Reopening for Face to Face Teaching from Friday 16th April 2021

Dear Students & Parents,

We hope you are all enjoying the Easter break and feel ready for the easing of some restrictions now that we have reached the next step of the plan set out by the Government.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming all students back to face to face lessons when we reopen the Music School from Friday 16th April. 

Any students who ceased or suspended lessons whilst we have been teaching online will need to contact us as soon as possible if they would like to return, so that we can ensure we have all the required measures in place to accommodate them. 

Please read the information below which explains some of the measures we have in place to keep staff and students safe.

• Students are asked to sanitise their hands as they enter and leave the Music School.

• Instruments and surfaces are cleaned before each lesson and at the start and end of each day.

• The reception area is for students ONLY. Parents and siblings cannot wait in reception.

• For one to one lessons with younger students, parents can if they wish, accompany their child into the teaching room. Please speak to your child's teacher.

• Instruments are set up so that students and teachers are socially distanced.

• Windows will be open to ensure rooms are well ventilated. Please wrap up if the weather is cool.

• Lessons have been staggered where possible to reduce the number of students arriving at the same time.

Please note :

• We ask that each student brings their course book, practice diary and pen or pencil to each lesson.

• Face masks can be used if students feel more comfortable.

• Teachers may use face masks or visors and will maintain the required distancing as much as possible.

• All singers will need a visor during Group Vocal lessons. If you do not have one, we can provide one at a small cost.

• If you or any member of your household is showing symptoms of COVID-19, please do not attend the Music School.

• If your child has been asked to self-isolate and cannot currently attend school, due to a child in their bubble having Coronavirus, please do not bring them to the Music School.

We will continue to review and update the systems we have in place where necessary so please keep checking our website and social media accounts for any changes.

We can't wait to welcome you all back through the Music School doors, but we also understand that you may feel anxious or concerned about the return to face to face teaching. If you have any questions at all, please get in touch.

Many Thanks

Laura Thatcher

Principal
Stafford Music School

Newsletter 1st March 2021

Dear Students and Parents

We hope that this update finds you well and that you are looking forward to the move into spring and hopefully some easing of restrictions over the coming months.

Continued Online Lessons
Following on from the Government update on 22nd February, we will see a reopening of state schools from the 8th March. However, as we do not fall into this category, we will continue to teach our students online for the remainder of this term. Provided the current guidance and suggested 'steps' can take place, we expect to be able to reopen after 12th April (Step 2) when indoor supervised activities for children can take place.
As we are closed for the Easter break from 2nd - 15th April, we hope to return to face to face teaching from Friday 16th April. 

From this date, we will be able to welcome children taking part in group or one to one lessons and also adults taking one to one lessons, with the usual social distancing measures in place. It should be noted that group lessons for adults will need to wait a little longer, until Step 3 on 17th May. 

We will of course keep you updated as we move closer to these dates, as we are aware there could be changes to this process of easing restrictions. 

Online Lessons Feedback
As we approach what might be our final month of online teaching, we would like to ask you for some feedback to help us understand what has worked well or not so well. As teachers, we have worked hard to adapt our methods and find new ways to help our students progress while teaching online. We feel on the whole it has been successful and would be pleased to hear your views. If you can spare a few minutes, please complete the feedback form. 

Virtual Concert
The month of March is usually all about our live band shows at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. We were lucky that these went ahead last year after the months of preparation beforehand. As we cannot perform live this year, we would like to share some performances from our students during the final week of term on our social media accounts and welcome any videos you might be happy to share as part of a 'Virtual Concert'. This can be something you are working on with your teacher currently and would like us to share. Please speak to your teacher if you would like to take part or send us an email if you have any questions. 

Once again we would like say a huge 'Thank you' for your continued understanding during these changing and difficult times. With your support, we have been able to continue to help students improve and progress through online lessons and also keep the Music School going, when so many other small businesses have unfortunately not survived. We hope it will not be long now until we can return to face to face teaching and a little bit of normality. 

If you have any questions at all, please let us know.

Laura Thatcher
Principal
Stafford Music School

Continued Online Lessons from Saturday 2nd January 2021

Online Lessons from Saturday 2nd January 2021

Following on from the Governments announcement yesterday for Staffordshire to move to Tier 4, all lessons will continue online  when we reopen on Saturday 2nd January.
For most students, lessons will take place on the usual day and time, unless your teacher has been in touch to make any changes.  Lessons will continue in the same way as before Christmas. 

Please see below for important information on how to set up and access online lessons.

Students taking instrumental lessons will need to set up a phone, laptop or device with a camera so that the teacher can see you and your instrument clearly. Please check the video and microphone settings to avoid any delay to the start of the lesson. We also ask that parents are on hand or close by during the lesson.

Alison, Charlotte, Kelly & Nick will contact their students directly to arrange lessons via Skype, Whatsapp or Zoom. For all other teachers, you can join the lesson using the information below.

How to Set up Zoom

Most teachers will use Zoom to deliver lessons via video call.

Please follow the instructions below to set this up.

Via Web Browser

• Go to https://zoom.us/join just before the start of your lesson time.

• In the Box under ‘Join Meeting’ enter your teachers personal ID number which looks like this : 123-456-7890 (Look for your teachers name & number below)

• You will be asked for a password which is Stafford (with a capital ‘S’)

• You will then be in a ‘waiting room’ and your teacher will accept you into the lesson at the lesson time.

• Please ensure you have switched on your video and audio and checked both settings prior to the start of the lesson.

Via the Zoom App on a Mobile Device

• Download the Zoom Cloud Meetings app

• Click on 'Join Meeting'

• Select ‘Join with Meeting ID’

• Enter your teachers personal ID number which looks like this 123-456-7890 (Look for your teachers name & number below)

• Click ‘Join Meeting’

• You will be asked for a password which is Stafford (with a capital ‘S’)

• You will then be in a ‘waiting room’ and your teacher will accept you into the lesson at the lesson time.

• Please ensure you have switched on your video and audio and checked both settings prior to the start of the lesson.

  Here is a video tutorial on how to join a Zoom Lesson.

  How to manage Audio Settings for a Zoom Lesson

  Teacher Personal Zoom ID Numbers

  Ben 978-063-4475

  Georgia 746 485 7277 

  Jenii 739-368-6457

  Katie 792-455-0936

  Kit 299-259-0448

  Laura 542-372-9749

  Sarah  655-110-6479

  Vinny 970-498-1955
  

  If you have any questions at all, please let us know.
  
  Laura Thatcher
  Principal
  Stafford Music School

Online Lessons from 5.11.20

Following on from the Government’s announcement on Saturday 31st October, we can now confirm that ALL lessons will continue online from Thursday 5th November. For Students who under 18 who haven’t previously taken online lessons with us, please follow the link below to complete the consent form.

Online Lessons Consent Form

All students will be contacted by text prior to their lesson with information on how to join online, which for most students, will take place on the usual day and time. This information can also be found below.

Students taking instrumental lessons will need to set up a phone, laptop or device with a camera so that the teacher can see you and your instrument clearly. Please check the video and microphone settings to avoid any delay to the start of the lesson. We also ask that parents are on hand or close by during the lesson.

Alison, Charlotte, Kelly & Nick will contact their students directly to arrange lessons via Skype, Whatsapp or Zoom. For all other teachers, you can join the lesson using the information below.

How to Set up Zoom

Most teachers will use Zoom to deliver lessons via video call.

Please follow the instructions below to set this up.

Via Web Browser

• Go to https://zoom.us/join just before the start of your lesson time.

• In the Box under ‘Join Meeting’ enter your teachers personal ID number which looks like this : 123-456-7890 (Look for your teachers name & number below)

• You will be asked for a password which is Stafford (with a capital ‘S’)

• You will then be in a ‘waiting room’ and your teacher will accept you into the lesson at the lesson time.

• Please ensure you have switched on your video and audio and checked both settings prior to the start of the lesson.

Via the Zoom App on a Mobile Device

• Download the Zoom Cloud Meetings app

• Click on 'Join Meeting'

• Select ‘Join with Meeting ID’

• Enter your teachers personal ID number which looks like this 123-456-7890 (Look for your teachers name & number below)

• Click ‘Join Meeting’

• You will be asked for a password which is Stafford (with a capital ‘S’)

• You will then be in a ‘waiting room’ and your teacher will accept you into the lesson at the lesson time.

• Please ensure you have switched on your video and audio and checked both settings prior to the start of the lesson.

  Teacher Personal ID Numbers

  Ben 978-063-4475

  Georgia 746 485 7277 

  Jenii 739-368-6457

  Katie 792-455-0936

  Kit 299-259-0448

  Laura 542-372-9749

  Sarah  655-110-6479

  Vinny 970-498-1955

Important Information for All Students 11th September 2020

Dear Students & Parents,

It has been fantastic to welcome so many students back into the Music School since we reopened on 1st September and we would like to thank our students and parents for their understanding as we adjust to the current situation.
 
We are aware that there has been an increase in the number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the local area and we would like to remind you of the measures we have taken to protect the safety of students and staff during this time.  

• Students are asked to sanitise their hands as they enter and leave the Music School.

• Instruments and surfaces are cleaned before each lesson and at the start and end of each day.

• The reception area is for students ONLY. Parents and siblings cannot wait in reception.

• Instruments are set up so that students and teachers are socially distanced.

• Lessons have been staggered where possible to reduce the number of students arriving at the same time. 

Please Note:

• We ask that you arrive as close to the lesson time as possible so that you can go straight into the teaching room.  

• All students must be dropped off and picked up at the main door off Mill Street or at the doors at the top of the stairs – parents and siblings cannot wait in the reception area at any time.

• If you or any member of your household is showing symptoms of COVID-19, please do not attend the Music School.

• If your child has been asked to self-isolate and cannot currently attend school, due to a child in their bubble having Coronavirus, please do not bring them to the Music School. More information can be found here:  https://www.child-matters.co.uk/coronavirus-in-schools-self-isolation-made-simple/

• Any student displaying symptoms or who we are made aware should be self isolating will be asked to leave the Music School and parents will be contacted to collect students where necessary. 

• If you or your child are required to self-isolate, please ask us about the possibility of the lesson taking place online during the isolation period.

We understand that this is still a very confusing and worrying time for everyone. Please speak to us if you have any questions or concerns and we will do all we can to help.

Returning to the Music School has been a positive step for us all and the teachers are all enjoying being back in the classroom with their students.
 
Thank you for your support and understanding.
 
Laura Thatcher

Principal
Stafford Music School

Lesson Information for September 2020

We hope you have all enjoyed a break during the summer and feel ready to return to some sort of routine in September. Throughout the break from teaching we have worked on a plan to reopen the music school and we are very much looking forward to welcoming students back to face to face lessons in September.

Any students who ceased or suspended lessons when we began teaching online will need to contact us as soon as possible if they would like to return in September, so that we can ensure we have all the required measures in place to accommodate them. 

Teachers will all return to the Music School from Tuesday 1st September when the term begins and we have measures and procedures in place to keep both staff and students safe.

There have been some alterations to times of classes in order to stagger the number of students attending at busy times and allow for distancing within the teaching rooms. Sarah's classes on Saturday have all been altered by 15 minutes. We will have been in touch by text or email regarding the change so if you haven't received this communication, please let us know so we can confirm the new time. 

Please see below for changes in place for September.

Drop off and Collection

• To limit numbers within the building, we are unable to provide a waiting area.

• We ask that parents drop children off in time for their lesson and wait outside the main door of the building at the end of the lesson to collect them.  

• Please ensure you arrive on time to enable us to keep start times staggered and limit the number of people entering and leaving the building at the same time.

• Staff will collect younger students from parents waiting at the main door or parents can accompany them in the lesson if the room is large enough to allow social distancing.

Movement around the Building

• Please keep to the left when entering and leaving the building and do not cross on the stairs.

• Wait at the top of the stairs if someone else is leaving the building to maintain distancing.

Equipment

• We ask that each student brings their course book and pen or pencil to each lesson as we are unable to share our resources.  

• Face masks and coverings are not recommended in educational settings, but can be used if students feel more comfortable.

• Teachers may choose to use visors and will maintain the required distancing as much as possible.  

• Due to the nature of singing within a group, it is necessary to take extra precautions during Group Vocal lessons alongside the distancing measures and cleaning procedures we have in place. Vocal teachers will be wearing visors and we ask all singers to use their own visor for the duration of their lesson. If you do not have one, we can provide one at a small cost.

Cleaning Procedures

• Rooms will be set up to comply with social distancing guidelines with instruments, equipment, door handles etc cleaned before and after each lesson.

• Hand Sanitiser is available outside the studios and outside the main door into reception. Please sanitise hands before and after each lesson

Some of our one to one teachers will continue to teach online and may be in touch directly to offer online lessons initially before returning to face to face lessons later on in the term. 

We will continue to review and update the systems we have in place where necessary so please keep checking our website and social media accounts for any changes. 

The return to some normality is very much needed and we can't wait to welcome you all back, but we also understand that you may feel anxious or concerned about how things will be. If you have any questions at all, please get in touch.

Many Thanks & Stay Safe

Laura Thatcher

Principal
Stafford Music School

Newsletter - 23rd July 2020

Our last day of teaching this term is Friday 24th July and we would like to say a huge thank you to all of our students and parents for their continued support this year. We have received some great feedback from you on the benefits of being able to continue learning online throughout the uncertain times of the last few months. If you would like to leave a review for us, it is always very much appreciated - links below for Facebook and Google. 

Facebook
Google 

Direct Debit Payments
As many of you will be aware, the monthly lesson fee payments made through Go Cardless are spread over the course of twelve months and are continuous. There will still be a payment on 1st August for all students as this covers the total number of weeks we teach during the academic year. Please refer to our example which explains in more detail how fees are charged. 

Plans for next Term
We are hopeful that we can resume some face to face lessons at the Music School in September. Plans will continue over the next few weeks and we will update all students via email and social media on how and when we can safely return. There may be some timetable changes and measures put in place in order for us to comply with required social distancing measures. Some group sessions may need to continue online if our space cannot allow the distancing measures required and we will of course notify you in advance of any changes.

Term Dates 
New term dates for 2020-2021 can be found on our website. As a reminder, we guarantee 43 lessons each academic year, closing only for Christmas, Easter and Summer. We teach through half terms. 

Exams
This term, some of our students have still been able to take their exams through video assessments. An exam session with Rock School is scheduled to take place this weekend at the music school with students taking both vocal and keyboard exams. We plan to have another session for Rock School exams in November or December and will update you when we have further information regarding Trinity College Exams. 

Please get in touch if you have any questions and we hope you can enjoy the summer break. 

Many Thanks & Stay Safe

Laura Thatcher

Principal
Stafford Music School

Newsletter - 9th June 2020

Thank you!
We would like to say a huge thank you to all of our students and parents for their continued support during this difficult period of the last few months. Our teachers have worked hard to ensure that lessons continue to enable students to keep working towards their goals and we are pleased to see how much progress has been made. 

Online Lessons
There are no plans for us to reopen the Music School for face to face lessons this term. Teachers and students all seem happy with current online arrangements and while some measures have been eased regarding 'lockdown', we feel the safest option for our students and staff is to continue online teaching for the remainder of this academic year. 

Term Dates 
Our Final day of teaching this term will be on Friday 24th July and new term dates for 2020-2021 can be found here. We hope to be able to update you soon on our plans for reopening in September. There may be some timetable changes and measures put in place in order for us to comply with required social distancing measures. Some group sessions may need to continue online if our space cannot allow the distancing measures required and we will of course notify you in advance of any changes. Please check our website for updates.  

Direct Debit Payments
As many of you will be aware, the monthly lesson fee payments made through Go Cardless are spread over the course of twelve months and are continuous. Therefore there will still be a payment on 1st August as this covers the total number of weeks we teach during the academic year. Please refer to our example which explains in more detail how fees are charged. 

Concerts
The annual live band concerts held at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on Sunday 8th March were a great success and we are so proud of everyone involved. We would still love to hear any feedback you may have for the shows. It helps us when preparing for future events. You can give us your thoughts here. 

Concert Photos and Video 
Photos from our annual live band concerts held at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on Sunday 8th March concert are available to purchase and can be found by following the links below. There are some fantastic images which captured some great moments of the day.

Rehearsal - https://t.co/JTewb6VbVr
Concert 1 - https://t.co/7aLs3MAHCM
Concert 2 - https://t.co/cKKxBz2B7J

Videos are still available to purchase as a digital download via We transfer.  If you would like to purchase a copy of the Concert Videos please fill out the order form on our website. The cost is £10 for one concert video, either 2pm or 4.30pm, or £15 if you would like both shows. We can accept bank payments only and a passworded link to download the video will be sent by email to the address given on the form. The video will be available to purchase as a download until 20th June 2020. After this time there will still be the option for us to transfer the video to a USB drive. 

Exams
We are hopeful that exam sessions for Trinity and Rock School can go ahead in July. For students taking Trinity exams in the usual way, we expect exams to take place at the exam centre in Stone during the week commencing 6th July. We have provisionally arranged a session for Rock School exams on Saturday 25th July  and the closing date for us to receive entries and payment is Thursday 18th June. 

Yamaha Lyric Writing Competition
This is a great opportunity to be creative and write an inspirational song/anthem with some fantastic prizes to win. The competition is available to students aged 6 upwards learning on Yamaha Courses. 

How to Enter

Follow these 4 simple steps:

1. Download the Backing Track and Melody Score by clicking on the links. 

2. Read the terms and conditions

3. Write your song lyrics and give the song a title

4.Complete the Application Form and send your completed song lyric and title to office@staffordmusicschool.co.uk and we will forward this to Yamaha .

The competition opens on Monday 1st June and closes on Friday 3rd July. Further information and Terms and conditions can be found on our website. 

Please get in touch if you have any questions and we hope you are all keeping well and staying safe.  

Many Thanks

Laura Thatcher

Principal
Stafford Music School

Concert Photos & Video Links

There are some fantastic photos available from our Gatehouse Shows on 8th March 2020.

Thanks to Garry at ThreeFiveThree Photography for once again capturing some amazing moments in what was a successful afternoon of live music. Please follow the links below to view all photos available:

Rehearsal - https://t.co/JTewb6VbVr

Concert 1 - https://t.co/7aLs3MAHCM

Concert 2 - https://t.co/cKKxBz2B7J

Concert Videos are still available to purchase as a digital download. If you would like to purchase a copy, please fill out the order form on our website. The cost is £10 for one concert video, either 2pm or 4.30pm, or £15 if you would like both shows. We can accept bank payments only and a passworded link to download the video will be sent by email to the address given on the form. The video will be available to purchase as a download until 20th June 2020. After this time there will still be the option for us to transfer the video to a USB drive. 

UK Yamaha Music Schools Lyric Writing Competition

AN EXCITING CHANCE FOR STUDENTS TO SHOWCASE THEIR CREATIVITY & WIN PRIZES!

This competition is open to all current students studying at Yamaha Schools in the UK – this means YMS, YMP and YKLC locations are all eligible to join in the fun!

Anyone from 6 years upward can enter.

This is for everyone, young students in the JMC family, Vocalists, Drummers, Keyboard players and Guitarists.

The Competition

Write the lyrics to an original backing track and melody score prepared by the Yamaha Team.

Closing date July 3rd 2020

Yamaha believes that everyone has the potential to make waves in the world. Now, more than ever, the world needs the positive power of music, with its unique ability to bring communities together, even when they’re required to remain apart.

Realise your creative talents as a Yamaha student and take this opportunity to write an inspiring music school song/anthem that can be shared with all your fellow students throughout the UK. Aim to produce a positive and inspiring song lyric which can be shared with all ages and levels of ability and tell a personal story that connects with others.

This song will have a lasting and uplifting impression on everyone who hears it.

Go ahead and make an impact. Make a difference. Make rainbows. Make waves.

Good luck to everyone who enters this competition!
 

How to Enter

Follow these 4 simple steps:

1. Download the Backing Track and Melody Score by clicking on the links. If you have any problems your local music school operator will help

2. Read the terms and conditions

3. Write your song lyrics and give the song a title

4.Complete the Application Form and send your completed song lyric and title to your local Yamaha school operator, who will forward this to Yamaha .

The competition opens on Monday 1st June and closes on Friday 3rd July.
 

Terms and Conditions

Conditions of participation for the lyric writing text competition. These terms and conditions regulate the participation in the “lyric writing“ competition.

a) This competition is organized by Yamaha Music Europe GmbH (UK) whose registered office is at Sherbourne Drive, Tilbrook, Milton Keynes MK7 8BL, United Kingdom (“Yamaha”).  
b) To participate in the competition, all participants must accept these terms and conditions. The competition will take place in accordance with these terms and conditions.
c) The competition will take place from 00:00 hours on Monday 1st June until 23.59 hours on Friday 3rd July. (CET). Subsequent answers will not be considered.
d) Students of the following Yamaha Music Schools (YMS; YMP; State School Partners; YKLC and Partner Music Services which are based in UK are eligible to participate.
e) Underaged participants need to be represented by their parents.
f) Employees of Yamaha or their relatives and any other person who is in any way connected with or assisting in the operation of the Competition are not eligible to enter.
g) Entrants may win the following prize: A Yamaha PSR SX700 or a Yamaha Rydeen Drum Kit or a Yamaha Revstar Guitar package.
h) To enter the competition, participants must write their own lyrics and song title for the music given under (HOW TO ENTER (link 1), complete and sign the competition application form (HOW TO ENTER (link4) within the competition period (c) above) and send this to their local Yamaha Music School operator. This form should be signed by a parent if the student is under 18 years of age. The local operator will forward the entry to Yamaha.
i) Only one entry will be accepted per person. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received by Yamaha for whatever reason.
j) Among all competition entries received in due time, the prize will be awarded by a jury consisting of Yamaha Music School staff and instructors to the most creative participant.
k) Yamaha will notify the Winner via email on Tuesday 21st July. If the Winner cannot be contacted within 7 days, Yamaha reserves the right to withdraw the prize from the Winner and pick a replacement Winner using the same drawing mechanic.
l) The prize is as stated and no cash or other alternatives will be offered. The prize is not transferable. The prize is subject to availability and Yamaha reserves the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
m) Yamaha is not obligated to review competition entry provided by participants for potential violations of third party rights. Yamaha may, however, reject content if, in its reasonable judgment, it is illegal or immoral.
n) Yamaha reserves the right to exclude participants from participating in the competition. This applies in particular to violations of the Terms and Conditions of Participation or if participants use manipulation or other dishonest means. Yamaha may also subsequently disqualify a participant, revoke any prize and reclaim it if there are legitimate grounds for a violation of the Terms and Conditions.
o) Participants shall indemnify Yamaha against all claims by third parties that have arisen or may arise from the competition entry. They agree to assist Yamaha in any reasonable way in defending any claims.
p) The winner of competition is obligated to transfer the rights of use of the lyrics submitted as competition entry to Yamaha for advertising purposes, unlimited in time and space. To this end, the winner will sign a release declaration after she or he has been notified about the winning.
q) Participants agree that this Personal Information mentioned under h) may be used by Yamaha for the purpose of administering and conducting the Competition and that Yamaha may publish the name of the winner on the Yamaha website and/or Yamaha's social media channels.
r) The use of Personal Information collected by Yamaha in the course of the competition will be based on the Privacy Policy, which can be found on the following website https://uk.yamaha.com/en/privacy_policy/index.html. Participants consent to this personal data being used by Yamaha for the purpose of administering and executing the Competition and, in respect of the Winner, announcing his/her name on the Yamaha website and/or any of its social media channels. Yamaha may also request that the Winner provides further personal data including their complete address and telephone number once the Winner has been selected.
s) Should individual parts of these conditions of participation be ineffective, all other provisions shall remain unaffected.
t) These conditions of participation and all disputes arising from this competition are subject to UK law.

Newsletter - Summer Term 2020

The new term begins on Monday 20th April and we hope all of our students and their families have enjoyed the Easter Break. We are very much looking forward to resuming lessons online and seeing our students again. 

Online Lessons via Zoom
Those students having lessons online via Zoom will notice a slight change when logging in. After entering your Teachers ID and joining the meeting, you will be asked for a password. The password for all teachers is Stafford with a capital 'S'. Please see here for further guidance on logging in. 

Students taking Guitar lessons with Nick will receive the link to the lesson via email as before, with all information included in the email. 

Don't forget to set up your device so that the teacher can see you and your instrument clearly and please check the video and microphone settings to avoid any delay to the start of the lesson. 

Concerts
The annual live band concerts held at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on Sunday 8th March were a great success and we are so proud of everyone involved. We would still love to hear any feedback you may have for the shows. It helps us when preparing for future events. You can give us your thoughts here. 

Concert Videos
We are pleased to now have the concert videos for each show complete and available to purchase. For the first time last year, we offered the videos as a digital download via We transfer. This was the preferred option amongst students and parents. 

One of the benefits of making the videos available in this way is that we can produce them in Full HD, which we would be unable to fit on a standard DVD. This does result in a larger file size that will take some time to download onto a device, depending on internet connection speeds. As a guide, each concert is approximately 3.5GB  and would take roughly 30 mins to download with a 15MB connection. Please also be aware of any 'download limits' you may have to consider. If you think this may be an issue, we can transfer the videos to your own USB drive once the music school reopens. Each concert video will contain the performances from each show as a separate video file. 

If you would like to purchase a copy of the Concert Videos please fill out the order form on our website. The cost is £10 for one concert video, either 2pm or 4.30pm, or £15 if you would like both shows. We can accept bank payments only and a passworded link to download the video will be sent by email to the address given on the form. The video will be available to purchase as a download until 20th June 2020. After this time there will still be the option for us to transfer the video to a USB drive. 

Exams
Due to the Corona Virus situation, all exams scheduled for last term were postponed or will be rearranged to take place via video link where possible. This term we are still hopeful that exams can take place in the traditional way. The closing date for Trinity & Rock School Exams is 25th May and we hope that exams can go ahead for both exam sessions in July. Further information will follow to those students currently preparing for examinations. 

Thank You
We would like to once again say a huge Thank you for all the support we have received with the transition to online teaching. It has been lovely to receive photos and videos of lessons in action, we really appreciate you taking the time to send these to us. We are so thankful to be able to maintain the routine of weekly lessons and enable our students to continue to make progress and achieve their goals. It is so important in these uncertain times and the power of music can really help to lift our spirits and stay positive.  

Please get in touch if you have any questions and we hope you are all keeping well and staying safe.  

Many Thanks

Laura Thatcher

Principal
Stafford Music School

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information:

At Stafford Music School, we are trying our very best to take precautionary measures to ensure anyone that attends the school remains healthy during the virus pandemic.

With this in mind, may we please ask the following…

• Please wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before and after each lesson.

• If you have a high temperature or symptoms of a cold, please stay at home. If those symptoms persist after 7 days, contact the 111 coronavirus service online or via the phone.

• If you cough or sneeze, please cover your mouth with your hands and then wash them immediately for the recommended 20 seconds.

• If you use a tissue, please discard of it immediately and proceed to wash your hands for the recommended 20 seconds.

We are taking the following measures…

• Instruments and other surfaces are being sanitized in between each and every lesson.

• All staff are washing their hands regularly during their shift.

• We are providing anti-bacterial soap in the toilets and will be purchasing hand sanitizer when it becomes available.

Many Thanks

Stafford Music School

Concert Programmes

Less than a week to go now until the concerts at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre! We hope you are as excited as we are!

Rehearsals
At the end of this email, you will find a reminder of Rehearsal times which take place at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on Sunday 8th March. It is really important that performers arrive 15minutes BEFORE the rehearsal time so that we can get them on stage in time for rehearsal. 

Concert Programmes
As part of our continued efforts to be kinder to the planet, we have made the decision not to print Concert Programmes for distribution on the day of the shows. A copy of both programmes has been emailed to all students and there will be a small number of copies available on reception this week for those that would prefer a paper copy. 

If you have any questions at all about the forthcoming concerts, please get in touch. Full Information is available on our website and regular updates can be found on our social media pages. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with important information. 

CONCERT REHEARSALS AT STAFFORD GATEHOUSE
SUNDAY 8TH MARCH 2020
PLEASE ARRIVE 15 MINUTES BEFORE YOUR REHEARSAL TIME

10.00 ABBA MEDLEY
10.15 TEENAGE KICKS
10.25 I’M A BELIEVER
10.40 I JUST CAN’T WAIT TO BE KING
10.55 SOMEONE YOU LOVED
11.10 HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING
11.25 9 TO 5
11.40 LIGHTS UP
11.55 ALLEGRO
12.05 DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER
12.20 FLY FAR SPACESHIP/IT BEGINS RAINING &
ALL VOCALISTS REQUIRED IN THEATRE
12.30 FINAL COUNTDOWN
12.45 ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Many Thanks,
 
Laura Thatcher
 
Principal
Stafford Music School

Rehearsal & Concert Information - Sunday 8th March

REHEARSALS

On Sunday 8th March, all songs will be rehearsed at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre between 10am-1pm. Rehearsal times can be found below.

• Performers should arrive 15mins before their rehearsal, through the entrance to the coffee shop (not the box office) and register at the bottom of the stairs.

• Parents and Guardians will be asked to wait downstairs during rehearsals. Staff will escort each group into the theatre. After rehearsing, they will be escorted back to Parents and Guardians and de-registered at the bottom of the stairs.

• All Vocalists are required from 12.20pm – 1pm and can be dropped off, registered and remain with Chaperones until you collect them at the end of the second show, if you wish.  

• We suggest a packed lunch for students who are with us during most of the rehearsals to eat after rehearsals in the Mountbatten Suite before the show starts. The coffee shop will be open for hot drinks and snacks.   

• We suggest bringing a book or something to keep occupied and a small bottle of water. Food is not allowed in the theatre during rehearsals.

CONCERT

• Performers should arrive 35mins before their show time (1.25pm or 3.55pm) and be registered in the Mountbatten Suite. Staff will escort performers into the theatre.  Performers will be seated in the theatre throughout the show.

• We ask that performers only bring essential items with them to the concert (no large bags or valuables please).

• Parents and Guardians can enter the theatre and take their seats from 30 minutes before the Concert (1.30pm/4.00pm).

• At the end of each Concert, performers will exit the theatre with Chaperones who will de-register them when released to Parents/Guardians in the Mountbatten Suite. To avoid congestion in this room we ask that only one Parent or Guardian go through to collect each student.

• Students taking part in both concerts can remain with us throughout if they wish and should be collected from the Mountbatten Suite at the end of the second concert which will be between 5.45pm -6pm.

STUDENTS AGED 7 & UNDER SEATED WITH PARENTS 

• All performers seated with parents will be registered by a member of staff who will find you at your seats in the theatre, before the start of the show.

• At this time, we will also explain the arrangements for collecting the children for their performance.

Tickets can only be purchased from the Gatehouse box office. If your child is sitting with you in the audience, please ask for a ‘performers free ticket’ as these seats are in a particular area of the theatre and let us know the seat number you purchase.

CONCERT PROGRAMMES

As part of our continued efforts to be kinder to the planet, we have made the decision not to print Concert Programmes for distribution on the day of the shows. A link to a copy of both programmes has been emailed to all students and there will be a small number of copies available on reception for those that would prefer a paper copy. Please get in touch if you need us to resend the link.

CONCERT REHEARSALS AT STAFFORD GATEHOUSE THEATRE

SUNDAY 8TH MARCH 2020 PLEASE ARRIVE 15 MINUTES BEFORE YOUR REHEARSAL TIME

10.00 ABBA MEDLEY

10.15 TEENAGE KICKS

10.25 I’M A BELIEVER

10.40 I JUST CAN’T WAIT TO BE KING

10.55 SOMEONE YOU LOVED

11.10 HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING

11.25 9 TO 5

11.40 LIGHTS UP

11.55 ALLEGRO

12.05 DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER

12.20 FLY FAR SPACESHIP/IT BEGINS RAINING & ALL VOCALISTS REQUIRED IN THEATRE

12.30 FINAL COUNTDOWN

12.45 ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Please get in touch if you have any questions or are unsure which show you or your child are performing in.

We hope you are looking forward to the shows as much as we are!

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Seating Plan

Our Annual Concert will take place at 3.30pm on Sunday 26th March at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre.

Rehearsals at the Music School will take place on Sunday 5th March.

Tickets can only be purchased direct from the box office at the Gatehouse or via their website and will go on sale at 10am on Wednesday 1st March.

Please see the image below which may help you when deciding which seats to purchase in the audience. Please be aware that we use two levels of Risers on stage.

Seating Plan

Performers in ‘Lean on Me’ and ‘Honey Bee March’ along with some of our students from other songs will be seated with parents in the area marked on the plan. When purchasing these tickets, please ask Gatehouse staff for a ‘performers free ticket’, to ensure the children performing are seated in the correct place for us to collect them for their performance. After purchasing your tickets, please advise us which seat numbers you will be seated in. You will need to speak the Gatehouse staff directly on the telephone or in person to order these tickets and will be unable to purchase them online.

We hope you are looking forward to the concerts. Rehearsal timetables for the 26th March will be available on the website from Monday 6th March.

If you have any questions at all, please give us a call.

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Seating Plan

IMPORTANT CONCERT INFORMATION - Sunday 8th March 2020

Concerts will take place on Sunday 8th March at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. There will be two performances at 2pm & 4.30pm and most students will only perform in one of these shows. Please check with reception or your teacher as to which concert you will perform at.

Vocal students will generally perform in both shows, unless advised otherwise. Students will play in groups with teachers on stage to help and conduct.

Each concert should last around 1hr 20mins each and we will have a variety of musical styles, with singers, guitarists, keyboardists and pianists combined.

Child Performance Licenses 

We have applied for a license exemption for the concerts and most of our students will not need a performance license to take part. However, if your child has performed on more than 4 occasions during the last 6 months in productions, other than at school, a performance license is required by law. Please email admin@staffordmusicschool.co.uk if you need to apply for the license on your child’s behalf. We will also need a passport photo and copy of their passport or birth certificate, which can also be emailed to us.

Concert Tickets

Tickets go on sale from Monday 3rd February and will be priced at £10 adults, £5.50 Concessions (Senior Citizen/Under 16). Tickets can ONLY be purchased directly from the Gatehouse at the Box office situated at the Gatehouse or via the website www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk.

All performers AGED 8 & OVER will be seated in the theatre in a designated section throughout the concerts and will not need to purchase a ticket.

Performers AGED 7 & UNDER will be seated with parents throughout the concert. You should ask for a ‘performers free ticket’ when booking at the Gatehouse Box Office. Members of staff will escort students from the audience to the backstage area to perform.

There will be a seating plan in reception and on our website before tickets go on sale. This will indicate what we feel to be the best areas to sit in the audience according to where the performers will be on stage. Please be aware that we do use two levels of risers on stage, so sitting too close to the front may hinder the view of keyboard and guitar students.

Rehearsals

Rehearsals will take place at the Music School on Sunday 9th February. Please see the timetable below. Performers of ‘I’m a Believer’, ‘Classical Medley’ and ‘Fly Far Spaceship’ will rehearse in class and ONLY need to attend the Gatehouse rehearsal on the morning of the concerts.

On the day of the concerts, there will be short rehearsals between 10.00am – 1pm at the Gatehouse Theatre, to enable sound checks and to give students the opportunity to play through the songs. A timetable will be available on our website from 10th February at www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/news. It is very important that as many students as possible attend these rehearsals, so that they feel comfortable with the venue and we can ensure the best sound quality.                                           

Photos & Video

We will film both concerts and videos will be available to purchase via a digital download as soon as possible after the concerts.  If you do not wish your child to be filmed, please let us know.

We ask that there is no flash photography while the students are playing as it can disturb the performance.

Important information regarding the concert will be posted on

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Staffordmusicschool/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/musicstafford and

Twitter https://twitter.com/musicstafford as well as on our website.

Please keep an eye on these pages to keep up to date.

Further information will follow in February regarding registration on the day of the concerts.

We are really looking forward to seeing our students perform again at the Gatehouse Theatre. For our new students, there is a short video on our YouTube channel to give you an idea of what to expect.

If you have any queries at all, please let us know.

CONCERT REHEARSALS AT STAFFORD MUSIC SCHOOL

SUNDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 2020

11.30 ABBA MEDLEY

12.15 TEENAGE KICKS

12.45 SOMEONE YOU LOVED

1.15 DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER

1.45 FINAL COUNTDOWN

2.15 BREAK

3.00 LION KING

3.30 LIGHTS UP

4.00 NINE TO FIVE

4.30 HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING

5.15 ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Merry Christmas and Important dates for 2020!

As we prepare to break up after lessons on Saturday 21st December,  we would like to thank all of our students and families for their support during this term and keep you updated on what we have coming up next term. 

We have been busy with new classes, a concert at St Mary's Church in September, two exam sessions, the Christmas Tree Festival  and finally the Stafford Walking Street last Thursday. We hope all of our students have enjoyed learning with us this term and are looking forward to next term and the big concert in March. 

Annual Concert at Stafford Gatehouse

On Sunday 8th March, we return to Stafford Gatehouse Theatre for our annual concerts which take place at 2pm and 4.30pm. There will be a variety of group performances and all students are invited to take part. Some students will have already started to prepare for the concert and if you think you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible. If there are any parents or relatives who would like to help at the concert, either with supervising students during the concert or in preparations throughout the day, please let us know  -  we are always very grateful for any offers of help with an event of this size! 

Concert Rehearsals

For those students performing as a 'band', there will be rehearsals at the Music School on Sunday 9th February. Times will follow next term and will be published on our website and social media pages. 

Exams

We hope to offer sessions for Rock School Guitar, Keyboard and Vocal exams at the Music School again in the new year for those students currently working towards an exam. We will of course notify students and parents in advance of the closing date and will email the relevant information. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding exams and remember to speak to your teacher if you need any help or ideas to make practice more fun and improve your confidence. 

New Classes

Vocals

Due to increased demand for vocal lessons, we are currently looking into holding vocal sessions on Saturday afternoons with one class specifically focusing on Musical Theatre Singing and Performance. The structured sessions would take place for one hour each week and work towards entering for London College of Music Examinations in Musical Theatre.

Guitar

Next term we will have the opportunity for beginners aged 6 and above to attend a taster lesson on the Yamaha Guitar Encounters Course on Thursdays at 4pm. For more information about this fantastic course, check out the video which explains in more detail. 

https://youtu.be/JoVY1aPAJuM

There will be limited spaces available for both sessions so please get in touch for more information or to book a place.

Updates

Please keep up to date with events and news by visiting our website or by following us on Instagram, Twitter (@musicstafford) or Facebook (Stafford Music School) All important dates can be found below or on our Facebook page. 

We would all like to wish you a very Happy Christmas and we look forward to another musical year in 2020.

First day of Term 2 : Saturday 4th January 2020

Concert Rehearsals: Sunday 9th February

Concert at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre : Sunday 8th March

Last day of Term 2 : Saturday 4th April 2020

First day of Term 3 : Monday 20th April 2020

Last day of Term 3 : Friday 24th July 2020

Term Dates 2019 - 2020

We are looking forward to another exciting year of music making!

Lessons continue through half terms but we do close for the main school holidays, teaching on 43 weeks of the year. Please see below for this years term dates.

Term 1

First day of teaching : Monday 2nd September 2019
Last day of teaching : Saturday 21st December 2019

Term 2

First day of teaching : Saturday 4th January 2020
Last day of teaching : Saturday 4th April 2020

Term 3

First day of teaching : Monday 20th April 2020
Last day of teaching : Friday 24th July 2020

New Guitar Classes September 2019

From September 2019, we are pleased to be able to offer Yamaha Guitar Classes for beginners on Wednesdays and Thursdays, in addition to those classes already running on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Yamaha Guitar Encounters Course is a rock and pop based course available to ages 8 up to adults. Students learn different styles and techniques and the course teaches all the necessary skills to become a confident musician. From improvising to arranging, learning to read tab as well as standard notation, each one hour lesson has a variety of activities to help all students to improve and progress.

Exams are available as part of the course with Rock School (RSL Awards) and there are regular opportunities for live performance, including our annual concert at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre each year in March.

FREE taster lessons will be available in September for keen guitarists to experience a lesson on the Yamaha Guitar Encounters Course. Spaces are limited and must be pre booked. Simply fill out the enquiry form and we will be in touch to arrange a suitable time.

Newsletter - June 2019

The Summer Holidays are nearly here… So, here is a quick update of important information and events for the remainder of this term and from September.

Exam Sessions

The next session of Rock School exams will take place on Sunday 7th & Monday 8th July at the Music School. There were such a large number of students wishing to take exams at this sitting that it is necessary for the exams to take place across two consecutive days. Trinity Piano & Keyboard exams will take place at the exam centre in Stone on Thursday 4th July. Timetables are now available here and will require a password to open. Please call or text us if you need the password.

Remember, daily practice is essential from now until the exams and make sure you work on the areas that need the most work, as well as the elements you feel happy with. 

Please speak to your teacher if you need any help or ideas to make practice more fun and improve your confidence!

Concert Videos

Many of you have already purchased the concert videos via a link to download the content. Whilst we are no longer able to offer the videos as a download option, we can still transfer the files to a USB stick if you would like to have a copy of one or both of the shows. Please let us know and we can arrange this for you. The cost for one show is £10 and £15 for both shows.

Concert Photos

Photos from the concerts are now available to view and purchase at https://threefivethreephotography.smugmug.com/Music/Gigs. Thanks to Garry at 353 Photography once again for some fantastic images at some of the rehearsals and both shows.

End of Term Performance - The Sun Deck

On Sunday 21st July, we have arranged a relaxed afternoon of live music on the Sun Deck at The Sun Inn. There will be a mixture of performances from some of our students and hopefully the sunshine will also be in attendance!

St Mary’s Concert

We were unable to fit in our usual ‘Summer Performance’ at St Mary’s Church this year so we are planning a similar event for September, which gives small groups and some soloists the opportunity to perform live in this beautiful setting. Please let us know if you would like to take part.

New Classes

From September, there will be new classes available for Guitar (Age 8+) Junior Play for Keeps (Age 6-7) and Play for Keeps (Age 8+) and Vocals (Age 7+). Our Yamaha Keyboard classes cover both Piano and Keyboard skills and have a variety of styles and songs to enjoy. The Yamaha Guitar Course covers all aspects of guitar playing, with students learning many different styles as well as learning traditional notation and TAB. Please let us know if you would like any further information on our courses and remember that we still offer our immediate family discount or for students learning on more than one course.

Summer Holidays

We break up for the summer holidays after lessons on Friday 26th July and return for the new term from Monday 2nd September. Full term dates for 2019-2020 can be found on our Facebook page and in the reception area. All current students should now have received information regarding re enrolment for September and a change to our payment system. Please let us know if you have any queries and ensure the form is completed and returned to us BEFORE Friday 19th July.

We hope you all enjoy the remainder of the term and would like to wish you all a relaxing break!