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Guest post

PianoMe: The Smart Way to Share Rehearsal Spaces and Earn Money with Your Music Room

What can you do when rehearsal rooms and instruments stand empty for hours or even days?

The answer is simple: share them through www.piano.me/en and turn unused space into income.

PianoMe is a growing online platform that enables musicians, music schools, studios, churches, and private hosts to rent out rehearsal spaces with instruments by the hour. At the same time, musicians can book affordable practice rooms exactly when they need them—no long-term contracts, no unnecessary costs.

Rehearsal Spaces Sharing Community – Built by Musicians for Musicians

PianoMe was created by musicians who experienced the same problem many artists face: finding a suitable place to practice is often difficult, expensive, and inflexible.

The idea behind the platform is based on the sharing economy: if a room and an instrument are not in use, they can be shared with others.

This creates a classic win-win situation:

  • Hosts generate additional income from otherwise idle rooms
  • Musicians pay only for the time they actually use
  • Cities benefit from a reduction in rehearsal room shortages

Traveling musicians, in particular, appreciate being able to book a nearby practice room within minutes, whether for an audition, an exam, or a recording session.

Monetize Your Empty Rehearsal Room

If you own a rehearsal room or a studio that is not used 24/7, PianoMe offers an easy and secure way to earn money.

Creating a listing takes only a few minutes:

  • Upload photos
  • Set your availability
  • Define your own rental rules and cancellation terms
  • Start receiving bookings

All processes—from request to payment—are fully digital and automated, which means no paperwork and minimal administrative effort.

A Lifeline for Music Schools

Music schools are facing increasing financial pressure due to rising costs and reduced public funding. PianoMe helps them:

  • Generate additional revenue from unused rooms during off-peak hours
  • Digitize and automate their rental processes
  • Reach new target groups such as freelance teachers, ensembles, and choirs

For some institutions, hourly room sharing has already become a second financial pillar that helps stabilize operations.

Flexible Solutions for Music Teachers

Freelance music teachers benefit from a highly flexible, on-demand room model:

  • No long-term rental contracts
  • No deposits
  • Hourly bookings based on actual teaching needs
  • Easy cancellations within the respective host’s policy

This supports the growing agency model in music education, where teachers operate independently and require adaptable teaching spaces.

Growing Demand and a Diverse Rehearsal Space Marketplace

The response on social media has been overwhelmingly positive. The general consensus is clear: without PianoMe, many rehearsal rooms would remain unused for hours or even days, generating costs instead of value. With PianoMe, this situation is reversed. As one private host wrote in a Google review, their grand piano used to be played only on weekends, but thanks to the platform, both the instrument and the room are now actively used during the week as well.

As the PianoMe network continues to expand, the range of available spaces is becoming increasingly diverse. Today, the platform offers far more than single piano practice rooms. Musicians can find studios equipped with drum kits, electric guitars, or even full recording setups. Room sizes vary widely—from small attic spaces and basement studios to full concert halls and modern event venues with stage and seating.

Browsing PianoMe feels like discovering the hidden musical infrastructure of a city. Many users are surprised by how many rehearsal rooms and instrument-equipped venues exist behind the scenes—places they would never have found without the platform.

Despite this wide selection, choosing the right room remains simple. User reviews provide real insights into the quality of the space and the instruments. In addition, each listing includes detailed information such as available equipment, room size, hourly price, capacity, concert suitability, rental conditions, and real-time availability.

The platform is used not only by professional musicians but also by hobbyists. And it is no longer limited to pianists—singers, amateur bands, choirs, violinists, composers, and many others are now part of the growing PianoMe community.

Free Music Event Promotion and Digital Tools for Musicians

Every musician wants to perform live—and ideally to a full audience. PianoMe makes this easier by allowing users to promote their music events completely free of charge. The platform’s event promotion page, together with its integrated event QR code feature, has recently been expanded with additional functions. Event announcements can now be created on any device within minutes and shared directly across social media channels.

For those who prefer physical promotion, PianoMe also offers a one-click poster generator. Users can design, download, print, and display posters without needing external design tools. Concert programs can be distributed digitally via QR codes, enabling audiences to access them instantly on their smartphones—saving both printing costs and large amounts of paper.

By combining rehearsal spaces with digital promotion and content sharing, PianoMe goes far beyond room booking. It creates a connected ecosystem where musicians support each other, exchange ideas, and present their work.

Read PianoMe’s interview with Frances Wilson (The Cross-Eyed Pianist)

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I hate to say it, but classical music still suffers from an image problem; an image crisis in fact. Despite the best efforts of performers, promoters, venues and music lovers, the artform is perceived by many as elitist and only accessible to the few, not the many. It wasn’t always like this: when I was growing up in the UK in the 1960s and 70s, there seemed to be classical music everywhere – on the radio and tv (including live broadcasts of orchestral concerts and wonderful programmes presented by André Previn), in tv adverts and in shops.

Now if you mention you are a fan of classical music, people may look at you slightly askance. Or, as has happened to me on several occasions, ask, “did you come to like classical music as you got older?” – because, yes, the demographic for classical music is generally in the over 50 bracket. (I’ve always liked classical music, ever since I was a little girl.)

Yet venues and promoters obsess about capturing that elusive (and often not especially interested) “younger/youth audience”, at the risk of alienating their core audience/demographic. One particularly depressing current example of this is London’s Southbank Centre, which is “leaning more heavily on describing classical music with a different language. Well-meant pieces to camera demystify the genre for this untapped, cynical and supposedly disinterested audience, the word ‘bangers’ used to describe popular works and sundry other nerve-jangling scores.” (Thoroughly Good blog). Alongside this, the venue has launched a classical music podcast for which “you don’t need a PhD to listen to”.

It has never been necessary to hold a PhD to enjoy classical music – or indeed any genre of music (though I might make an exception for jazz, which I find far more esoteric,  exclusive and mystifying than classical music – but that’s just me!). Which is why I am drawn to this phrase “audience needed – no experience necessary” (borrowed from this image):

The phrase “audience needed – no experience required” reframes classical music from something exclusive and intimidating into something open, welcoming, and participatory. It signals that listeners don’t need prior knowledge, training, or cultural “credentials” to belong – only curiosity and willingness to listen. Added to that, it doesn’t patronise or use “trendy” language. It tells newcomers that their lack of expertise isn’t a disadvantage but rather an asset, a starting point for discovery.

Musicians can use the message to bridge the gap between performer and audience. It frames them not as distant experts, but as fellow explorers eager to share something beautiful and immediate.

And instead of focusing on technicalities (composers, historical context, musical analysis), this kind of marketing can tap into the emotional and sensory appeal of live performance – the sound, the atmosphere, the shared moment. The phrase evokes a sense of adventure and discovery.

It also connects with modern cultural values. Today’s audiences respond to inclusivity, authenticity, and accessibility. “No experience required” aligns with those values, suggesting classical music is for everyone – not a rarefied art form, but a living, breathing experience.

This site is free to access and advert-free, and takes many hours each month to compile and edit. If you find value and joy in this site, please consider making a donation to support its continuance:

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The Leith Hill Music Festival (LHMF) continues a long-standing tradition of bringing “the joy of singing” to the heart of Surrey. Since its founding in 1905, the festival has provided a unique platform where amateur choirs perform alongside international singers, conductors and professional orchestras, creating world-class musical experiences for local audiences.

Competition and Collaboration

The flagship two-day competitive festival takes place on Friday 10 April and Saturday 11 April 2026, the style of which has remained largely the same as when founded.

Giving choir members an unparalleled opportunity – out of reach for many choirs – to sing major works in the choral repertoire, this unique event balances the “fun of competing” for cups and trophies in morning sessions, judged by a professional adjudicator, followed by evening performances. After the competitions, the choirs come together for a combined rehearsal, taken by the Festival Conductor, ahead of the evening concerts, held at Dorking Halls.

For the competition element of the Festival each choir performs a short recital. They may also choose to enter
smaller groups of up to 12 singers into the Ensemble Class. The recital, which lasts no longer than 15 minutes,
comprises three pieces chosen by each choir. Composers featured in this year’s competition include Sir JOhn Rutter, Cecilia McDowall, Eric Whitacre, Russell Hepplewhite, Ola Gjeilo, Sarah Quartel, Michael Higgons, Amy Beach, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Johannes Brahms, Giachino Rossini, Edward Elgar, and Herbert Sumsion. This year’s adjudicator is composer, conductor and soprano Anita Datta.

FESTIVAL PROGRAMMES

Friday 10 April

Suffolk Suite Doreen Carwithen

Da Vinci Requiem Cecilia McDowall

The Lark Ascending Vaughan Williams

Five Mystical Songs Vaughan Williams

Participating choirs: Capel, Dorking, Epsom, Leatherhead and Oxshott, accompanied by Southern Pro Musica.

Saturday 11 April: A celebration of Baroque masters

Zadok the Priest George Frideric Handel

Dixit Dominus Antonio Vivaldi

Dixit Dominus Isabella Leonarda

Concerto for two violins in D minor, BWV 1043 Johann Sebastian Bach

The King Shall Rejoice George Frideric Handel

Participating choirs: Beare Green and Newdigate, Bookham, Buckland and Betchworth, Holmbury St Mary, Horsley, and Mickleham, accompanied by baroque orchestra Canzona.

BOOK TICKETS

Performances that touch our hearts….That’s the joy of singing; that’s the joy of being part of our Festival. – Ges Ray, LHMF Chairman

The LHMF is more than a series of concerts. It revels in the bonhomie – even the ‘bon-harmony!’ – of voices from all walks of life coming together to celebrate in sound, with regular rehearsals and local concerts. A stress reliever and mental health workout like no other, it brings singers and audiences together to experience the excitement and joy of massed voices performing on a professional stage.

LHMF website

Neil Ferris, conductor
2026 Festival banner created by Leatherhead Choral Society for the Women’s Song Category
LHMF Choir
Festival flyer from 1929
Vaughan Williams statue in Dorking
Historic photograph of LHMF

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Woolf String Quartet & Duncan Honeybourne, Chamber Music Weymouth lunchtime concert, Wednesday 25 February 2026

Woolf Quartet are: Zosia Herlihy-O’Brien (violin), Emily Harrison (violin), Beatrice Slocumbe (viola) and Hoda Jahanpour (cello)

When the audience comes out of a concert with words like “incredible!”, “brilliant” and “that was absolutely superb”, you know the musicians, and the music, has touched them. And that is what happened on Wednesday, 25 February, when the Woolf Quartet returned to Weymouth to impress the lunchtime concert audience once again. This London-based string quartet was formed at the Royal Academy of Music, and they take their name from author Virginia Woolf, as they often rehearse in Bloomsbury, close to where she lived.

They made their Chamber Music Weymouth debut in 2025 and wowed the audience with an engaging programme that featured Debussy and a piece by the quartet’s cellist, Hoda Jahanpour. This time they were joined by pianist and CMW Artistic Director Duncan Honeybourne to perform just one piece – Brahms’ Piano Quintet in f minor. A big-boned work of symphonic textures and narrative breadth, it has the expansiveness of Schubert in its four movements, and is one of the most challenging and important works in the chamber music repertoire. It asks of all the musicians virtuosity, stamina and cohesion, and an ability to navigate many modulations, complex rhythmic shifts, and fugal passages. It’s a monumental work, emotionally intense and physically demanding, and a challenge for any ensemble – and one which the Woolf Quartet rose to with commitment, maturity and musical insight.

It’s rare to feel a thread of concentrated energy through an entire concert – not an easy feat for musicians to achieve – but the Woolf Quartet, with Duncan Honeybourne, succeeded in doing just this. It’s a credit to them – and a mark of the infectiousness of their concentration – that the audience was almost completely silent for the entirety of the concert, listening intently to Brahms’ shifting soundworld and the emotions it suggests.

The Woolf Quartet, both individually and together, brought much colour and nuance to the music. Brahms’ writing gives each player a chance to shine. The ensemble playing was precise and committed, amply matched by Duncan Honeybourne, who made light of Brahms’ rather unforgiving piano textures. Most engaging, though, was that the musicians clearly enjoyed themselves. It’s always a pleasure to see performers truly immerse themselves in music that they love.

Catch the Woolf Quartet if you can – you won’t regret it! They will be at London’s Wigmore Hall on Saturday, 2 May, where, I’m told, they will be performing a piece they have written together, as well as music by Shostakovich.

Chamber Music Weymouth’s lunchtime series continues on Wednesday 11 March with a recital by distinguished pianist Margarat Fingerhut. Find out more