Craig Smith Music

Welcome to Craig Smith Music Tuition; provider of a wide range of music lessons within the Preston area and across Lancashire, including piano lessons, keyboard lessons, music theory and tuition in other more specialised disciplines. Drum and percussion lessons are also on offer with limited availability. Craig is a full-time professional musician in demand, currently working seven days a week across the North West, from Preston to the Yorkshire and Cumbrian borders and Merseyside. Please read more below:

Craig Smith Music provides one of, if not the, busiest privately-run professional music tuition services anywhere in the North West. Based in Preston, Lancashire, the service has built both a fantastic reputation and large client base, now providing 50 hours of lessons per week across seven days.

Currently, Craig himself teaches around 100 students weekly, from children aged 5 to adults and OAPs 80+, with most having piano lessons and keyboard lessons in various styles at all levels; classical, pop, jazz and blues, from absolute beginners to diploma standard. Most students have private one-to-one tuition. His large client base is a testament to his first-class musical education, ongoing good relationship with his students (please see the testimonials page), and, of course, excellent prices. As of April 2010, 30 minutes one-to-one tuition in piano, keyboard or music theory (popular or classical) begins at just £11 and 60 minute group keyboard and piano lessons are a mere £7.

Craig is experienced in many aspects of musical work and performance (see the other pages of this website) and has also studied psychology. He is able to transfer his knowledge to his students, who can benefit from rich and varied lessons, taking in so much more than simply learning to play tunes. His students have gone on to study music at college and university, and his piano and keyboard students regularly take part in various concerts, competitions and talent shows.

When and where do lessons take place?

Keyboard and piano lessons are available seven days a week with locations varying day-by-day. Keyboard and piano lessons in Preston are available most days, but further afield, lessons are limited to certain days of the week. More information can be found by viewing Craig's current vacancies at the bottom of the page.

Current clients live in Preston and Preston's surrounding areas (including Cottam, Ashton, Lea, Fulwood, Longridge, Hutton and Penwortham), Lancaster, The Fylde (Kirkham, Lytham, Blackpool) and West Lancashire and East Lancs (Tarleton, Eccleston, Chorley, Blackburn, Darwen, Colne, Samlesbury) and as far away as Merseyside and the Cumbrian and Yorkshire Borders. Craig is available to teach anywhere in Lancashire.

Please get in touch for information on more specialised tuition such as arranging, advice on taking up keyboard or piano lessons in Preston or elsewhere in Lancashire, or to enquire about teachers on any instrument in the area. Craig Smith Music's contacts include some of the very best musicians in Preston, the North West, and beyond, so look no further for recommendations for a fantastic teacher on any instrument.

Exams

Exams are not compulsory, but recommended to most piano, keyboard and composition students. Craig's results speak for themselves: over 90% of practical (performing) exam candidates achieve above a pass (a mark of 65%) with a merit award or better (a mark of 75% upwards) and two thirds those pass in the highest bracket, with distinctions.

Exams can be taken with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London College of Music and Victoria College of Music (to which Craig is an Associate with Honours), and are available in classical and contemporary / jazz piano, electronic keyboard, theory of music, popular music theory, musicianship and composition. LCM exams offer the option of being examined only on your playing, omitting all of the scales, listening tests and suchlike. This 'leisure play' option is currently proving very popular, particularly with Craig's many adult piano and keyboard students.

Who will teach my lesson?

We strive to ensure everyone who applies for piano lessons, keyboard lessons and music theory lessons in Preston with Craig Smith Music are taught by Craig himself.

As you will see from the Vacancies Page, there are still a couple of slots with Craig still remaining. There is a waiting list for those who cannot find a suitable slot, and, at the minute, this waiting list is around seven people long. However, the sheer popularity of the service and demand for these lessons with Craig mean that we now have other teachers working with us to keep this waiting list down. These teachers, who meet our high standards and share our values, are helping us to place students in the Preston, Kirkham, Bamber Bridge, Leyland and Chorley areas who don't want to be on the waiting list for piano lessons and keyboard lessons with Craig.

The teachers are self-employed rather than employed by Craig Smith Music, but they all have to meet various criteria including but not limited to performance skills, teaching skills, CRB checking, and for those hosting lessons from home, an inspection of the teaching environment and instrument(s). For more details or with any questions on this matter, please email tuition@craigsmithmusic.co.uk.