I've recently been approached to accompany (on piano) a child (on violin). The parents know I'm a teacher, but have asked if it's something I'd consider. It would be for her Secondary School entrance auditions in late November, and also later next year for her grade 5.

My position - I'd like to try it, as I think it would be interesting to branch into a new area (I've only taught before), but I'm not sure of the standard the accompanying would be - I assume if she's below gr5 it wouldn't be anything too crazy.

Assuming the audition dates don't clash with my teaching committments, what do you reckon - I'm tempted to invite the parents and child over for a chat, explain I've not done it before and it's their choice...

the other aspect is what to charge - same as teaching fees? less??

Any advice/experience appreciated!

There are lots of earlier topics related to accompanying. A search on "accompanying" in titles only will throw up quite a list.

Just one immediate question for your present situation: Can you tune a violin if necessary? Candidates are allowed help with tuning stringed instruments up to and including Grade 5, so if you can't do it you need to check whether the candidate can, or if not whether the teacher or another competent person will be there to do it. Whoever is going to tune the instrument is allowed to go into the exam room to tune to its piano. You probably already know that you as accompanist are only allowed to be in the room for the tuning and the accompanied pieces. The candidate is actually allowed to do the exam in any order, though most string candidates prefer to start with the accompanied pieces., which saves you lurking outside until called!

Never tell ayone that you haven't accompanied before. You have to start sometime, and the acc.s for this audition would not require you to be extremely advanced. If you do take it on, have the copy well in advance, and as many rehearsals you can have after you know your music. Good Luck with it. Charge a suitable fee plus your expenses in getting to the venue. Buzylizzie.

My daughter's first clarinet teacher was pretty dreadful on the piano, and frequently made mistakes. He admitted that he wasn't an expert, but used to accompany his pupils in exams. He once asked an examiner whether he was up to the job and the examiner said he was fine!

Just remember the examiner is not assessing you!

I accompanied for the first time in summer (Grade 2 violin - my own student) - and it was fine. I probably missed out a couple of notes here and there, but you'd never have guessed, and my candidate passed with a good merit.

Thanks all of you. Busylizzie what would you call a suitable fee - the same as my teaching fees or some proportion of them eg 3rd, 1/2 etc?

Dave has a good point - it's not just about being able to play the accompaniment.

Make sure you have LOTS of rehearsals with the pupil so you know of all the little places where they might be in danger of being out with the timing etc. Also think about what you might do if they suddenly stop mid-piece!

As it was my pupil, we pretty much played with the piano every week from when she had the notes learned.

There was one piece where she just could not get the right timing on a long tied note and her next entry. Despite lots of time spent on that section, where she would get it eventually, she reverted back to her original interpretation in the exam. I managed to patch the accompaniment together so that I caught up within a couple of notes, but it was a hairy moment!

Hi

I do quite a bit of accompaniment. Both my own students and others. I normally use my usual hourly rate, divide it between the amount of time that I'm actually needed for and add on travel expenses (possibly including time, unless it's my local centre). It helps when I'm accompanying more than one student as I can divide the additional expenses between them, which generally leaves them with a very reasonable fee.

Dave???!!

How very dare you?!!

*giggles* sorry

I do a fair bit of accompanying and at the moment I charge my usual teaching rate for rehearsals (although would add extra if it involved travelling to their house to rehearse) and I then charge a flat rate for attending the exam which is slightly different for each grade. I only accompany grades 1 to 5. I'm not really a proper pianist but so far haven been able to play all of the pieces I've needed to. If I came to one that was too difficult, as I found when one of my own students was doing grade 6, then I would recommend someone else. I don't agree with playing and making lots of mistakes. I don't know if other accompanists find this but I usually have to work through the aural tests with the candidates too - so you might be asked to do that.

Strangely enough usually I get really nervous when I'm playing the piano but for grade exams I go into teacher mode and always feel fine. I don't think I could ever accompany students in concerts or for festivals though - I imagine I'd be very nervous with an audience there.

Lucid

My son's first violin teacher did all the grade one pieces really, really slowly as his pupils tended to be ill-prepared and couldn't play them at the right speed. When i was accompanying my son for grade one the teacher got very twitchy and said I was playing everything 'a bit fast'. My son did really well because he ws used to practising with me and was able to play his pieces at the right speed. I'm not a great pianist but have had no problems with accompanying exams up to grade seven, but by that time I was pretty much having to learn the accompaniments and got cold feet for grade eight! I've just agreed to accompany a grade 5 cello and it's going to mean a bit of work as one piece is very hard. If I were charging i wouldn't know what to charge as it'll take quite a bit of my time to learn the piece but I feel that's my problem no the candidate's.