Instrumental Music Lessons
Princes Hill employs specialist Instrumental Music Instructors (IMIs) as part of our Music Program and offers instrumental music lessons to all students. This includes voice and theory lessons.
Please click here for our 2024 Staffing List
Parents/Carers will need to complete an enrolment request for any student new to the Music Program. Once an enrolment confirmation is received and a payment has been paid (either in full or on a payment plan), students will begin lessons. During Term 4 each year parents/carers will be sent a renewal request for the following year, with the options to maintain their current enrolment, modify their enrolment (ie, upgrade lesson type), or withdraw their enrolment.
Ensemble Participation
Princes Hill is fortunate to receive specific funding from the Department of Education to help facilitate our Music Program. In order to receive this funding, we provide a range of ensembles that cater to different student abilities and interests, as well as a range of music styles and instrument types.
We currently offer 20 ensembles with the expectation that students participate in at least one ensemble as part of their enrolment for instrumental music lessons. However, please note the following exceptions:
- Students who are new to their chosen instrument, or have less than 12-months experience should nominate a preferred ensemble, but do not have to join straight away. Their IMI will advise when they are ready to join.
- There are a limited number of positions available for piano students in ensembles. We do recommend students join an ensemble on another instrument where possible, such as a secondary instrument they perform on, voice (choir), or auxiliary percussion.
- Students enrolled in theory only do not have to join an ensemble.
- Students who learn an instrument privately may join an ensemble, however priority is given to students enrolled in school-based instrumental music lessons.
Lesson Fees for 2024
All lesson fees are charged per annum with the option to pay via a payment plan.
| Lesson Type | Fee p/a |
| Group (half-period, 2 – 3 students) | $610 |
| Individual Half-Period | $1,155 |
| Individual Full-Period | $2,310 |
| Theory – Standard, Grades 1 – 3 (half-period, 4 – 5 students) | $360 |
| Theory – Advanced, VCE (half-period, 3 – 4 students) | $395 |
| Theory – Advanced, Grade 4 (half-period, 2 – 3 students) | $470 |
| Theory – Advanced, Grades 5 – 6 (half-period, individual lessons) | $1,155 |
For those new to the program, additional information on the different lesson types are listed below.
Group lessons are scheduled with 2 – 3 students for a half period, or occasionally 4 – 5 students for a full period. Decisions on numbers and groupings are made by the relevant IMIs in consultation with the Head of Music. The decision depends on the instrument type and student ability/needs.
*Please note that group lessons are not available for Piano or Drum Kit.
Individual Half-Period lessons are highly recommended for all students. This enables IMIs to provide the best personalised environment to best facilitate student development on their chosen instrument.
Individual Full-Period lessons are recommended for students with 3 or more years of experience who are participating in external exams (AMEB/ABRSM Grade 4 + ), the middle school classroom music program, and strongly recommended for students studying music as part of their VCE Program. This includes VCE Music, VCE Music Contemporary, VCE Music Repertoire, VCE Music Inquiry.
Standard Music Theory lessons provide students with the opportunity to focus on the development of their theoretical knowledge. Students work through the AMEB Theory Syllabus across Grades 1 – 3 as appropriate, as well as general theoretical concepts relevant to the performance of music.
Advanced Music Theory lessons are for experienced students who have moved onto higher level exams (AMEB Grade 4+) and/or who are studying VCE Music. As there are multiple enrolment options at this level, please contact the Music Office to discuss which option you should select if you are unsure.
How to enrol for 2024
There is a new enrolment process for 2024.
All students of Years 7 – 11 enrolled in the Music Program throughout 2023 will receive a renewal request via email. This will outline your enrolment for 2023, and the cost of continuing this enrolment in 2024. You will have the option to accept, modify, or withdraw. We expect these to be sent out in late October.
New enrolments to the program (either new Year 7s for 2024, or existing PHSC students in Years 8 – 12 for 2024) will open on Wed 22 November, with the enrolment form sent out via Compass newsfeed.
Please contact the Music Office on 9389 0622, or via email at musicadmin@phsc.vic.edu.au if you have any questions about the enrolment process.
Payment Process
- Payments can be made in full or via instalments
- Instalments are split into four payments, with the first payment due as per the dates above
- The remaining three instalments will be scheduled in February, April, and June of 2024 on the 14th of each month.
- Full payment of fees or the first instalment are required before lessons commence to confirm your enrolment.
- All payments are managed through your school Compass account (parent/guardian login)
- Once payment is received, students’ lessons will appear in their Compass timetable at the beginning of Term 1
- Fees are non-refundable once payment has been made.
For all financial matters, please contact the PHSC Business Manage – Trent Adams – via email at trent.adams@education.vic.gov.au.
Lesson Scheduling/Timetabling
Students are offered 32 lessons across the school calendar year. Lessons usually start in the first full week of Term 1 (Week 2), and conclude in the first week of December, Term 4. This equates to approximately 8 lessons per term and allows lessons not being scheduled during public holidays and school events (ie Sports Days, Curriculum Days, etc).
Lesson numbers are monitored by the Music Administrator throughout the school year.
After overall positive community feedback, we regularly choose to offer lessons during scheduled Curriculum Days and on Parent/Student/Teacher Conference days. This helps limit the interruptions between lessons already caused by other school events and term breaks. In these instances, students will be permitted on site to attend their lessons, and families will be advised via email two weeks in advance.
Instrumental Music Lessons are scheduled using Compass and form part of the students weekly timetable. The following considerations are made in regards to the scheduling of lessons:
- Lessons are scheduled week to week at the beginning of Term 1 as enrolments are finalised. Lessons are then scheduled at least one month in advance; usually from the beginning of March.
- For Years 7 – 10, lessons are scheduled during class time on a rotating basis to avoid regularly missing the same class. This means that on average a student will only miss class time for the same subject once every six weeks, with a maximum rotation of once every three weeks.
- VCE students have a fixed lesson time during one of their study periods, lunch time, after school, or occasionally before school.
- No lessons are scheduled at recess, unless agreed to by the student and the IMI.
- Year level camps and events are accounted for two weeks prior to the scheduled activity.
Student Absences
Students who are absent from school on the day of their scheduled lessons are not able to be offered a replacement lesson. If a student absence is expected to be longer than two weeks please contact the Music Administrator (Willow Shortt – musicadmin@phsc.vic.edu.au ) ASAP to discuss potential timetabling options.
Student Responsibility
Students are responsible for attending their lessons in a timely manner and bringing all resources required for their lessons. This may include their personal instrument (which can be left in the Music Storeroom), sheet music/charts, and/or workbooks.
All students are asked to check their lesson schedule on Compass at least one week in advance, and then the morning of their scheduled lesson in case there have been any changes. If an issue is ever detected, students should notify both their IMI and the Music Administrator either via email, or in person at the Music Office.
During Term 1 only, IMIs will go and collect students if they do not arrive in the first few minutes of their scheduled lesson time in order to help them build a rountine.
Students should be mindful of the following events that may interfere with their ability to attend lessons:
- Scheduled assessments by classroom teachers: All students are generally provided with at least two weeks notice for upcoming assessments, as well as having set dates in their Compass Learning Tasks. Classroom teachers are aware of student commitments to instrumental lessons and allow flexibility for the rescheduling of assessments. However, there will be some instances where the assessment does need to take priority.
- Off-site sports activities: Some students will be off-site for sports classes, events, and/or other activities. Any off-site attendance will usually generate an “event” on Compass. However, due to the large volume of sports-based events, the changing enrolments/participation rates, and events often relying on the success of the team/individual student, it is recommended that students notify both their IMI and the Music Administrator ASAP once an event date is confirmed.
- Duty Students: Students in Years 7 and 8 will be allocated a duty day that will appear on their Compass Schedule. If students are scheduled for an instrumental lesson on the same day as duty, they should advise the relevant staff member from the Front Office who is supervising and still attend their lesson.