Thirst Music Courses & Grades
Thirst Music School offers tuition in drums, vocals, keyboard/piano, guitar/bass, ukulele, music theory, music production and song writing.In addition to Thirst Music School’s own teaching materials, students are able to follow the Rockschool syllabuses (www.rslawards.com) which can lead to examinations up to grade 8. These qualifications are accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. We also provide music lessons to schools.
Drum Lessons
Tutors Wayne Mahy, Felix Rice, Michael Davies and Jaeden Mordecai will tailor lessons to your level and ability. Whether you just want to learn how to play for fun, improve existing skills or as a lead-in to a course at BIMM, we will be able to help you gain confidence, get the most from your playing and maximise your potential. Areas covered may be as follows:
- Playing along to songs and click tracks
- Developing timekeeping
- Rudiment studies
- Hand and foot techniques
- Sight reading and listening skills
- Coordination development
- Soloing and phrasing
Although not obligatory, there will also be the possibility of entering for Rockschool grade examinations.
Vocal Lessons
Tutors Lisa Murfitt, Carly Tucknott and Kiya Ashton will tailor lessons to your level and ability. Whether you just want to learn how to sing for fun, improve existing skills or as a lead-in to a course at BIMM, our tutors will be able to help you to gain confidence, get the most from your voice and maximise your potential. Areas covered may be as follows:
- Vocal warm-ups
- Technique & voice production
- Understanding the anatomy of singing
- Microphone technique
- Music theory
- Sight-singing
Although not obligatory, there will also be the possibility of entering for Rockschool grade examinations.
Guitar & Bass Lessons
Tutors Glenn Holmes, Steve Le Poidevin, Joe Ingrouille and Morgan Lambert will tailor lessons to your level and ability. Whether you just want to learn how to play for fun, improve existing skills or as a lead-in to a course at BIMM, our tutors can help you gain confidence, get the most from your guitar and maximise your potential. Areas covered may be as follows:
- Playing along to songs and click tracks
- Learn all notes, chords, rhythm, lead, strumming & picking techniques
- Creative playing using scales
- Live instrument technique
- Music theory
- Sight reading and listening skills
Learn all notes, chords, rhythm, lead, strumming & picking techniques. Creative playing using scales Live instrument technique Music theory Sight reading and listening skills
Although not obligatory, there will also be the possibility of entering for Rockschool grade examinations.
Keyboard/Piano Lessons
Tutors Lisa Murfitt, Karen Lenormand, Deborah Lawson and Bethan Batiste will tailor lessons to your level and ability. Whether you just want to learn how to play for fun, improve existing skills or as a lead-in to a course at BIMM, they will be able to help you to gain confidence, get the most from your playing and maximise your potential. Areas covered may be as follows- depending on your preference for solo keyboard with auto accompaniment, band keyboard or piano styles:
- Fingering and hand position
- Keyboard style chords with auto accompaniment or piano left- and right-hand playing
- Theory and reading music (including bass clef)
- Improvisation
- Sight-reading
- Aural training
- Standard keyboard functions
Students will need to have access to at least a 61-key instrument with full-sized keys and style accompaniment facility to practise on. More advanced students may need access to a larger instrument with touch sensitivity.
Although not obligatory, there will also be the possibility of entering for Rockschool grade examinations.
Music Theory
Thirst Music School prides itself on teaching musicians to play well but also read and understand music both in tab and notation. With this in mind we can also offer musicians the opportunity to study music theory and harmonic progressions as a separate option. This particularly suits students who may have a good understanding of their chosen instrument or who may already be playing in bands and just want to enhance their understanding and musical vocabulary further. Students need not be able to read music prior to attending any of these courses.
Lesson Topics can include:
- Reading and understanding traditional notation
- Reading bass clef, treble clef and other clefs.
- Expression marks
- Elements of western harmony -what you already know (the old accepted rules and how rock and popular music breaks them!)
- Scales- major and minor.
- How standard progressions work (tonics, dominants and the functions of the other notes within scales)
- Modes
- Blues scales
- Pushing the boundaries- 12 tone scales and creating tone clusters.
It is advised that students cover ‘Elements of western harmony’ before attempting to understand modes as this will enhance their understanding.
As these are lessons tailored to the individual student, courses are not a fixed length which allows for greater flexibility for the student.
Songwriting Tuition
• Chord progressions
• Song structuring
• Melody creation
• Tempo mapping
• Exploring genres
Grades at Thirst Music
Rockschool Grades
In addition to Thirst Music School’s own teaching materials, students are able to follow the Rockschool syllabuses (www.rslawards.com) which can lead to examinations up to grade 8. These qualifications are accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
Exams are taken at our studios three times a year in February, June and November. To date more than 750 students have passed grade exams with us! As examinations usually fall in term time, it is the parents’ responsibility to liaise with their child’s school regarding absence for the purpose of taking an examination.
The grades are split into the following levels:
| Entry Level | Debut |
| Level 1 | Grades 1 to 3 |
| Level 2 | Grades 4 to 5 |
| Level 3 | Grades 6 to 8 |
The books* cover different elements including performance songs, technical exercises, improvisation, sight reading, listening skills and general musicianship questions. Grades are the perfect aid to students interested in GCSE and A Level music and students achieving success in the level 3 grades can obtain UCAS points towards university entry.
Thirst Music School takes a keen interest in students taking exams and offers additional support including written material and video lessons.
As an incentive for students taking exams, Thirst Music School rewards achievement at Grade 8 with prizes such as music equipment.
*Grade books can be purchased from us (subject to availability), from any local music shop or at www.musicroom.com
Piano & keyboard students also have the opportunity to work towards ABRSM, Trinity and London College of Music grades.
School lessons
Thirst Music School provides music lessons in the following schools:
| School | Lesson type |
| Beechwood Preparatory School | Drums, Piano & Vocals |
| Elizabeth College | Drums |
| Melrose Junior School | Drums |
| Ladies’ College | Drums, Keyboards, Guitar & Vocals |
| Blanchelande College | Drums & Guitar |
Lessons are 20 or 30 minutes in duration (during school hours) depending on the school’s policy. For further information, please either contact us or the Head of Music at the relevant school listed above.
Fees
Our fees for all 1-1 instrumental lessons are as follows:
| Duration | Fee |
| 20 minutes | £15.50 |
| 30 minutes | £24 |
| 45 minutes | £33 |
| 60 minutes | £44 |
| Band mentoring (1 hour) | £10 |
| T-Vox Vocal Harmony (1 hour) | £7 |
Term dates
2024/2025
TERM 1A: Thursday 5 September – Saturday 26 October
HALF TERM: Monday 28 October – Saturday 2 November
TERM 1B: Monday 4 November – Saturday 21 December
CHRISTMAS BREAK: Monday 24 December – Saturday 4 January 2025
TERM 2A: Monday 6 January – Saturday 22 February
HALF TERM: Monday 24 February – Saturday 1 March
TERM 2B: Monday 3 March – Saturday 12 April
EASTER BREAK: Monday 14 April – Saturday 26 April
TERM 3A: Monday 28 April – Saturday 24 May
Monday 5 May – Bank Holiday
Friday 9 May – Liberation Day Holiday
HALF TERM: Monday 26 May – Saturday 31 May
TERM 3B: Monday 2 June – Saturday 19 July
Get in touch!
We'd love to hear from you. Please get in touch if you have any questions or want to enquire about lessons at Thirst Music School. Fill in the form below, call / text us on 07781 128945 or email us at info@thirstmusicschool.co.uk You can also send us a message through our Facebook page!
