This sort of follows on from one of the previous threads about accompanying students to the exam centre for moral support.

When I first accompanied a student in their exam the parents offered to pay so I charged £20. Now I've got another 2 students coming up for exams and I forgot to agree a charge in advance, so I think I'll just act on my feet if they offer to pay or do it for free after all it's good to hear the students in the exam. However, apart from the time it takes for the exam itself it takes me quite a while to practice the piano accompaniments (because I'm not very good) so I feel I would be justified in charging something. I'm trying to decide what to do in future.

I'd like to know what do other people do?

Thank you very much.

When my piano teacher does accompaniments she works out how long she'll be there (including travel I think) then divides that between the number of candidates.

We've never been charged by our own teacher. I've paid two accompanists so far, one charged by £24 for two exams, different children, different instruments but same sitting and rehearsal together.
The conservatoire accompanist charges £30 and is worth every penny.
Dora

Parent here! My daughter will take a clarinet exam in two weeks and her teacher will accompany her. I will offer to pay, but knowing him he will refuse to accept the payment. As a general rule, I think this is something you should charge for. However, I do not think that you should expect parents to pay just because you are a bad pianist (you say) and take a long time to prepare. After all, they could pay a "proper" accompanist, and save you all that time.

I do for the school ones, because the school expects me to, and has a table of fees they expect us to apply. I don't for the occasional private pupil I accompany, but most of my private pupils need a proper pianist.

You're right there - I wouldn't dream of charging by the hour for my practice time, but at least if I accompany them I get better at playing piano and they can rehearse with the piano in their lessons. If they go to a proper accompanist they would have to arrange for separate rehearsals and may end up paying more. If a part is too difficult for me I have told parents of students to find someone else because the students need to feel secure with their accompanist.

That raises another question: we've had examples from Dora, but how much do other people pay for proper/separate accompanists?

Of course one should charge. It's time after all. None of my singing pupils would expect to pay less than my hourly rate for me accompanying them in their exams, and why should they?

Well, so far as I recall, the accompanist we've used for daughter's cello exams charged £45 at Grade 5 for 2 rehearsals and the exam itself. The rehearsals were about a half hour each.

I charge for one hour of my time, which includes a rehearsal at my house, and the exam itself. If they need extra rehearsals, I charge for my normal time. These are not my students though, they are instrumentalists from other teachers.

My teacher doesn't charge for accompanying the exams. All of her students (there are about 5) go on the same day. We've asked about it, but she just says she's happy to be there and help spur us on, and us enjoying it and really giving it our all is the only payment she needs

I have only had one student do a non-piano exam (I was only teaching for 2 years, and mostly piano), and I didn't charge her- it was a grade 1 flute exam, and I got a nice present (completely unexpected) afterwards for the work I put in with her. The exam centre I used was my old school, and so it wasn't as if I was travelling far etc.

When I have accompanied other students (not my own), I charge £30 for 1 or 2 rehearsals and the actual exam. I don't drive, so for the exams far away, I usually ask for the student/parent to take me (I know them well, having accompanied 4 or 5 exams for this particular family, and they are family friends). Thankfully, most of the exams I accompany are at my old school, about 15 minutes walk away, so I just wend my own way there.

Thanks for all your votes and comments so far, I'm looking forward to hearing what other people do...

Just paid accompanist for daughter's flute grade 3. Teacher doesn't play piano, so used his usual lady. She charged £20 up to grade 5 and £25 for 6 to 8. This was for a rehersal (15 minutes) a week before and the exam itself. She offered to have a run through aural at the practice, but we had covered that with our piano teacher. She was at the exam centre for most of the day, so didn't make a special trip.

I notice that some people are talking of having only one rehearsal with an accompanist.
How well do people find this works?
I would imagine that it might be (just about) ok if the students play with live accompaniment regularly but what when they only ever do in their exams?
The one exam accomp I've done so far was with a student who hadn't played accompanied before and one session would have been enough for me to have an idea of all the places she was going to go her own way regardless of me or the written music. It wouldn't have been enough for her to take in and remember how it all really fits together.

My piano pupils usually play another instrument as well. I accompany exams they take on these instruments free of charge. I build up shed-loads of goodwill this way.

'External' candidates I charge the exam fee. This is 'all in'; one full rehearsal, warm up before the exam and the exam itslf. No travel or parking charges.

sbhoa, about the one rehearsal thingy. This is normal for me but the teachers I work with make sure their kids have access to the cd's that ship with so many of the solo parts these days. I cannot imagine being able to make do with only one rehearsal without the kids being used to hearing the piano part.