[Beckie Tunnicliffe]

Hi! Here are a couple I have found useful:)

My Favourite Things – The Sound of Music (G1)
Fireflies – Owl City (G1)
Take A Bow – Rihanna (G1)
The Fear – Lily Allen (G1)
Upside Down – Paloma Faith (G2)
Thinking About Me – Olly Murs (G2)
Dear Darlin – Olly Murs (G1)

On another note, I think Roar is a lot higher than Grade 1! It’s probably there because the range is limited but the breath control needs to be on point! I try to get my Grade 1 students to avoid it to be honest!

Here’s a link to Rockschool’s Wider Repertoire, hope this helps! https://www.rslawards.com/music/graded-music-exams/vocals/wider-repertoire

[Beckie Tunnicliffe]

I used to offer a 30 minute free trial lesson – I did this because I was starting out teaching and needed to get as many students as possible! However the turn out was extremely low and people were literally just using me as a ‘one-off’ free lesson. So I made the decision to charge in advance from the first lesson via an online payment and that has completely stopped people from wasting my time. I completely agree with what everyone else has said:)

You can always give them a call to make it more personal to them, and so they can ask you any questions but no more than that! I’ve had some people want to sing down the phone to me before, so I just have to say I can’t make a true judgement of their voice over the phone

[Beckie Tunnicliffe]

I’ve luckily never been in that position where I have had to pick who can do the shows, if I did though I would maybe get the more inexperienced ones to do a smaller setup, like an open mic, to build up the confidence and technique. That way they could also get to know each other and it seems more personal to them:)

[Beckie Tunnicliffe]

Hi!

I run 2 events a year, one in the summer and one at Christmas. I do smaller events in between, I have just started hosting an open mic every other week so that my students have the chance to do a smaller event if they want to, as the larger showcases have roughly 100 people attending!

I’ve found these shows are extremely popular with the kids (especially as I teach a lot more of them than adults), most of my adult students try to shy away from them as they get too nervous! But those who have done it don’t regret it. I push people to do the shows, but ultimately I will not force them if they really don’t want to do it (in these cases those students tend to come along to watch anyway)

A lot of my family help with running the event – at the last one my Dad and sister took tickets on the door and sold raffle tickets, my Mum, Auntie and cousin ran the tombola/raffle and sold cakes/mince pies, and the manager of the venue did the sound and ran the bar. I’ve also in the past 2 shows started putting a ‘colouring table’ out for the younger children so that they can keep themselves busy, so that they are not distracting who is on stage.

I do pay for the venue but I get the money back through tickets. The first show I ever did there was free and it wasn’t feasible to keep doing it that way. All of my students understand why have have to charge tickets and I try to keep it as cheap as possible for them.

Most of the performers use backing tracks but I will accompany some on piano like if we have to change the key. Some have also accompanied themselves. I sometimes sing a song at the end (time permitting) as I always get badgered to do one by my students! Usually the shows last between 2 and 3 hours but I have an interval in the middle

[Beckie Tunnicliffe]

I’ve just called her and it’s gone to answerphone (I had a feeling that would happen!) so I’ve left a message. She was paying a week in advance – I’ve taken off the advance lesson fee so that she only owes 2 lessons worth. Reason being she owes money is because she forgot to bring cash the last time I saw her, and then the last lesson was cancelled on the same day.

I’m seriously considering going to a pay monthly scheme as too many people have done this to me – I can still take cash in lessons but making it more worthwhile for students to pay by the month. I need to be stricter with my policy though!