Hello everyone!

Autumn has well and truly arrived, though I’m stubbornly holding off on the heating for now. I reckon I’ve got at least another month of shorts in me yet.

Here are a few bits and bobs to catch you up on.

Studio Closure: Halloween Half Term

The studio will be closed for half term from Monday 26 October to Sunday 1 November. Lessons resume on Monday 2 November and run until Sunday 13 December, after which I’ll be taking a short winter break.

All teaching and term dates are on the Studio Policy page of my website, so it’s worth bookmarking: https://www.pianism.co.uk/studio-policy

Lesson Notes: A Quick Apology

Some of you will have noticed that lesson notes have been a bit hit and miss over the last few weeks. I’ll be honest: I’ve had far too much on my plate, and I’ve done as much as I could without giving up on rest altogether. Notes take me around three to four hours a week outside of lessons, and that time simply hasn’t been there lately.

The good news is that things are easing up, and notes will be back on their regular schedule from this week. To get back on track, I’ll be drawing a line under any outstanding notes from the past few weeks, otherwise I’d never catch up. Thank you all for your patience and understanding.

A Note to Students: Looking After the Studio

Finally, a short but important request. I’m genuinely pleased that so many of you feel comfortable and at home in the studio. That said, it’s also my living room, and it’s full of my own instruments, so I’d be grateful if you could treat it with the same care you’d show in anyone’s home.

Recently I’ve found half-finished cups of tea on the piano, a glass juice bottle resting on the piano keys, wet coats and bags on the sofa, and house keys left on my accordion as if it were a side table.

I know none of this is meant carelessly, but instruments are easily damaged and often costly to repair.

To make things easier:

• Please hang coats and jackets on the coat rack by the door, and leave bags on the floor beneath it

• I’ll be putting out a tray for keys and other small items.

• Drinks are welcome, but please ask me first and keep them off the instruments or other precarious places.

Thank you all for helping keep the studio a lovely space for everyone.

See you in the lessons,

Will