The piano is one of the most popular musical instruments for children to learn, and there are good reasons for this. It's one of the most versatile instruments, equally effective as a solo or accompanying instrument, and it's at home in styles as diverse as classical, jazz and rock. Like most instruments, however, it needs to be properly taught, which means hiring a piano tutor for your child. Some parents are put off by assuming this is going to cost a fortune, but how much can you really expect to pay?
The Cost of a Piano Tutor Based on Location
On an overall basis for the whole of the UK, a piano tutor for a child is likely to cost anywhere between £15 and £45, with an average price of around £25. This depends on a wide range of factors, though, including where you live. In general, piano tutors tend to charge more in the south than the north, with the highest prices predictably found in London. Prices here average at around £35, whereas in some locations in the north the average can be as little as £20.
The Cost of a Piano Tutor Based on Experience
There are no set criteria for the qualifications a private piano tutor needs to have, and you may find a wide range. Clearly, a tutor who has a degree and a teaching qualification is likely to be able to charge more, especially if they've also taught at a prestigious music school. It would obviously be great to have a tutor with this level of qualifications, but it's important to ask whether the extra cost is worth paying, considering your child's needs. If they want to take the piano very seriously and pass exams to a high level, then it's important to have a tutor who's sufficiently qualified and experienced. On the other hand, if your child is simply learning for fun, a cheaper and less-qualified tutor may be fine.
The Cost of a Piano Tutor Based on Location
Traditionally, most piano lessons take place in the student's home. This obviously involves the tutor having to travel, and it's likely that this will be added onto the price, so how far away the tutor lives will affect how much you have to pay. Needless to say, this extra expense could be cut if you could take your child to the tutor's premises. Currently, of course, most private lessons are being conducted online, and this may well continue after the lockdown. Online piano lessons are quite feasible, and since this reduces the tutor's expenses, this option may be cheaper.
The Cost of a Piano Tutor Based on Class Type
The most common model for piano tuition with a child is to have a weekly one-to-one lesson, usually an hour, and this is what the estimates given above are based on. However, you may want a different length or frequency, and that will obviously affect the overall cost. Alternatively, you may want to consider your child taking part in a group lesson, where the cost for each child would be lower. This reflects the lower level of individual attention your child will receive, but if they're the kind of child who thrives on a group setting, it may be an option. Register with TutorExtra to search through our extensive list of piano tutors for children.
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