Dear students,

It’s time to welcome in our old friend autumn; a brand new term begins tomorrow!

If you can spare a quick moment, I’d be grateful if you would read this short list of reminders and tips to make your return to the bench as smooth as possible.

1. New lesson rates. As mentioned previously, I have made a very small adjustment to lesson rates, which are now as follows:
   

   • Adult: 60-minute lesson, £30

   • Low income & young adults (under 25): 60-minute lesson, £25

   • Children (typically 6–11): 30-minute lesson, £16.50

   Note: some of you are on custom or discount rates, and those will remain as before.

2. Studio Policy. It is always a good idea to cast your eyes over my Studio Policy, particularly my Attendance Policy and my Cancellation Policy. A quick refresher now can save any confusion later.

3. Invoices. Please do not pay me until you’ve received an invoice as it helps keep everything straightforward on my end. Invoices usually go out on the morning of your lesson, or a few days after the lesson if you're on the rota.

4. Practise. Do not worry about lack of practise or try to make up for it with a binge session the night before – it’s not all that effective and often just results in stress. I always think it’s a bit like cleaning your teeth before you visit the dentist (why does everyone do that?). We’ve all had a good break, gotten a bit sticky-fingered with summer cobwebs, so it’s perfectly normal to be a bit stiff at the keys. That’s why initial lessons will aim to ease you back to form in a gradual, supportive, fun way, not and shame you into submission.

5. Celebrate your success. Finally, an important point. It's easy, maybe especially for the British psyche, to brush off our own progress. But I entreat you, before term gets underway, to look back through your lesson notes and consider the repertoire you’ve covered, the obstacles you’ve overcome, and the knowledge you’ve learned. Success aired and shared is not arrogance, it’s the cement that binds communities and relationships together, and a vital part of the learning process: it reinforces what you’ve achieved and why what you’re doing matters.
   
   By way of example, I was greatly moved last week by one of my favourite reviews I’ve ever received, which I’d like to share with you all here:

   “I honestly can’t recommend Will highly enough.

   My daughter is neurodivergent and has a very instinctive feel for music, but she doesn’t naturally enjoy structure, theory or being told how she “should” do something. Will just seemed to instinctively get her. It was honestly quite amazing to watch how he could read her and somehow knew exactly how to meet her where she was at and engage her.

   His lessons genuinely became the highlight of her week at a time when she was experiencing significant burnout and was rarely leaving the house, so this was a really huge breakthrough for her.

   Will didn’t try to impose a particular way of learning; he met her where she was and somehow channelled all that energy into something creative, positive and wonderful. This is in contrast to previous tutors where she was seen as difficult, the lessons were unenjoyable and her relationship with music became a negative experience.

   We’re incredibly grateful to Will. He is a fantastic teacher and, more importantly, a genuinely brilliant person to have working with a young person who doesn’t always fit neatly into a conventional approach to learning."

   I'm so grateful to this family for sharing that, and it's a lovely reminder of why I love doing what I do.
   
   Looking forward to seeing you all back soon!
   
   Warmly,
   
   Will