Newsletter December 2023

Christmas Break… we close after lessons on Friday 22nd December 2023, reopening on Saturday 6th January 2024  

This year in a nutshell… we'd like to say thank you to all of our students and families for their support throughout this year. It’s been a busy year of new classes, exam sessions and live music performances.  

Our annual concert at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre in March was the best yet and our return to St Marys for a Summer Show in July was a great opportunity for soloists and small groups to experience a smaller venue with a more relaxed atmosphere. Just last week we were at the Christmas Tree Festival at St Mary’s Church and heard more fantastic performances from our students, some of whom have only just started their learning journey with us. 

We also want to congratulate every student who has enjoyed exam success this year. We know how much hard work and dedication it takes to go through that process and we’re very proud of all of you. We hope you have enjoyed learning with us this year.  

Charity Donations…. since November we have been collecting donations of gifts for adults, children and pets for Hearts and Hands of Stafford to supply to parents in Stafford. We have a box in our reception and can take donations until Monday 18th December. Our collection will then be delivered to the charity the following day. Thank you so much for all your kind donations so far.  

Dates for your diaries

• Saturday 6th January 2024 - Music School reopens for teaching

• Sunday 4th February 2024 from 2pm - Yamaha/Rock School Exam Session at the Music School

• Sunday 3rd March 2024 from 2pm - Annual Concert Rehearsals at the Music School

• Sunday 24th March 2024 - Annual Concert at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre.

Exam Session… an exam session has been provisionally booked at the Music School for Yamaha/Rock School exams on Keyboard, Guitar and Vocals for Sunday 4th February 2024.  We’ll send out further information about this in the New Year. 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 Keyboard Classes for beginners… we are pleased to announce some brand-new Yamaha Keyboard classes starting in the New Year. Tuesday afternoons will be for adult beginners and Saturday afternoons will be for children aged 7+. You can register your interest and book a free taster lesson in either of these classes by completing our form or dropping us a quick email to admin@staffordmusicschool.co.uk

Social Media/Notices… please check in with our pages on Facebook (Stafford Music School) Instagram and X (@musicstafford) and when you are in the Music School, check our noticeboards which have recently been updated to provide a visual guide to all the important information we need to communicate to students and parents.  

Full term dates for the year and other important information such as Terms and Conditions can be on our website by following the link below. 

www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/docs 

Contact Information…please let us know if any contact details change, particularly mobile numbers and email addresses as these are the main ways in which we will contact you.  

We would like to wish all of our students and their families a restful Christmas break.  

Many Thanks

Laura

Principal

Stafford Music School

Sunday 24th September - Stafford 10k Road Closures

This Sunday 24th September is the date for the annual ‘Stafford 10k’ which means the town will be busy with competitors and spectators and there will also be some road closures in place from 7am Sunday morning. Immediately around the Music School will not be accessible by car so you will need to park up and walk in.

Please see below for the route and more information on Road Closures.

We think best potential parking places could be the Supermarkets, for example Asda or Tesco. 

B&M and Aldi car park access is only closed from 10.15 to 10.45am, so that might be suitable depending on the start of your lesson time. Chell Road will be particularly busy and Sainsbury's car park could be used by a lot of the competitors so it might be best to avoid that area.

Please allow plenty of time to arrive for your lesson this week and call us if you need any help finding your way to us.

Welcome Back!

It's been over a week now since we kicked off our new term here at Stafford Music School and we are excited to share our latest updates and new class information with you.

🎹 Free Piano/Keyboard Taster Lessons 🎹

Due to overwhelming demand, we're pleased to announce that we are offering FREE Taster Piano/Keyboard Lessons on the Yamaha Play for Keeps Course. We have limited spaces available at the following times :

📅 Tuesday 19th September at 5pm (Age 7+)

📅 Sunday 24th September at 10am (Age 5-7years)

📅 Sunday 24th September at 11am (Age 8+)

To reserve a place on any of these dates please give us a call or complete the form on our website.

🎄🎶 Christmas Tree Festival 🎶🎄

We are looking forward to taking part in this Annual event at St Mary’s Church. Our talented musicians and singers will perform your favourite Christmas songs and Carols.

📅 Saturday 9th December

🕒 10-10.30am

🏢 St Mary’s Church, ST16 2AP

🎤 Annual Live Band Concert 🎤

Our annual live concert at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre is arranged for Sunday 17th March 2024. Please save the date!

🎶 Stay in Tune with Music School Updates! 🎶

We have compiled a guide on where to find important music school information like term dates, performance dates and more.

🗓️ Term Dates:

You can typically find this information in the following places:

• Music School Website This page contains term dates, direct debit information and our general Terms and Conditions. We also have an announcement bar on the home page which will display important dates or information.

• Facebook Our Term dates are pinned at the top of the page

• Instagram Go to the link in our profile for term dates on Instagram

  🎵 Performance Dates 🎵

  To stay informed about upcoming concerts, rehearsals, timetables and ticket sales, check out these sources :

• News Page Important information and updates are posted right here on the news section of the website. We will notify you via email or text and also post on Social Media whenever we add a new update.

• Music School Noticeboards We will display posters and announcements about upcoming performances and rehearsal times on our boards in reception. Keep an eye out for these each week!

  📢 Announcements:

  General information, links to news updates on the website, exam dates etc

• Email Notifications: Information from Reception will be sent from admin@staffordmusicschool.co.uk. Sometimes these emails can find their way into spam folders so its a good idea to add this email address to your contacts.

• Social Media: For updates, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We also have TikTok!

We hope this information has been useful and that you are as excited as we all are for a brand new year of making music! If you have any questions, please get in touch!

Summer Performance 23rd July at St Mary's Church

We are really looking forward to our Summer Performance at St Marys on Sunday 23rd July.

The concert will start at 3pm and tickets are still available to purchase. Please follow the link below : https://staffordmusicschool.squarespace.com/config/pages/5569c79de4b0ba9959e84bcd

Performers should arrive around 2.30pm and we will seat most of the performers towards the front of the church in allocated seats.

We have lots of fantastic performances with a short interval and we expect to be finished no later than 5.15pm.

The programme is available below for you to print at home or view on your devices.

Summer Performance July 2023 Programme

Newsletter July 2023

As we enter the final weeks of the summer term and the end of another academic year, we'd like to say thank you to all of our students and families for your continued support this year. We hope you have enjoyed learning and progressing with us.

We have had an exciting and successful year with exam sessions both at the music school and external centres, performances at the Christmas Tree Festival at St Mary’s Church in December and our fantastic Gatehouse Show in March. There’s still more to come before we break up, with a Rock School Exam session on Sunday 9th July and the Summer Performance at St Mary’s Church on Sunday 23rd July. Tickets are available by clicking the link on our website.

Direct Debit Payments

For all students continuing lessons with us until the end of term, the final payment to cover lessons taken during the current academic year will be charged on 1st August 2023.

Leavers

For any students leaving us at the end of this term, please email laura@staffordmusicschool.co.uk  by Friday 7th July. The direct debit will be cancelled after the August payment has been collected.

Lesson attendance

We are receiving an increasing number of weekly requests to rearrange lesson times when students are unable to attend at their usual lesson time. While it has been possible on some occasions in the past to offer ‘catch up lessons’, it has become increasingly difficult to offer this due to all teachers being fully booked. Many of our teachers have group lessons or are only with us for one or two days of the week which further limits the time available. If the scheduled lesson time becomes difficult to attend on a regular basis, please email us on admin@staffordmusicschool.co.uk and we can look into swapping times with another student.

Notification of Changes

If you require any change to the current lesson time/day for next term, please email admin@staffordmusicschool.co.uk by Monday 10th July. After this date, we will start to check our registers for availability in September so that times can be confirmed before the Summer break and any spaces then offered to those on our waiting lists.

Music School Events 2023/2024

Next year’s annual concert is already scheduled for Sunday 17th March 2024 at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. Please save the date in your diaries!

We break up for Summer after lessons on Thursday 27th July and will return on Monday 4th September. Full term dates for the year can be found pinned at the top of our Facebook page and also on our website via the link: www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/docs

Updates

Please remember we post regularly to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@musicstafford) and any important updates can be found on the news section of our website.

We hope you all enjoy the Summer break and as always, if there are any questions, please get in touch.

Many Thanks
Laura

Principal
Stafford Music School

Concert Programme 2023

Please click the link above to view the Programme for our Annual Concert on Sunday.

We will not be printing copies for the day of the concert so please save this file to your device to view during the show or if you wish, you can print at home.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday - please remember that Rehearsals are at the Gatehouse and performers should arrive at the Stage door. Further information can be found in the news section of the website.

REHEARSAL Information - Sunday 26th March

CONCERT REHEARSALS AT STAFFORD GATEHOUSE THEATRE

Please read this information carefully

On Sunday 26th March, all songs will be rehearsed at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre between 11am-2.10pm. Please see drop off and collection times below. 

• Performers should arrive at the stage door at the specified time below and register with Kate and the team. See below for location of stage door.

• Parents and Guardians will be asked to drop off and return at the specified times below to collect their children. Staff will escort performers backstage and into the theatre in readiness for their rehearsal. After rehearsing, they will be released to Parents and Guardians at the stage door.

• Children over the age of 12 can be released unsupervised provided this consent form:  https://forms.gle/4aLZ7j48gd6m34Va7 is completed by Monday 20th March.

• Students performing on more than one song should be collected after their final song.

• We suggest that students who are with us during most of the rehearsals bring a small bottle of water, a book or something to keep occupied and a snack which can be eaten backstage if necessary.

• Food is not allowed in the theatre during rehearsals.

• As stipulated by the Gatehouse, all students must be leave after rehearsals.

Please arrive/drop off at the Stage Door.

CONCERT Information - Sunday 26th March

CONCERT REGISTRATION – Concert Starts at 3.30pm

• The coffee shop will be open from 2.30pm.

• Performers should once again be dropped off at the stage door to be registered and then escorted backstage to be seated in the theatre.

• Students performing in the first half should arrive at 2.45pm.

• Students for the second half should arrive no later than 3pm. Please see set list below.

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

• Parents and Guardians can then enter the theatre through the main doors and take their seats in the theatre.

• During the 20-minute interval, we advise children remain with their chaperones, however if parents/guardians wish to collect children from their chaperones, please ensure they are de registered and then return to their chaperone in readiness for the second half.

• At the end of the Concert, performers will exit the theatre with Chaperones who will de-register them when released to Parents/Guardians from the Writers Room/Coffee Shop.

• Parents/Guardians should bear right at the bottom of the main staircase to enter the Writers room and collect students from their chaperones before exiting via the coffee shop.

• To avoid congestion, we ask that only one Parent or Guardian collects each student.

• STUDENTS PERFORMING IN ‘LEAN ON ME’ & ‘HONEY BEE MARCH’ are seated with parents and can enter the theatre through the main entrance and take their seats from 3pm.  Please ensure we have been given your seat number so that staff can collect your child for their performance.

Set List - Sunday 26th March

Gatehouse Entrance and Stage Door

Follow arrow to stage door for drop off and collection

CONCERT Information - Tickets on sale from 1st March 2023

CONCERT TICKETS INFORMATION

Preparations are coming along nicely for our annual concert on Sunday 26th March at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. There will be one performance at 3.30pm and Students will play in groups with teachers on stage to help and conduct.

The concert should last around 1hr 30mins with an interval of 20 mins.

Concert Tickets
Tickets will go on sale from 10am on Wednesday 1st March 2023 priced at £17 each and can ONLY be purchased directly from the Gatehouse by calling or visiting the Box office situated at the Gatehouse.

Tickets can also be purchased via the website.

Most of the performers will be seated with chaperones and supervising adults in the theatre in a designated section throughout the concert and will not need to purchase a ticket.

Performers in ‘Lean on Me’ and ‘Honey Bee March,’ along with a few of our students in other songs, will be seated with parents in a designated area. We will have already spoken to those students/parents regarding this. When contacting the Gatehouse to purchase your tickets, ask for a ‘performers free ticket’ for the student.
Members of staff will escort students from the audience to the backstage area to perform.

A seating plan is now available in reception and on our website. This will indicate what we feel are 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 5th March. Please see the timetable below. Students can be dropped off and collected on the day of rehearsals or parents can accompany them. Performers on ‘I’m a Believer’, ‘Lean on Me’ and ‘Honey Bee March’ will rehearse in class and ONLY need to attend the Gatehouse rehearsal on the morning of the concert.

On the day of the concert, there will be short rehearsals between 11.00am – 2pm 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 Monday 6th March at www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/news. It is very important that as many students as possible attend the rehearsals, so that they feel comfortable with the venue and we can ensure the best sound quality.

Photos & Video
We will film the concert and both photos and videos will be available to purchase via a digital download as soon as possible after the concert. 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://instagram.com/musicstafford &
Twitter https://twitter.com/musicstafford as well as our website www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk. So please keep an eye on these pages to keep up to date.

Further information will follow in March regarding registration on the day of the concert.

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

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

Rehearsals - Sunday 5th March at Stafford Music School

9.30 Viva La Vida

10.00 Game of Thrones

10.30 Step On

11.00 I Ain’t Worried

11.30 Dancing in the Dark

12.00 Under the Sea

12.30 Merry Go Round of Life

1.00 Never Gonna Give You Up

2.15 Sweet Home Alabama

2.45 Ride of the Valkyries

3.05 Spring

3.25 Spaceman

3.55 Enola Gay

4.25 High Hopes

4.55 Won’t Get Fooled Again

5.25 Shine

5.55 FINISH

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Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Seating Plan 2023

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

Annual Concert 2023 - Important Information

Our annual concert returns this year, taking place on Sunday 26th March at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. There will be one performance at 3.30pm and students will play in groups with teachers on stage to help and conduct.

The concert should last around 1hr 30mins in total with an interval of 20 mins and we will have a variety of musical styles, with singers, guitarists, keyboardists and pianists combined.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you or your child will not take part in the concert so we have an accurate number of students performing.

Child Performance Licenses

We have applied for a license exemption for the concert and most of our students will not need a performance license to take part.

Concert Tickets
Tickets will go on sale from the beginning of March and further information regarding ticket prices will follow ahead of the release date. 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.

Most of the performers will be seated with chaperones and supervising adults in the theatre in a designated section throughout the concert and will not need to purchase a ticket.

Performers taking part in ‘Honey Bee March’ & ‘Lean on Me’ will be seated with parents throughout the concert in a designated area of the theatre. 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 5th March. Please see the timetable below. Parents are welcome to drop off or remain with their children, however please be aware the school does get very busy.  Performers on ‘I’m a Believer’, (Laura’s Thursday 4.30pm Class) ‘Lean on Me’ (Georgia’s Friday 5.30pm class) and Honey Bee March (Alison’s Students) will rehearse in class and ONLY need to attend the Gatehouse rehearsal on the morning of the concerts.

On the day of the concert, there will be short rehearsals between 11.00am – 2pm 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 1st March at www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/news. It is very important that as many students as possible attend the rehearsals, so that they feel comfortable with the venue and we can ensure the best sound quality.

Photos & Video
We will film the concert 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://instagram.com/musicstafford &
Twitter https://twitter.com/musicstafford as well as our website www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk. So please keep an eye on these pages to keep up to date.

Further information will follow in March regarding registration on the day of the concert.

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

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

Many Thanks,
Laura Thatcher
Principal
Stafford Music School

Rehearsals - Sunday 5th March at Stafford Music School

9.30 Viva la Vida

10.00Game of Thrones

10.30 Step on

11.00 I Ain’t worried

11.30 Dancing in the Dark

12.00 Under the sea

12.30 Merry Go Round

1.00 Never Gonna Give You Up

2.15 Sweet Home Alabama

2.45 Ride of the Valkyries

3.05 Spring

3.25 Spaceman

3.55 Enola Gay

4.25 High Hopes

4.55 Won’t Get fooled Again

5.25 Shine

5.55 FINISH

Newsletter December 2022

As we enter the final week of term, we'd like to say thank you to all of our students and families for their support throughout this year. It has been wonderful to be able to start new classes and return to live music events. We were able to hold our annual concert at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre in April, which was a great success and just last week we attended the Christmas Tree Festival at St Mary’s Church and heard more fantastic performance from some of our students. Thank you to all involved and we hope you have enjoyed learning with us this year.

We break up for Christmas after lessons on Monday 19th December and will return on Tuesday 3rd January 2023.

Full term dates for the year can be found pinned at the top of our Facebook page and also on our website by following the link below.

www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/docs

Toy Collection

This year we have decided to collect toy donations for Hearts and Hands of Stafford to supply to parents. We have a box in our reception and can take donations until Saturday 10th December. Our collection will then be delivered to the charity the following week.

Music School Events

Preparations have started for our annual concert which is scheduled for Sunday 26th March 2023 at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. After Christmas, we hope to be able to give you more details about our plans and teachers will start working on songs with students during their lessons.

Photos from our previous concert in April 2022 are now available to buy. The links for these are below:

Rehearsals: https://threefivethreephotography.smugmug.com/Music/Gigs/SMS2022R/

Concert: https://threefivethreephotography.smugmug.com/Music/Gigs/SMS2022C/

Exam Sessions

An exam session has been provisionally booked at the Music School for Yamaha/Rock School exams on Keyboard, Guitar and Vocals for Sunday 12th February 2023.  We will send out further information about this in the new year. 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.

Notification of absence 

We understand it might not always be possible but it helps us to know in advance of student absence so we can update the teachers and lessons can run smoothly. During reception opening hours (Monday to Friday 3pm-7.30pm, Saturday 9am - 4.30pm) the best way to contact us is by calling the main contact number 07940 228000 and leaving a message if we are unable to answer or alternatively, email reception at admin@staffordmusicschool.co.uk.

Contact Information

Please let us know if any contact details change, particularly mobile numbers and email addresses as these are the main ways in which we will contact you. If you haven’t yet completed our online enrolment form this term, please go to www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/enrol.

You can 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).

We hope you all enjoy the Christmas break and as always, if there are any questions, please get in touch.

Many Thanks

Laura

Principal

Stafford Music School

Newsletter August 2022

Dear Students & Parents,

We hope you are all enjoying a restful summer break.

The music school will reopen on Friday 2nd September and we are looking forward to welcoming our students back for the autumn term.

We are pleased to tell you about the brand new Yamaha classes that will commence in October.

Free taster lessons are available during the first few weeks of term so students can see how much fun it is to learn on these courses. Places are limited so please get in touch as soon as possible to book a space. You can complete our online form www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/contact and we will contact you to confirm your place.

Don't forget that we offer a discount on second courses and for siblings or immediate family members who subsequently commence lessons with us.

New Classes for 2022

Yamaha Guitar Encounters Course - Guitar lessons for age 8+
Thursdays at 5.50pm with Nick
Saturdays at 10.30am with Ben

Yamaha Play for Keeps Course - Piano/Keyboard Lessons (Age 7+)
Thursdays at 4.30pm with Laura

We also have some availability in our existing vocal classes. Learn how to use the voice correctly and improve technique, confidence and performance skills.

Group Vocal Lessons
Mondays at 6pm (Adults) with Chris
Tuesdays at 4.30pm with Chris and Saturdays 10.15am with Georgia (Age 7-11)
Tuesdays at 5.30pm (Age 11-16) with Chris

Enrolment Form
Thank you for completing our online enrolment form to enable us to update our student records. If you haven't yet completed this, you can still do so at www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/enrol.

Remember we will be closing for half terms this academic year. Full term dates for the year can be found pinned at the top of our Facebook page and also on our website by following the link below :
www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/docs

Lesson Fees from 1st September
From 1st September 2022, lesson fees will be as follows :
All 1-2-1 Lessons - £53.50 per month
Vocal Group Lessons - £34 per month
Yamaha Guitar & Keyboard Group Lessons - £47 per month

Music School Events
Next years annual concert is already scheduled for Sunday 26th March 2023 at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. Please save the date in your diaries!

We post regularly to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@musicstafford) should you need to check for updates during the academic year.

We look forward to reopening our doors and welcoming you all back from Friday 2nd September and as always, if there are any questions, please get in touch.

Many Thanks

Laura

Principal
Stafford Music School

Newsletter July 2022

As we enter the final weeks of the summer term and indeed another academic year, we'd like to say thank you to all of our students and families for your continued support this year.

We have had a successful and full year of face to face teaching with exam sessions at the Music School and external centres, live performance in the town centre at Christmas and the return of our annual Gatehouse show in April. We hope you have all enjoyed learning and progressing with us.

We break up for Summer after lessons on Friday 22nd July and will return on Friday 2nd September.

Direct Debit Payments
For all students continuing lessons with us until the end of July, the final payment to cover lessons taken during the current academic year will be charged on 1st August 2022.
We ask all students who are continuing lessons with us in September to complete our online enrolment form which you can find at www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/enrol.

Please inform us of any students leaving us at the end of the July as soon as possible and the direct debit will be cancelled after the August payment has been collected.

Notification of Changes
If you require any change to the current lesson time/day for next term, please let us know as soon as possible so we can check our registers for availability. Our teachers are all currently fully booked and we have a waiting list for all courses so it would be helpful to know as early as possible to try and accommodate any requests. Thank you to parents and students who have already requested changes for the new term.

Important Changes from September
After much thought and discussion amongst staff, parents and students, we have taken the decision to close the music school during half terms when we return for the new academic year. Student absence is often high during half term weeks and we feel a break for staff and students will be beneficial all round.

Full term dates for the year can be found pinned at the top of our Facebook page and also on our website if you click on the banner at the very top of the homepage. All of the general documents including terms and conditions and term dates can also be found by following the link below :
www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/docs

Lesson Fees from 1st September
From 1st September 2022, lesson fees will be as follows :
All 1-2-1 Lessons - £53.50 per month
Vocal Group Lessons - £34 per month
Yamaha Guitar & Keyboard Group Lessons - £47 per month

We will still offer a discount on second courses and for siblings or immediate family members who subsequently commence lessons with us.

Music School Events
Next years annual concert is already scheduled for Sunday 26th March 2023 at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. Please save the date in your diaries!

New Classes
We currently have a few spaces left in a brand new Guitar Encounters group for beginners on Thursdays at 5.50pm. This class is for ages 8 upwards and we can offer a free taster lesson for any student who would like to learn. If you would like more information or have a child who might be interested in this class, please let us know as soon as possible as places are limited.

Please remember we post regularly to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@musicstafford) and we always display our term dates on social media and at the top of the homepage on our website, should you need to check during the academic year.

We hope you all enjoy the Summer break and as always, if there are any questions, please get in touch.

Many Thanks

Laura

Principal
Stafford Music School

Concert 2022 Programme

Please click the link above to view the Programme for our Annual Concert on Sunday.

We will not be printing copies for the day of the concert so please save this file to your device to view during the show or if you wish, you can print at home.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday - please remember that Rehearsals are at the Gatehouse and performers should arrive at the Stage door. Further information can be found in the news section of the website.

CONCERT Information - Sunday 3rd April

CONCERT REGISTRATION – Concert Starts at 3.30pm

• The coffee shop will be open from 2.30pm.

• Performers (with the exception of those seated with parents who will enter through the main entrance) should once again be dropped off at the stage door to be registered and then escorted backstage to be seated in the theatre.

• Students performing in the first half should arrive at 2.45pm.

• Students for the second half should arrive no later than 3pm. Please see set list below.

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

• Parents and Guardians can then enter the theatre through the main doors and take their seats in the theatre.

• During the 20-minute interval, we advise children remain with their chaperones, however if parents/guardians wish to collect children from their chaperones, please ensure they are de registered and then return to their chaperone in readiness for the second half.

• At the end of the Concert, performers will exit the theatre with Chaperones who will de-register them when released to Parents/Guardians from the Writers Room/Coffee Shop.

• Parents/Guardians should bear right at the bottom of the main staircase to enter the Writers room and collect students from their chaperones before exiting via the coffee shop.

• To avoid congestion, we ask that only one Parent or Guardian collects each student.

  STUDENTS PERFORMING IN ‘PENGUINS’ & ‘TUG OF WAR’ are seated with parents can enter the theatre as usual through the main entrance and take their seats from 3pm. Please ensure we have been given your seat number so that staff can collect your child for their performance.

REHEARSAL Information Sunday 3rd April

Please read this information carefully as drop off arrangements are different to previous years.

On Sunday 3rd April, all songs will be rehearsed at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre between 11am-2pm. Please see drop off and collection times below.

• Performers should arrive at the stage door at the specified time below and register with Kate.

• Parents and Guardians will be asked to drop off and return at the specified time to collect their children. Staff will escort performers backstage and into the theatre in readiness for their rehearsal. After rehearsing, they will be released to Parents and Guardians at the stage door.

• Students performing on more than one song should be collected after their second song.

• We suggest that students who are with us during most of the rehearsals bring a small bottle of water, a book or something to keep occupied and a snack which can be eaten backstage if necessary.

• Food is not allowed in the theatre during rehearsals.

• As stipulated by the Gatehouse, all students must be collected after rehearsals.

Please arrive/drop off at the Stage Door.

The Stage Door can be found to the right of the main entrance. Please follow the arrow to the Stage Door. The main entrance will be closed during rehearsals.

Follow the arrow to the Stage Door where Kate will register students. Performers will also be released from this area at the end of their rehearsals.

Please drop off and collect at the Stage Door.

Important Concert Information - Tickets On Sale from 1st March 2022

CONCERT TICKETS INFORMATION

Preparations are coming along nicely for our annual concert on Sunday 3rd April at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. There will be one performance at 3.30pm and Students will play in groups with teachers on stage to help and conduct.

The concert should last around 1hr 30mins with an interval of 20 mins.

Concert Tickets
Tickets will go on sale from 1st March 2022 priced at £17 each and can ONLY be purchased directly from the Gatehouse by calling or visiting the Box office situated at the Gatehouse. Tickets can also be purchased via the website www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk.

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

Performers AGED 7 & UNDER in the 'Dancing Penguins' group and also Katie's Friday 5.30pm Class will be seated with parents throughout the concert. You will need to call or visit the Gatehouse to purchase your tickets. You will need to give the performing students name to the Gatehouse Box Office staff and they will then be able to issue a ‘performers free ticket’.
Members of staff will escort students from the audience to the backstage area to perform.

A seating plan in now available in reception and on our website. 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 6th March. Please see the timetable below. We kindly ask that students are dropped off and collected on the day of rehearsals to limit the numbers in the building. Performers on ‘I’m a Believer’, ‘Dancing Penguins’ and Students in Katies Friday 5.30pm Class will rehearse in class and ONLY need to attend the Gatehouse rehearsal on the morning of the concerts.

On the day of the concert, there will be short rehearsals between 11.00am – 2pm 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 Monday 7th March at www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/news. It is very important that as many students as possible attend the rehearsals, so that they feel comfortable with the venue and we can ensure the best sound quality.

Photos & Video
We will film the concert 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://instagram.com/musicstafford &
Twitter https://twitter.com/musicstafford as well as our website www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk. So please keep an eye on these pages to keep up to date.

Further information will follow in March regarding registration on the day of the concert.

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

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

Many Thanks,

Laura Thatcher
Principal
Stafford Music School

Rehearsals - Sunday 6th March at Stafford Music School

9.30 Pirates

10.00 Gimme some Loving

10.30 Johnny B. Goode

11.00 No Time To die

11.30 Here Comes the Sun

12.00 Palladio

12.30 Blinding lights

1.00 I believe in a thing called Love

2.15 Blue

2.45 What a Wonderful World

3.15 Watermelon Sugar

3.45 I'll Stand By You/Sound of the Underground

4.15 80's medley

4.45 Jacksons Medley

5.15 Cant stop the beat

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Seating Plan 2022

Our Annual Concert will take place at 3.30pm on Sunday 3rd April at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre.

Rehearsals at the Music School will take place on Sunday 6th March.

Tickets can only be purchased direct from the box office at the Gatehouse or via their website and will go on sale on Tuesday 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 aged 7 and under 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 3rd April will be available on the website from Monday 7th March.

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

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Seating Plan

SMS Annual Concert - 3rd April 2022

Our annual concert returns this year, taking place on Sunday 3rd April at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre.

There will be one performance at 3.30pm and students will play in groups with teachers on stage to help and conduct.

The concert should last around 1hr 30mins in total with an interval of 20 mins 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 concert 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 will go on sale from the beginning of March and further information regarding ticket prices will follow ahead of the release date. 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 with chaperones in the theatre in a designated section throughout the concert 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 6th March. Please see the timetable below. We kindly ask that students are dropped off and collected on the day of rehearsals to limit the numbers in the building. Performers on ‘I’m a Believer’, ‘Dancing Penguins’ and Students in Katies Friday 5.30pm Class will rehearse in class and ONLY need to attend the Gatehouse rehearsal on the morning of the concerts.

On the day of the concert, there will be short rehearsals between 11.00am – 2pm 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 1st March at www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk/news. It is very important that as many students as possible attend the rehearsals, so that they feel comfortable with the venue and we can ensure the best sound quality.

Photos & Video
We will film the concert 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://instagram.com/musicstafford &
Twitter https://twitter.com/musicstafford as well as our website www.staffordmusicschool.co.uk. So please keep an eye on these pages to keep up to date.

Further information will follow in March regarding registration on the day of the concert.

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

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

Many Thanks,

Laura Thatcher
Principal
Stafford Music School

Rehearsals - Sunday 6th March at Stafford Music School

9.30 Pirates

10.00 Gimme some Loving

10.30 Johnny Be Goode

11.00 Time To die

11.30 Here Comes the sun

12.00 Palladio

12.30 Blinding lights

1.00 I believe in a thing called Love

Break 1.30-2.15

2.15 Blue

2.45 What a Wonderful World

3.15 Watermelon Sugar

3.45 I'll Stand By You/Sound of the Underground

4.15 80's medley

4.45 Jacksons Medley

5.15 Cant stop the beat