Acres across Merchant Taylors' grounds

Open Morning 9 May 2026

Individual Musical Tuition

320

one-to-one music lessons every week

“At Merchant Taylors’, individual music lessons give boys the chance to develop their skills, deepen their love of music and play a full part in the rich musical life of the School.”

Simon Couldridge

Director of Music

Individual instrumental and singing lessons are an important part of musical life at Merchant Taylors’. Whether a boy is just beginning or already progressing well, we aim to support him with high-quality tuition and the encouragement to make the most of the many musical opportunities available across the School.

This page provides an overview of the individual instrumental and singing lessons available at Merchant Taylors’, together with practical information about how lessons are arranged, the options on offer, and the expectations that help boys make good progress.

The information below answers some of the questions parents most often ask about individual music lessons at Merchant Taylors’.

What is on offer?

All singing and instrumental lessons are taught one-to-one by highly qualified and experienced Visiting Music Teachers in the Music Department.

Lessons are 40 minutes long, and a total of 30 lessons are offered across the academic year. These are commonly distributed with 12 in the Autumn Term, 10 in the Spring Term, and 8 in the Summer Term, though this may vary according to the school calendar.

Tuition is offered across a wide range of instruments including:

Bowed Strings	Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
Woodwind	Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophone
Brass	French Horn, Trumpet, Cornet, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba
Drums & Percussion	Drum Kit, Orchestral Percussion
Piano*	Classical, Jazz
Pipe Organ
Voice	Singing for changed and unchanged voices
Guitars	Classical, Acoustic, Electric, Bass
Music Production	Sequencing, Recording, Composing, Mixing

*Piano lessons should only be taken by pupils who have access to a piano or suitable keyboard at home for regular practice. Please do enquire if you are unsure.

Most pupils who have singing or instrumental lessons participate in one or more ensembles at School. Further details of these can be found below.

How can I apply for singing or instrumental lessons at Merchant Taylors’?

If you would like to apply for singing and instrumental lessons at Merchant Taylors’, please complete the online Application Form. For new pupils joining the School, applications should be submitted by Friday 8th May 2026 to help ensure lessons can begin in September. Pupils already at Merchant Taylors’ may apply at any point.

Once your application has been processed you will receive written confirmation of the details of your child’s Visiting Music Teacher. The teacher will then contact you directly to confirm arrangements and to invoice you for the reservation fee, which must be paid to secure a lesson slot for September.

By completing the Application Form you are agreeing to the full terms and conditions for music lessons at Merchant Taylors’ School, which are available as a PDF within the form.

Complete the Music Lesson Booking Form Here.

What is the ‘reservation fee’?

As a new pupil joining Merchant Taylors’ in September, you will need to reserve your music lesson place with a Visiting Music Teacher by paying a non-returnable reservation fee equivalent to half a term’s lessons (five lessons) directly to the Visiting Music Teacher.

This fee is only required when starting as a new pupil to the School and will cover the the first five lessons taught in the Autumn Term, in effect spreading the cost of the term’s lessons.

Non-payment of the reservation fee means that a lesson slot cannot be guaranteed.

Individual Music Tuition FAQs

Who teaches singing and instrumental lessons at Merchant Taylors’?

There are 23 Visiting Music Teachers who come into School every week to teach singing and instrumental music lessons as self-employed music teachers.

They are all very experienced musicians and teachers who maintain professional freelance careers alongside their teaching. Their work includes playing in bands for West End Musicals, playing in professional London orchestras, performing freelance chamber music and solo recitals, singing in professional choirs, recording as session artists, teaching at the Royal Academy of Music, examining for ABRSM, and more.

Name	Instruments Taught
Mr Warren Alexander DipTCL	Guitar
Mr Joseph Atkins DipRAM ARAM ARCM	Trumpet
Miss Celine Barry BA (Hons) RCM	Cello, Double Bass
Miss Poppy Beddoe BA MA ARAM	Clarinet
Mr Steven Byron BMus (Hons) RCM	Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba
Miss Susan Clark MA (Cantab) MA (OU) LRSM ARCM DipRCM CTABRSM	Piano
Ms Karen Cormican GTCL PDOT	Violin, Viola
Miss Odette Cotton BMus (Hons) MA	Oboe, Recorder
Mrs Rosie Couldridge GTCL	Violin, Viola, Piano
Mr Andrew Gathercole GGSM	Trumpet
Miss Nicola Hawkins GLCM FLCM ARCM	Classical Guitar
Mr Dieter Hester DipTCL LTCL PDOT	Bassoon, Music Production
Miss Rebecca Jansen	Cello
Mr Jonathan Lawrence BA	Drum Kit, Percussion
Mr Leon Liu BMus MPerf ArtDip DipABRSM	Piano
Mrs Naadia Manington BMus LGSM	Piano, Jazz Piano
Mr Neil Martin	Drum Kit
Mr Damon Robb RMSM LRAM	Saxophone, Flute
Mr Duncan Saunderson GGSM	Singing
Mrs Mayumi Stone BMus MA DipRAM	Piano
Mrs Joan Stubbs MusB ARCO ALCM	Organ, Piano
Mrs Nicola Tait LRAM (Hons)	Cello
Mr Richard Wainwright BA (Hons) LRAM (Adv) DipRAM ARAM	French Horn, Trumpet

How much do music lessons cost?

How do I pay?

Lessons are paid for directly to the self-employed Visiting Music Teacher who will invoice you before, or at the start of each term for that term’s scheduled lessons.

Prompt payment of tuition fees, within two weeks of receipt of their invoice, is appreciated.

The very first term’s payment is arranged slightly differently. For a new pupil joining Merchant Taylors’, you will pay a reservation fee which secures your place with the Visiting Music Teacher and also covers the first five lessons of the Autumn Term. Once your place has been reserved, the Visiting Music Teacher will invoice you for the balance of lessons to be scheduled for the term, usually seven further lessons.

Are there any other costs to learning to sing or play an instrument?

Occasional additional costs, for example for sheet music or other accessories such as rosin, valve oil or mutes. These items may be ordered through the Music Department, with the cost added to your end-of-term bill.

If your child takes an ABRSM graded music exam, the entry fee will similarly be added to your end-of-term bill. If a piano accompaniment is required for the exam, this will also need to be purchased.

When are the lessons scheduled?

The majority of individual music lessons are scheduled on a rotating timetable each week during the school day. At Merchant Taylors’, pupils may miss part of any subject on their timetable in order to attend a singing or instrumental lesson.

A small number of lesson times are available outside academic lesson time, before and after school, and during the Hour. These times are generally fixed for a pupil who learns more than one instrument. The School and the Visiting Music Teachers determine which pupils are allocated to these slots.

Lessons are not scheduled during end-of-year, or Trial exam weeks for pupils taking those exams. All other pupils will have lessons scheduled as normal at these times.

How do I know my lesson time?

What if I need to change my lesson time?

If you know in advance of any valid reason why a scheduled lesson time cannot be made, please inform the Visiting Music Teacher in writing as soon as the lesson times are published in SOCS.

Visiting Music Teachers will do their best to try and rearrange the lesson time if they have sufficient warning of a valid reason, though it may not always be possible, in which case the teacher is not obliged to make up the lesson.

Singing and instrumental lessons should take priority over class tests, which may be taken at an alternative time just as if a pupil is absent from school on the day of the test. Visiting Music Teachers are not obliged to make up singing or instrumental lessons missed for class tests scheduled at short notice.

What if I miss a lesson?

As with their academic timetable, if a pupil is absent from school through illness on the day the teacher is present to teach, singing and instrumental lessons will still be charged for and the missed lesson not made up.

If a pupil misses a lesson when they are present at school and the Visiting Music Teacher is present to teach, singing and instrumental lessons will still be charged for and the missed lesson not made up.

Any prolonged absence from School, for long-term illness or injury, will be treated on a case-by-case basis.

If the Visiting Music Teacher is absent for an arranged lesson for any reason, and the pupil is present for the lesson, this lesson will either be rearranged, or you will be reimbursed by them for the missed lesson by the Visiting Music Teacher.

Will learning an instrument affect my academic outcomes?

Many parents ask this question, and the answer is YES!

There is a mountain of evidence that shows learning to sing or play an instrument can enhance academic outcomes. At Merchant Taylors’ pupils who have singing or instrumental tuition at School consistently outperform their peers in their GCSE examinations, while also developing the important, transferable ‘soft’ skills required to be successful in all walks of life such as discipline, resilience and self-management.

For example, in the 2025 GCSE exam session, 76% of the pupils learning an instrument achieved grades 9-8, compared with 70.9% of the year group as a whole. Over the last 10 years this has been a consistently proven statistic.

How do I keep in touch with my instrumental or singing teacher?

What about Graded music exams?

Merchant Taylors’ School hosts ABRSM practical music exams towards the end of each term. Pupils may be entered for Associated Board practical examinations when their Visiting Music Teacher judges that they are ready.

Before the entries are made you will be contacted with the details of the cost which will be added to your termly bill if your child is taking an exam.

To support pupils in their exam preparation we offer extra Aural classes (for those taking Grade 6-8) free of charge. We will also provide an accompanist if required.

Please note that if the Visiting Music Teacher recommends the ‘performance’ exam option is taken, it is the responsibility of parents to make the entry on the advice of the teacher.

What should I do if I want to stop having lessons?

If you wish to discontinue lessons a full half term’s notice in writing is required.

Lessons may only stop at the end of a term, and notice to do so should be received by the end of the school week prior to the half-term holiday of that term:

To stop lessons:	Notice is required in writing by:
At the end of the Autumn Term	The last school day before the October half-term holiday
At the end of the Spring Term	The last school day before the February half-term holiday
At the end of the Summer Term	The last school day before the May half-term holiday

Notice terminating lessons must be given in writing to both the Visiting Music Teacher concerned, and to the Music Administrator by the deadline outlined above.

If notice to stop having lessons at the end of a term is sent after the deadline described above, lessons will still stop at the end of the term, but you will need to pay the Visiting Music Teacher half a term’s fee (equivalent to five lessons) as a late notice penalty. Please note that this is not payment for an additional five lessons.

By applying for singing or instrumental lessons at Merchant Taylors’ School you agree to abide by this as part of the Terms and Conditions, available as a PDF within the Application Form.

What if I want to pause lessons for public exams?

It is recognised that normally pupils in the Fifth and Upper Sixth forms will be on exam leave for approximately half the Summer Term. However, it is expected that pupils in these year groups will usually continue their lessons during this time, with lesson times arranged by agreement between the pupil and their teacher.

It is the responsibility of parents to give written notice by the half-term holiday of the Spring Term if the pupil is to suspend or stop lessons during the summer examination period.

Which ensembles can I join?

There is a wide variety of ensembles for pupils who have lessons either at school or outside school. Choirs are open to all who enjoy singing, and there are bands and orchestras to suit players of all ages and abilities. A large number of music ensembles rehearse weekly, offering musicians of all abilities the benefits of playing music with others.

More information about each ensemble can be found here

When are the rehearsals?

All ensembles rehearse on a weekly basis at fixed times, mostly during the Hour or after school, with some rehearsals taking place in the morning before school.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:20-9:00am - Big Band	1:50-2:40pm - Dixieland Band	1:50-2:40pm - Saxophone Ensemble	8:20-9:00am - Percussion Ensemble	8:20-9:00am - Recorder Consort
1:50-2:40pm - Chamber Music	1:50-2:40pm - Thomas White Singers	4:00-5:00 - Trebles & Altos Sectional	8:20-9:00am - Music Theory	8:20-9:00am - Taylors' Brass
1:50-2:40pm - Tenors & Basses Sectional	1:50-2:40pm - Chamber Music		1:50-2:40pm - Chamber Choir	8:20-9:00am - Music Aural
4:00-5:30pm - Concert Band	4:00-5:30pm - Symphony Orchestra		4:00-5:30pm - Wind Band	1:50-2:40pm - School Choir
4:00-5:30pm - Chamber Music	4:00-5:30pm - Sinfonia		4:00-5:30pm - Chamber Orchestra	1:50-2:40pm - Guitar Ensemble

Will I have the chance to perform in concerts?

Will my instrument be safe at during the day at School?

There are a number of instrument lockers available for use in the Music Department for pupils to store their instrument(s) during the school day. Please contact the Music Administrator if you wish to use an instrument locker.

There is also an instrument storeroom.

To improve the security and safety of Instruments we ask that:

All instruments brought to school are clearly labelled on the outside with the pupil’s name (a luggage label is good for this)
Instruments are not left in the individual teaching rooms, corridors, or classrooms
Pupils take their instruments home at the end of the school day
No instruments are left at school during half-term breaks or school holidays

We strongly recommend that your instrument is fully insured. This can be achieved by either:

Adding the instrument as a specified item to your household all-risks policy, or
Taking out a specialised musical instrument insurance policy and ensuring that cover is extended to cover the journey to and from school and off-site concerts.

The School cannot be responsible for any loss or damage to instruments, including those hired from a shop or from the School. We recommend that parents check their policies to make sure that the instrument is covered at home, at School and on the journey between the two, which is when most instruments are lost.

Can I hire an instrument?

Yes – we have a small stock of school instruments reserved for those pupils who wish to start learning but don’t yet have their own instrument. A termly fee of £30 will be charged for the hire of a school instrument, the cost of which is added to your bill at the end of term.

If an instrument is not available, we can advise on purchase or hire schemes available through various music shops.

School double basses are available for use in rehearsal and lessons at school during the week, for which there is no fee.

Can I practise at school?

General enquires

For general queries regarding instrumental and singing lesson applications, instrumental hire and music examinations, please contact the Music Administrator, Mr Samuel Hill:

Email: music@mtsn.org.uk

Telephone: 01923 895495 (available 08:15am – 4:45pm, Monday to Friday, term-time only)

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries.

Where next?

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