Learn with us

Term dates

Autumn Term 2024

9 Sep 2024 – 25 Oct 2024
4 Nov 2024  -2  Dec 2024

Bank holidays:
25, 26, 27 Dec  2024
01 Jan 2025

Spring Term 2025

6 Jan 2025 –   14 Feb 2025

24 Feb 2025 –  4 Apr 2025

 

Summer Term 2025

22 Apr 2025 – 23 May 2024

03 Jun 2024  – 01 Jul 2024

End of year make up weeks: 01 – 26 July  

Teaching is our core activity, whether you want to sing or learn to play an instrument, enjoy music with other people in a choir or learn about the History of Music.
Our door is open to everyone and we offer individual tuition to all ages and abilities.
We talk to every student, so that we can find the right musician to support their musical journey, whether that journey is simply for pleasure, making music, or to realise a professional dream.

We welcome pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Men stand in hall

Our Early Years provisions are an excellent introduction for your baby or infant to experience sound and music, also providing valuable bonding time for parents.

We find that our tuition is also very compatible with pupils who are Home Educated.

 

Young pre school aged child plays piano

Take a look at our Courses and Groups page for current and upcoming courses and groups

Individual Tuition

Lessons are provided at the Dorset Rural Music School, via zoom, or in your home, (home teaching by special arrangement and subject to availability). We work on a termly basis, charging at the beginning of term prior to commencement.
Your learning journey is our priority and we are happy to facilitate methods of payment which best suit your circumstances. We have a limited number of bursaries available and we enjoy welcoming pupils of all ages and abilities.

We are flexible in our approach to teaching, providing weekly, fortnightly or occasional lessons, according to your circumstances.

Individual Tuition Rates at the Dorset Rural Music School HQ

20 minutes:  £14.00    30 minutes: £21.00     45 minutes: £31.50    60 minutes: £42.00    90 minutes: £63.00  

Home visits will be charged according to mileage.

We also provide regular lessons via zoom.

Teaching staff

We have an excellent team of teaching staff covering a broad spectrum of instruments and genres. We are welcoming new tutors all the time, so if there is an instrument that you want to study, not on our current list, please do enquire anyway.

All our staff are professionals, DBS checked, welcoming and highly experienced.

Current tuition available

PIANO
Head of Keyboard Studies: Dr. Richard Hall 
(ABRSM examiner)
Ellen Marsden
Lucy Martin
Catherine Wall
Lyndon Wall

HARPSICHORD
John Watkins

ORGAN
Lyndon Wall
Dr. Richard Hall

VOICE
SINGING/ VOCAL COACHING
Felicity Goodman

FOLK
Fiddle: Colin Thompson
Pipes, Whistle: Alastair Simpson
Bagpipes: Lyndon Wall

GUITAR
Classical: Christopher Daly. (Adjudicator member, British Federation of Music Festivals)
Classical/Pop and Rock: Alex Betts
Pop and Rock inc. Keyboards and Drums: Dan Kelleher
Pop and Rock: John Watts

BRASS
Trombone, Trumpet: Kevin Morgan
French Horn, Trumpet, Euphonium: Ruth Spicer
Tuba, Tenor Horn: Andrew Cresci

WOODWIND
Flute, Piccolo, Recorder: Catherine Wall
Oboe, Cor Anglais: Ellen Marsden 
Clarinet, E flat Clarinet, Saxophone: Neyire Ashworth
Saxophone: Lucy Martin

STRINGS
Violin: Naomi Brenton
Viola: Richard Willetts
Cello: Michael Moorsom
Cello: Emily Burridge
Double Bass: David Daly

PERCUSSION
Head of Percussion: Felix Gibbons
Orchestral Percussion: Harry Malabar
Drumkit: Daniel Kelleher.

BAROQUE ACADEMY
Emma-Marie Kabanova

ENSEMBLE and CHAMBER MUSIC
Ellen Marsden
Kevin Morgan
Michael Moorsom

We are committed to encouraging orchestral training and welcome instrumentalists of all abilities.

ACADEMIC STUDIES IN MUSIC

THEORY of MUSIC
Dr. Richard Hall
Lyndon Wall
Lucy Martin

Music Theory is taught through instrumental and singing lessons, we also encourage pupils to explore their own potential to write music.
In addition to our basic provision, we teach Theory of Music as a subject. This is particularly helpful for pupils working their way through ABRSM Grades, facilitating a smooth progression from Grade 5 Practical through to Grade 8.  (ABRSM Grade 6 practical examinations require Grade 5 ABRSM Theory as a pre-requisite)

HARMONY
Dr. Richard Hall
For those pupils interested in receiving a traditional grounding in the roots of Classical Music, we provide lessons in Harmony as a subject.

COMPOSITION
Dr. Richard Hall
Lyndon Wall
We welcome pupils to explore Composition as a subject and we provide lessons in this for all levels of ability, with opportunities for performance and recording of works as part of the learning experience.

A’LEVEL MUSIC 
Ian Lowes.

Please enquire via email, phone or appointment.

Examination and audition preparation

We are an ABRSM and Trinity venue, hosting sessions throughout the year.
Several of our staff are examiners for both the Associated Board and Trinity. We are well placed to prepare any candidates who might wish to have a ‘practise run.’
We can also support preparation for auditions and GCSE Practical elements.

Early Years

Director of Early Years: Emma House
Emma-Marie Kabanova
Ellen Marsden
Cathy Murray

We are rolling out all kinds of Early Years provision with possible venues across the county. If you would like us to start a group in your area, please contact Ellen

Workshop team

Ellen Marsden          Creative Project Manager
Alastair Simpson  
Colin Thompson.
Emma House  
Emma-Marie Kabanova
Felix Gibbons
Kevin Morgan
Sacha Langton-Gilks
Tim Laycock.  

Zoom

Remote learning on zoom is available for most instruments at the usual teaching rate. This can be in circumstances such as covid related isolation, but also for pupils working away from home, or pupils who do not live in Dorset but wish to learn with a specific teacher.
Please make all enquiries to the office.

Music Therapy

Lead Therapist:  Mary-Clare Fearn: HCPC Registered Music Therapist.
                                                                    Neurologic Music Therapist.

Music Therapy is one of the services available at the Dorset Rural Music School.

Music Therapy is an established psychological clinical intervention, delivered by HCPC registered music therapists to help people whose lives have been affected by injury, illness or disability through supporting their psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs.

Music Therapists draw upon the innate qualities of music to support people of all ages and abilities and at all stages of life; from helping new born babies develop healthy bonds with their parents, to offering vital, sensitive and compassionate palliative care at the end of life.

Central to how Music Therapy works is the therapeutic relationship that is established and developed, through engagement in live musical interaction and play between a therapist and client. A wide range of musical styles and instruments can be used, including the voice, and the music is often improvised. Using music in this way enables clients to create their own unique musical language in which to explore and connect with the world and express themselves.

If you would like to know more or to arrange an initial consultation with Mary-Clare Fearn, our lead therapist, please contact Ellen.

More information about music therapy in the UK can be found on the British Association for Music Therapy website: https://www.bamt.org

Appointments are available at the Dorset Rural Music School or in your home.