My piano playing daughter is going to Leeds in the autumn and is trying to decide which halls of residence to apply for. Which of them have practice rooms with pianos, how easy are they to get hold of and what, if anything, does it cost? She's not going to be studying music but is a grade 7/8 pianist and county youth orchestra violinist.

Not sure about Halls of Residence with pianos, but here in Headingley where my company is based, and where I work two days a week, is the Yorkshire College of Music and Drama. Many private teachers are based here, and there are many studios with pianos which can be used for practice. Skylark is organising the forthcoming Leeds Forum Users day here. I regularly use the hotel right opposite.
Its convenient for the University also. Website is www.yorkshire-music-lessons.co.uk

I realise finding a Hall or Residence with piano practising facilities may be the best option (as I did many moons ago at Lincoln Hall , Nottingham Uni), but maybe this helps as an alternative.

Might be good to email the music department of the university. They're usually happy to help and respond quickly.

If the hall of residence that your daughter wants to go to doesn't have a piano or there's a waiting list, I think there's at least one student who hires a practice room at The Yorkshire College of Music & Drama in Headingley, which is right in the middle of the "student area" of Leeds. Their website is www.yorkshire-music-lessons.co.uk and they open afternoons and evenings to about 9pm if you want to ask them about cost.

If you want any more general info about Leeds, feel free to PM me - it's my home city



Edit: I started writing this message then got broken off, and when I posted it I saw that Fsharpminor had beaten me to it in the meantime!

It might be worth finding out what the rules and regs are for noise in rooms - it may be possible for her to do some violin practice in her own room.

She plays the piano quite often just to relax and is far more likely to keep playing if it is easily available and on site - all the more so if she can get to it later in the evening, or when she is maybe supposed to be working...

Just a thought that occurred to me - far from ideal, but have you/has she considered investing in a 2nd hand digital piano/reasonably good digital keyboard?

Not the ideal solution I know, but she would have it in her room to use whenever she wanted (big bonus - no need to book time on it) and would be able to use headphones (no complaints from the neighbours).

If you could find a reasonably decent 2nd hand one that was good enough to be a reasonable substitute and small enough to not take up half the room, it could be a good investment for uni...?

If I could be sure she could fit it in her room (along with all the other teenage girl clobber it could be an idea, especially for when she moves on to a student house after the second year. She's not a huge fan of keyboards - does anyone know how much I might be able to get away with for a half decent but semi-portable electric piano?

Good point about noise levels too - I'd assumed she would be ok with her violin in her room but I'd better add a practice mute to the 'going to uni' box under the stairs

The must-have would be weighted keys, which even on a keyboard-type instrument would feel that much more like a piano. I'm afraid my knowledge of digital instruments is pretty slender but you could maybe start a thread in viva piano?