Policy for Collaborative Piano Services

Overview / Requests

Please study this policy carefully in order to make a complete request. Please give as detailed information as you can, and use the “Additional Notes” area at the end to leave a personal note/request. Please feel free to write to the Coordinator of Collaborative Piano Services, Lydia Qiu at [email protected] for your questions/concerns.

All students must use this online form to request a collaborative pianist. Please make sure to fill out all the required information. Pianists will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis, and if no more pianists are available, students will be responsible for hiring a pianist at their own expense.

The Request Form is currently closed.

Collaborative pianists will NOT be responsible for the following projects:

• Non-degree recital
• Any competition except the one mentioned above
• Any audition that is not related to the UM curriculum
• Personal recording projects, even during lesson, studio class, or during rehearsal times
• Other projects

If you are in need of collaborative pianists for these projects, please contact Prof. Qiu at [email protected], she will provide you with a list of freelance pianist’s information for you to contact independently.

Deadlines

• Degree Recitals – Requests must be turned in within the first 4 weeks of each term. A request cannot be written as TBD regarding the repertoire.
  • If a degree recital is scheduled within the first month of a term, please get in touch with Ms. Lydia Qiu during the prior term about the situation.
• Juries – Requests must be turned in at least 5 weeks prior to the last day of school each term.
• All Other Requests – Requests must be turned in at least 4 weeks prior to the performance date. This guarantees sufficient time for Lydia Qiu to process the request, as well as for the pianist to prepare the music.

REQUESTS WILL BE HONORED ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS, and the number of pianist/hours is not unlimited. Students who fail to meet these deadlines will be responsible for hiring their own collaborative pianist.

Once a request is matched with an available collaborative pianist, students will receive an email notification. At this point, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the pianist, and provide music within 5 calendar days. An assignment becomes void if the instrumental student fails to initiate the contact during that time period, and it will be the responsibility of the student to hire a collaborative pianist and pay them out of pocket.

Collaborative piano assignments are not intended to last for the entire term. All requests need to specify a performance date, which will be considered as the ending date of the assignment. If you need to perform the same piece for a different project, please contact the pianist and Lydia Qiu to see if accommodations can be made.

Etiquette Expectations & Consequences

• New music delivery to the pianist prior to a public performance:
  • 5 business days upon receiving assignment AND
  • 8 weeks before Degree Recital
  • 6 weeks before Concerto Competition, and Jury
  • 4 weeks before Studio Class, Studio Recital, and Masterclass
  • If expectation is not met: pianist retains the right to refuse to rehearse, and to play during the event
  • The pianist retains the right to email the student, instrumental teacher, and primary teacher (if applicable) to let them know about the unmet expectation
• If instrumentalist must cancel a rehearsal prior to attending a lesson with the pianist, the instrumentalist must notify the pianist via email 24 hours in advance:
  • If expectation is not met: pianist retains the right to refuse to attend the following instrumental lesson, since no rehearsal has taken place
  • The pianist retains the right to email the student, instrumental teacher, and primary teacher (if applicable) to let them know about the unmet expectation
• If instrumentalist must cancel a lesson, the instrumentalist must notify the pianist and their instrumental teacher via email or text message 24 hours in advance
  • Acceptable reasons to cancel rehearsal/coaching/lesson:
  • serious illness or injury
  • family emergency
  • mandatory SMTD-approved activity, with note from faculty or administration member leading the activity
• If either instrumentalist or pianist cancels more than 4 rehearsals in any given semester without an acceptable reason (see above), the pairing will be considered void:
  • If the instrumentalist is responsible for the cancellations, the instrumentalist will be responsible for engaging a pianist at their own expense
  • If the pianist is responsible for cancellations, the pianist will be on probation for 1 semester.

Conflicts are a natural part of any working relationship, and most of them can be resolved with clear communication (verbal or written) between the instrumentalist and the pianist. If this avenue has been exhausted and the conflict is not resolved, it is the responsibility of both instrumentalist and pianist to seek outside help by:

• Contacting BOTH their teacher and the Coordinator of Collaborative Piano Services Lydia Qiu
• The Instrumentalist or their teacher may ask the pianist to attend a rehearsal, lesson, or studio class occurring after normal business hours (6pm on weekdays, and on weekends)
  • The pianist reserves the right to refuse to attend the rehearsal or lesson, and may suggest a day and time within normal business hours (9am-6:30 pm Monday through Friday).
• The Instrumentalist or their teacher may ask the pianist to attend a rehearsal or lesson occurring during national and school holidays
  • The pianist reserves the right to refuse to attend the rehearsal or lesson, and may suggest a day and time within normal business hours (9am-6:30pm Monday through Friday).