Accompanist Services & Guidelines

There are a limited number of “free” accompanist hours available, so prioritization is as follows:

1. Required degree recitals
2. Ensembles and classes requiring and eligible for an assigned pianist:
   • Women’s Chorale
   • Wind Ensemble
   • Opera Theatre
   • Vocal Performance Techniques
   • Vocal Lit Seminar
3. Eligible student hours detailed above in years that do NOT include a required degree recital.
   

Every effort will be made to match pianists to the demands of the repertoire. Studio teachers play a key role in this process by completing accompanist request forms as thoroughly as possible. Any known or anticipated repertoire—along with an assessment of its difficulty—greatly aids in making appropriate assignments. Accompanists are drawn from a pool that includes four quarter-time Graduate Assistants and a limited number of staff accompanists. Once all request forms have been submitted, accompanist hours are assigned based on the priorities outlined in the eligibility policy.

Students may use up to 7 or 14 accompanist hours per semester, depending on degree program eligibility. However, accompanists should not be scheduled for more than one hour per week, and hours do not roll over from week to week.

These assigned hours are intended to support recital preparation by offsetting the cost of hiring a pianist. Students are still responsible for paying pianists directly for services beyond the allotted hours – this includes dress rehearsals, recital performances, juries, competitions, and masterclasses. All additional services should be discussed and agreed upon in advance by the student, accompanist, studio teacher, and Director of Collaborative Piano. If the event involves travel, students must also arrange and cover costs for lodging, transportation, and meals.

Students who are not eligible for assigned accompanist hours must independently contract and pay for their own accompanist. A list of available professional and student pianists will be provided. These arrangements are considered private and professional -studio teachers and the Director of Collaborative Piano are available for guidance but are not responsible for managing agreements or resolving disputes.

Studio Teacher

• Ensure students understand these Accompanying Guidelines and submit the Request for Accompanist form by the stated deadline.
• Only submit requests for students who meet the eligibility requirements outlined in Section I.
• Help monitor the musical and professional relationship between students and accompanists. Any concerns should be reported to the Director of Collaborative Piano.

Music Student

• Maintain a professional collaborative relationship with the accompanist.
• Communicate lesson times, rehearsal schedules, and performance dates clearly and promptly. Use a calendar or datebook to stay organized.
• Provide all necessary music in the pianist’s preferred format (e.g., original copy, in a binder, single- or double-sided). Pianists must be given at least two weeks to prepare for any lesson, rehearsal, or performance.
• Notify accompanists of cancellations or schedule changes as early as possible. If a student misses or cancels more than two scheduled rehearsals/lessons without proper notice, they forfeit their right to assigned accompanist services.
• Students hiring freelance pianists must pay promptly; accompanists reserve the right to withhold services if payment is not received.
• Submit the Request for Accompanist form by the published deadline.

Accompanist

• Communicate professionally and consistently with students about all scheduling and performance needs.
• Prepare thoroughly for all lessons, rehearsals, and performances. Failure to do so may result in loss of pay or academic credit.
• Freelance accompanists may terminate services if a student is repeatedly unprepared or unprofessional.
• Keep a log of rehearsal and lesson hours per student. Any time used beyond the assigned hours must be tracked and compensated fairly. Both student and accompanist should agree in advance on payment for excess hours.

The accompanist hours provided by UTK cover rehearsals and lessons only—they do not include the recital performance, hearing, or dress rehearsal. Students are responsible for paying accompanists directly for these services, and payment should be arranged before the performance date.

The following rates are suggested guidelines and are not regulated by the Director of Collaborative Piano. Fees may be adjusted based on repertoire difficulty, time commitment, and individual agreements between the student and accompanist. Professionalism is expected in all arrangements.

Suggested Recital & Jury Fees

For juries: If the accompanist is already working with the student regularly (e.g., weekly vocal coachings), a reduced rate of $20 is appropriate – only if no new repertoire is introduced. If new repertoire is required or the accompanist is not regularly assigned to the student, the standard $30–$50 rate applies.

Freelance Hourly Rates

These rates apply to any services outside the hours officially assigned by the College of Music:

A list of accompanists available for hire is maintained by the Collaborative Piano Studio. Freelance accompanists may set their own rates and expectations.

Not exactly. While UT does not provide a completely free accompanist, we do cover a limited number of rehearsal and lesson hours for eligible students each semester. This support is designed to help reduce the financial burden of paying a pianist for every part of your preparation.

However, students are still responsible for paying pianists directly for services beyond those assigned hours – such as hearings, dress rehearsals, recitals, and juries. We recommend discussing expectations and fees with your pianist early to plan accordingly.

Unfortunately, no. Jury performances are not covered by the accompanist hours provided through UT, regardless of how many hours you’ve used during the semester.

The accompanist hours are intended to support preparation for lessons and recitals that require extensive collaboration. Juries are considered a separate performance service, and the student is responsible for arranging and paying for that time directly with the pianist.

We recommend discussing expectations and any additional fees with your accompanist early in the semester to avoid surprises.

Unfortunately, no. Accompanist hours do not carry over from one semester to the next. The hour allotment is a per-semester maximum, designed to ensure fair distribution among all students and to protect the time and workload of our pianists – many of whom collaborate with multiple students each term.

To be considered for a UT-funded accompanist, you must submit the Accompanist Request Form by the published deadline—typically in early September. Instructions and reminders are emailed to all applied faculty and students at the beginning of the fall semester.

If you missed the deadline, you may still submit the form, but assignment is not guaranteed. Pianist availability is limited, and priority is given to students who meet the deadline with complete information. Be sure to communicate with your studio teacher and the Director of Collaborative Piano as soon as possible to explore your options.

We understand that many students don’t have all the details set at the start of the semester – but due to the high demand for UT’s collaborative pianists, an early deadline is necessary to make assignments and manage accompanist workloads effectively.

Even if your recital date or full repertoire isn’t confirmed, we encourage you to submit the form with as much information as you have. This helps ensure that a pianist can be tentatively assigned, and adjustments can be made later as details are finalized.

This is possible. As long as your teacher approves of you using this pianist, UT can provide some funding as long as you submitted your request for an accompanist by the deadline (and funds are available). Make sure you indicate this on the Accompanist Request Form.

No. Refer to the guidelines above.

While UT does provide limited accompanist hours to support your lessons and rehearsals, these do not cover recital-related services. You are responsible for paying your pianist directly for your hearing, dress rehearsal, recital performance, and any time beyond the allotted hours.

We recommend confirming expectations and discussing fees with your pianist early in the semester to avoid confusion or scheduling issues.

Not necessarily. If you have asked someone to play for you, UT can offer the 7 or 14 hours of accompanying by paying your pianist for those hours. However, UT severely limits the amount per hour that we can pay. You will need to make sure that your pianist will accept that amount. If not, you are responsible for paying the difference. In other words, if your pianist wants $50 per hour, you will be paying a significant portion of that yourself regardless of how many hours you’re entitled to.

If you want UT to pay your pianist, yes. You still need to submit the request form. If there is funding available, UT can offer some assistance (up to the maximum number of hours). Again, if you submit your form after the deadline this funding cannot be guaranteed.

Because of the nature of voice lessons. Voice students need a pianist in every lesson. With 14 teaching weeks per semester, they are provided with a funded pianist for each week.

At UT, we’re proud to offer accompanying services to a wide range of students, more than many institutions are able to provide. Our collaborative team includes four graduate assistants, a dedicated staff pianist, and several highly qualified freelance pianists. While we do our best to match each student with a pianist who is a good fit for their repertoire, we recognize that not every pairing is ideal.

If you’re having difficulties with your assigned pianist, please reach out to the Director of Collaborative Piano as soon as possible. If a reassignment is feasible, we will explore options. While we can’t always guarantee a perfect match, we’re happy to work with you, and potentially help explore funding solutions, if you’ve identified a pianist you’d like to work with independently.

It’s a common misconception that vocal students are assigned accompanists before anyone else. In reality, all faculty and students receive accompanist information and deadlines at the same time, and no area is given special priority.

That said, there are some key differences in how vocal and instrumental students tend to approach the process:

• Vocalists require a pianist in every lesson, so they often reach out to secure accompanists very early in the semester.
• Instrumentalists typically request accompanists later—often when a specific need (e.g., recital or jury) arises.

To ensure equitable access:

• No accompanist works exclusively for singers. Graduate Assistants and the staff pianist have time specifically reserved for instrumental requests.
• Historically, very few accompanist requests from instrumentalists have been denied, provided they are submitted on time and with complete information.

We encourage all students to plan ahead and communicate their needs early – regardless of instrument.

The Denisov Sonata is a fantastic piece, but it’s also highly demanding and falls well outside the scope of what can typically be supported through UT’s assigned accompanist program.

If you’re interested in pursuing this repertoire, we’re happy to have a conversation about your options. In some cases, we may be able to help brainstorm creative solutions or help you connect with qualified freelance pianists. However, due to the complexity of the work, UT cannot guarantee or provide an assigned pianist for this type of project, and additional fees should be expected.

Performing advanced repertoire like this is a rewarding challenge, and we’ll do what we can to support you in the process, even if it means thinking outside the box.