Losing money on concert hall rental

[dinulip]

I rented the same concert hall as usual for our upcoming spring concert, on June 10.  However, a few students cannot play for various reasons : two will be out of town, one just moved to a different city, another one has family issues...  There are also divorced parents who cannot stand the idea of being both there to listen to their young son...  The way things are going, I expect to lose approximately $100 on the rental fee for the hall - an amount which, of course, will have to be paid from my own pocket!    

This is the first time ever that this happens to me.  I really like the venue that we have been using for years, and would hate to have to give it up.  Any creative suggestion on ways to avoid this situation to repeat itself would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you!  

[brogers70]

Sounds like you are charging students separately for the recital. Why not just raise your fees (it would probably not take a large increase) so that over a year they cover the cost of the rental of the venue? And let students and parents know that the costs of the recital are included in the lesson fees. Then cancellations by a handful of students wouldn't leave you footing the bill.

[visitor]

include or raise if already in your tuition policy a facilities or genealogy student fee, explain. it is for things such as maintenece and regular tuning of your instrument so they can play on well maintain piano at lessons, and that it helps offset fee for hall rental, or snacks for end of term studio class etc  tyat way they all have skin in the game whether or not they ie parents behave or decide to act less mature than their child in terms of meeting obligations or respecting each other for their child sake

[louispodesta]

I rented the same concert hall as usual for our upcoming spring concert, on June 10.  However, a few students cannot play for various reasons : two will be out of town, one just moved to a different city, another one has family issues...  There are also divorced parents who cannot stand the idea of being both there to listen to their young son...  The way things are going, I expect to lose approximately $100 on the rental fee for the hall - an amount which, of course, will have to be paid from my own pocket!    

This is the first time ever that this happens to me.  I really like the venue that we have been using for years, and would hate to have to give it up.  Any creative suggestion on ways to avoid this situation to repeat itself would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you!  

"I do not teach," and this one of the many reasons as to why.

1) When I played in "Student Recital," there was never a Fee for the Hall.  It is a student recital, and therefore the (High School or College/University), is supposed to make any and all of their Facilities available to the Public for a "NOMINAL FEE."  One Hundred Dollars, for a young student recital, is very close to the edge, (in terms of a nominal fee).

My advice is:  contact all of the other piano teachers you can find and then "Boycott" this Institution.  Turning on the lights, the air conditioner, et al, is all a normal part of their daily routine.  And, that includes the "Tune" on the piano.

Stand your ground.  This is total BS! 

[keypeg]

It is a student recital, and therefore the (High School or College/University)

Do we know that this is taking place in a high school, or college, or university? When I took local lessons rather than on-line as I do now, the lessons were in my teacher's studio in his home.  Recitals were in a church.  There was no fee, but the collection plate was passed around, and his advanced students performed at some of the church services as a kind of exchange.  Lessons are not always given at institutions, which is why I ask.

[dinulip]

The concert hall is in a church.  The cost of rental for 4 hours is CAD $500.