Pricing
Lessons cost £16.00 for a 30-minute lesson. The tutor will bill you directly and you can pay them with cash/cheque or via bank transfer. Bills are issued at the start of each set of lessons. It is expected that invoices will be settled within two weeks of the date of issue.

Timetabling
Lessons will be timetabled as far as possible on a rotational system. Lessons for sixth form pupils will be conducted during free periods. It is the responsibility of the pupils to excuse themselves from any classes to be missed as a result of music tuition and to catch up on the relevant classwork and homework.

Identification
All instruments brought to school must be clearly labelled on the outside with the owner’s name to help with identification should they be lost or mislaid. It is not sufficient for pupils to be able to recognize their own instruments or cases.

Insurance
Parents or guardian are asked to make certain that their household insurance cover pupils’ instruments when brought to school.

Absence from Lessons
Pupils will be charged at the normal rate if they miss a lesson without notice. They will not be charged if notice is given in one of the following ways:
• In the case of a planned absence, such as a school trip or medical appointment, the tutor must be notified at least 24 hours, preferably a week, in advance.
• In the case of an unplanned absence, due to illness or other circumstances, the tutor or school office should be informed by 9am on the day of the lesson.

Discontinuing Lessons
Our tutors all teach in other schools and have a busy schedule. Lessons may only be discontinued at the end of a lesson set. One calendar month notice, in writing, must be provided for discontinuing tuition. This notice should be addressed to the music tutor.

The Thomas Devlin Organ Scholarship
Pupils taking organ lessons will receive half-price lessons. The organ teacher is Mr. James McConnell, organist at St Peter’s Cathedral, Belfast. Lessons take place every Tuesday afternoon and there are currently three organ scholars. If your child wishes to start organ lessons, they will have a meeting with Mr. McConnell before any decision is made. Candidates need to be Grade 4/5 piano before thinking about moving onto organ.

Music Scholarships Information

Music Scholarships to Belfast Royal Academy are offered at Form I, Form IV and Sixth Form entry. Successful applicants will receive £150 towards tuition on their chosen instrument. Music Scholarships are not means tested but will be awarded on the basis of written application, references and audition.

Music Scholarships are offered in order to attract a strong core of musicians in each year group of the school. We are looking to attract pupils that will enhance the musical life of the school and help promote advanced music-making. There is no specific instrument that we are looking for but we are primarily looking to recruit pupils that play instruments (not piano) that would be of obvious value to our choirs, bands and orchestra.

There is no specific grade requirement. We are looking for musicians with clear potential and it is often possible to demonstrate this even if grade exams have not been taken. However, it is often useful for applicants to have passed grade exams as these provide an objective measure of proven ability. Successful applicants at 11+ should be around Grade 2/3 and pupils at 14+ around Grade 5 or higher on at least one instrument or the equivalent standard if these exams have not been taken. Successful applicants at 6th form entry should be in the region of grades 7 to 8.

Applicants should complete a Music Scholarship form and submit this to the Music Department. The closing date will be June 20th. The application will detail instruments and standard. Applicants will be shortlisted for audition based on their written application.

The audition will be held at the end of August/start of September and will last for approximately 15 minutes. In the audition applicants are expected to perform on their main instrument/voice of choice. They can opt to play a solo on any additional instrument that they wish to demonstrate. They will be given a sight-reading task on their main instrument and there will be a short interview about their musical experience and interests.

Music Scholars are expected to continue their commitment to individual and collective music-making throughout their time at the school. Failure to attend rehearsals will result in the scholarship being withdrawn. Scholarships will be open to pupils in entering Form I, Form IV and Sixth-Form. Each scholarship will last the length of the Key Stage and there will be two scholarships awarded in Form 1, two in Form IV and two in L6. Therefore, pupils who are awarded the KS3 or KS4 Music Scholarship, will be expected to reapply at the start of the next Key Stage. If you would like further information or an application form, please contact the Director of Music, Ms McMullan through the School Office by emailing info@bfsra.belfast.ni.sch.uk