Some lessons revert back to online only

28.06.21

Regrettably, with a recent sharp rise in Coronavirus case rates, woodwind lessons have recently reverted to online only once more. We will advise students directly when this should change, but in the meantime our saxophone and flute students can continue to use their existing online Teams invites. Lessons will still be at the usual time.

Please do not attend lessons if you, or anyone you have come into close contact with, has recently tested positive for Coronavirus.

Welcome Back

07.06.21

Great weather at last! And just in time for your stay-cation!

From 6th June we can offer lessons both online and in person at the Academy to the greatest number of students since the start of the pandemic. With controls in place, saxophone lessons can now resume, though they may return to online only subject to changing case rates for coronavirus in this area. Restrictions for saxophone lessons include either the use of a separate studio for that day, or else a slot at the end of the day, with appropriate ventilation of course.

Spring Bank Holiday

Posted 29.5.021

We will be closed from Monday 31st May. We open again on Monday 7th June. Please note, we will aim to respond to any messages as soon as possible on our return, but please be patient – there may be a backlog for us to deal with before we can get back to you.

For Your Information

11.05.21 – Darrell Priestley

Decisions in this business tend to get made after a good natter at the Priestley kitchen table. The latest developments in the pandemic are no exception, and so my wife Eileen and I sat and watched with interest the Prime Minister’s latest briefing on the easing of rules, and took time to digest what was being said.

To summarize, I would say that this is a very welcome relaxation, but with caveats. Reading between the lines, this would seem to amount to a subtle shift in responsibility for containing the pandemic toward the public, which of course means you and me; and to be fair, it’s still quite a lot of responsibility.

Of course, there are vaccines, though it’s true that far from everyone has had one yet, and crucially, though they have been proven to do a good job of protecting many people from becoming very ill, it is still possible for a vaccinated person to both carry the virus and to pass it on to others.

Since we have a duty of care to everyone attending, which includes students, any family members, and our terrific teachers, for us being responsible means continuing with the efforts we have made since the very start of the pandemic to ensure that no one will suffer from Covid as a result of attending our Music Academy.

For this reason, we have chosen to stick with our current Covid rules and etiquette for the present time, and will continue to monitor the situation closely.