Hiring an instrument

Instruments are available for hire from the program at a very reasonable rental per semester (half year). See the current fee schedule for rates.

If you wish to hire an instrument please complete and return a hire form with your lesson application form. Continuing students must return a new hire form to their tutor each year.

Instruments will be issued to new students by their designated tutor at their first lesson, if the hire form has been received.

Please read carefully the Conditions of Hire before signing, particularly those parts which refer to payments, refunds and return of the instrument. Again, late forms will always be accepted, but you may miss out on an instrument or be unable to start lessons immediately.

The 2 Year Rule

To ensure that as many students as possible can access our instruments, we have a 'two year rule' for hired instruments.

After two years, you and your child will be aware if your child's level of commitment supports the purchase of your own instrument. If your child has hired the same, full sized instrument (i.e. wind or brass) for two years, then you are expected to permanently return the instrument to the school.

If you would prefer to continue hiring the instrument please apply to the Instrument Committee to request the hire of the instrument for a third year. If we have a surplus of that instrument at that time, your application will be successful. (It often happens! Do write!)

Related links

Why Not Kindergarten?
Our program is open to students from Y1 to Y6. By Y1, students are familiar with the school and its routines. They are more mature and their concentration span has improved enough to cope with the length of a timetabled instrument lesson. They are independent enough to manage instrument lesson times and to cope with time out of class. It can be helpful that by Y1, students understand the 'decoding' process involved in reading, which can then be applied to reading music. The school teaching staff feels it is preferable that the kindergarten year be focussed in the classroom.