[Eliza Fyfe]

My problem is having to choose students as I can’t fit in all the keen performers, then I feel like I’m taking away the opportunity I promise them from the start. Especially if I’m doing fewer events. I have to choose the “good” or “experienced ” or “ready” students – but how do I tell keen ones that they won’t be doing it this time and explain why? I have to start doing that this week.. Even though fewer events are bigger (double event in March) it’s because of fitting in my secondary teachers’ students, not all of mine!

[Eliza Fyfe]

@Kat, my December paid event was £3 on the door then an extra £2 for a mince pie and mulled wine. This meant my venue & refreshments costs were covered (school – £25 per hour, 3 hours hire including setting up and packing down) and the profits went to charity.

I didn’t do tickets and had no way of tracking people, so this is what I’m going to do differently for the Easter event – advance tickets, as I have a capacity limit of 150 in this new venue, so 100 tickets for guests, as I don’t charge performers.

@Beckie – yes, great if they come along to support the others if they don’t quite feel ready to perform. Chances are, they are inspired to do it next time! All sounds great with how you do things. Yep I’ll sometimes open/close with a song or duet with a student.

I love that the students get to meet each other and possibly even link up for bands/duets which has happened.

Would love some advice on the regularity of events: 5 last year was pretty full on, so now I’m doing 3 big ones (as I have to for choir anyway, at the end of each term) with students as supporting acts. Then I’m thinking of taking them to open mics in between (adults). I don’t run any as I don’t have the time, but I know a good one that allows you to play backing tracks off the phone/ipod. I am hoping that the students will make friends and go along on their own eventually, without needing me to hold their hands, as I rehearse most nights..!

Thoughts?

[Eliza Fyfe]

So I hold quarterly showcases at a cocktail bar where I have a membership. One for each season/occasion – did 5 last year and they all went down well!

The students took to the idea enthusiastically and they’re sort of used to me pushing them to perform! As long as they’re comfortable of course! Some wouldn’t have done it I hadn’t insisted though – and have been glad they did it as they surprised themselves with how much they enjoyed it!

I made the events private – just for students and their guests. It was always cosy and with an open-mic feel so that people aren’t all seated and staring, which can be intimidating. However, the sense of community lies with the students being among one another, in the same boat, a shared experience where they aren’t the only ones nervous! And with the parents watching too!

I mainly use backing tracks as it gets a bit much hosting, organising people, doing the sound etc AND playing! Although I have accompanied where necessary or had band members which was fun! Or even duetted with the very nervous ones. Or sometimes the student accompanies themselves if they have been learning piano or are a guitarist.

Yes to unexpected issues! A teacher brought a CD of backing tracks assuming I was playing them in a CD player/laptop… but it was all mp3s! All the parents had come to see her students perform and she was suddenly without the tracks… thankfully she found them in her Dropbox and she played them there off her phone! That was a fight or flight moment for sure though…

I also found that having people on hand to help made a MASSIVE help to how smoothly the event ran – I cannot recommend it enough.

So I hosted these events on Sundays 5-8pm, but learnt that 3 hour events (in order to fit in 25 keen performers, both mine and my teachers’ students!) was too long, and people wouldn’t stay for the whole thing. It didn’t always matter – it was kids at the start, an interval where kids would leave, then mainly adults for the second half. But a lot less audience towards the end! So I ran a seated, paid event in December for my students and choir, made it 2 hours long, less acts, 3 helpers (sound and refreshments) and it was the smoothest event I’ve done! So my new plan is 2 events in one day (March, my next one) 2-4pm Matinee and 7-9pm evening show with a similar set up as the December event.

Hope that answers your questions!

[Eliza Fyfe]

Ah, good question! I opened AND closed my first showcase, but friends said it wasn’t necessary to do both, or even either, lol. I do it now and then and I headlined one of the afternoon shows with my a cappella group. People liked it and said it was nice to see me doing my thing!

I totally agree with the vulnerability thing. It shows you can relate and I’m forever telling my students that it’s just as scary for me sometimes! Not hubristic at all, I think it’s nice as you are a performer as well as a teacher so it would be rude to yourself not to.

[Eliza Fyfe]

Mark’s right. Don’t book her in until payment is received! Although to be honest, don’t book her in regardless…! She sounds like a waste of time and will always have an excuse at the ready.

Dealing with something similar myself at the moment and not sure what to do (how many more chances can I give?!) she had a couple of false starts/cancellations (not late ones though) due to life’s mishaps, then she started asking for backing tracks without upfront payment (I only send further backing track resources once a month’s payment has been made) then she kept arriving with cash just for that lesson, or just cancelling in good time meaning that the slot was just left vacant if I didn’t get someone else in. I had a chat to her about it and how I need someone to be able to commit due to the nature of my business, etc etc, and she said she understood and was sorry for being so inconvenient, then made a promise to get stuck in as of last week. Sure enough, she paid for 4 lessons upfront and then turned up last week. But before starting, she said she wasn’t going to come to the next 3 lessons due to wanting to finish her dissertation first. I awkwardly accepted.. but said I couldn’t guarantee her the same slot as I need to fill it with someone regular.. but that I would do my best as she has now paid upfront. And the most hilarious part of this is that, after saying she understood why it’s inconvenient, kept saying “oh but I will practice, I’ll do all my warm ups and keep going over these songs daily” and I’m thinking… that’s really not the point?! It’s difficult as she is a nice person, so I’m not really sure what to do. I think if she cancels again I’ll just say she’s not ready to commit. It’s so annoying when they don’t actually owe but then they don’t stick to their arrangement.

Meanwhile, I have Dave who is on his last chance (!), for doing something very similar to the above. And he’s always full of long stories, long excuses, long explanations… and I’m there trying to get him off the phone because I don’t have the time to hear it… just get on with it, or don’t! He is also lovely and we get on so well… and the worst part is, he is self-employed too!!! I have even ironically been giving him advice about how to manage his business and have set hours, make sure people don’t take advantage… funny that!

It’s all very well dishing out the advice, but it seems I’m now being too soft..

Oh and Kat’s right about payment. I wouldn’t want to book someone in until this was sorted anyway – far too awkward having the money problem in the way of going forward!! But then would I want to book them anyway?