FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Music Works

Who Are We?

  • The Music Works is a not-for-profit, community-focused company. Our mission is to help make music education as accessible as possible to children in the local area, regardless of background.
  • We are a profit-for-purpose company and as such offer as much of our time and resources as possible to local partner schools and the local community. This means you may see us at your child's next school disco managing the live sound, or judging the next '... Got Talent' competition!



What Instuments Do We Teach?

  • Lots! What we offer will depend on whether you would prefer 1:1 lessons or group lessons
  • For 1:1 lessons we teach:
    • Drums
    • Bass
    • Guitar
    • Ukulele
    • Vocals
    • Keyboard/Piano
    • Violin
    • Saxophone
    • Music Production
    • Music Theory
  • For group lessons we teach:
    • Junior Music Course (Piano & Singing)
    • Drums
    • Guitar
    • Ukulele
    • Keyboard
    • Band Skills
    • Music Production
    • Choir
    • Music Theory
  • During the school holidays we also offer workshops, sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date!
  • Don't see the instrument you are looking for? Please get in touch! We have access to a wide network of fantastic musicians and may be able to help



Will I Learn To Read Music?

  • Yes! All Yamaha group lessons are full musicianship courses and include notation and music theory. All our teachers are highly qualified and trained by Yamaha to effectively teach children in groups and 1:1 lessons. Want to know more about 'The Yamaha Way' of teaching music? Click here



Can I Take Exams?

  • Yes! All our courses follow a fully accredited syllabus leading to RSL grade 1-8. (A distinction pass at Grade 8 counts as 30 UCAS points). However if you are not interested in grades, we can also simply teach for fun!



Can I Learn For Fun?

  • Of course! Our team of teachers have a fantastic repertoire knowledge and can help with any style or standard. Love Britpop? We can help bering out your inner Gallagher brother!



Do I Need To Own An Instrument?

  • All of our studios are equipped with the latest Yamaha instruments so you can just turn up and learn - no need to carry an instrument to your lesson.
  • We supply all instruments for lessons in local schools.
  • You will need your own instrument for online lessons and to practice at home. We can advise accordingly, so feel free to get in touch!



How Much Do Lessons Cost?

  • Your first lesson is absolutely free! This gives every student a chance to try out an instrument without the worry of paying beforehand.

  • Payment is collected on the 1st of the month via an online account, in advance of lessons being delivered. When you have had your free taster and would like to enrol for weekly lessons, we will contact you to take some final details and set up your online account.



Where Do We Teach?

  • We teach in our Milford & Haslemere Centres, in local Partner schools (Surrey, UK) and Online

  • Not in a partner school but want to be? Click here and let us know where you would like us to teach next!



When Do We Teach?

  • We teach in our Milford & Haslemere Centres after school hours:
    • Monday to Friday 3.30pm-8pm
    • Saturday 9am-3pm
  • We teach in local schools (Surrey, UK) during the school day:
    • Monday to Friday 9am-3.30pm
    • Not in a partner school but want to be? Get in touch!

  • We also teach Online:
    • Monday to Friday 9am-9pm
    • Saturday 9am-3pm
    • Need another time? Get In Touch!



Do I Need A Book For Lessons?

  • Yes. All group music lessons follow a set syllabus that will be accompanied by a book. These books are filled to the brim with content for your child to learn from, with backing tracks for every song! You do not need to bring the book to the lessons, as the teacher will explain everything, however the book is needed for practice at home.
  • 1:1 lessons are bespoke and lesson material is at the discretion of the student and teacher. As part of your learning pathway you and your teacher will decide what is best to use!

  • If studying Ukulele you can also take a more modern approach and use our excellent virtual teacher ' VUZO' to help with your weekly practise! This is a mixture of interactive TAB and video to help students practise between lessons, without a need for a book. Very modern indeed!



Why Do We Teach?

  • Research consistently shows that children who participate in music-related activity enjoy a number of benefits, including improved academic performance, better health and enhanced levels of confidence.
  • A comprehensive series of skill tests run on 5,154 year 5’s found that children who were learning to play an instrument received higher marks than their classmates who were not.
  • On a ten-year study that tracked more than 25,000 students, music-making students got higher marks on standardised tests than those who have no music involvement.
  • A study using six to fifteen year-old boys found that music training significantly increased verbal memory. And as expected, the longer the training, the better the verbal memory.
  • A Columbia University study revealed that students in the arts are found to be more cooperative with teachers and peers, more self-confident and better able to express their ideas.
  • Students who participate in school band or orchestra have the lowest levels of current and lifelong use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs among any group in our society.
  • Three and four-year-old children were given simple piano lessons over a six-month period, they performed 34% better than other children in IQ tests, some of whom had had computer lessons instead.



Can't find the answer you're looking for? Get In Touch!