choose whether to sign up for regular lessons.
Following the initial introductory lesson, we recommend that each student begins with a term of ten lessons to gain the benefit of the initial training. Many pupils begin with ten lessons and still enjoy attending for years to come.
You can learn songs in any style and genre that you like. We will suggest pieces we would like you to learn, which will help to build your technique; these can be mixed with your own choice of repertoire.
The Academy has a large supply of sheet music for use in lessons. From time to time, pupils may be asked to purchase their own copies of music, but this is not compulsory. If you wish to learn a song we don't know, we ask you to find copies of the sheet music for the teacher and pianist, and we can also work with backing tracks if that is more appropriate to the genre.
Absolutely not! The ability to read music, sight-read, or be proficient in music theory is not necessary to study at the Academy. Learning these skills can be incorporated into your lessons as you progress.
Yes! We offer personalised gift vouchers for you to treat your loved ones. These can be adapted to suit your budget and needs. Please contact us for more information.
St Mary's Tower (Marygate Tower) is on the junction of Marygate and Bootham, York. Parking is available in Bootham Row car park (next to Sainsbury's, Bootham), or in Marygate car park at the bottom of the hill. The oak outer door is unlocked, and there is a bell on the internal door. Please do not arrive more than 5 minutes before your allotted hour, to allow for our COVID safety precautions.
The main studio in the Academy is on the first floor of St Mary's Tower, to which access is via a wrought-iron spiral staircase. If you have mobility access requirements, please contact us, as we are able to adapt our practice by teaching you on the ground floor using a portable keyboard rather than the grand piano. However, it must be noted that the only toilet facilities are on the first floor; unfortunately as a Grade 1 listed building, we are unable to mitigate this.
We require seven days' notice for the cancellation of lessons. If we receive less notice, we try to rebook the lesson for another time that week, but reserve the right to charge the full fee if it is not possible to rearrange at short notice. In cases of planned absences and holidays, no fee is charged when advanced notice is given.
Mobirise