Ideal length of piano lesson?

[LooseAtTheSeams]

Hi all, I'm hoping experts can advise! DS2's piano lessons are held at school and last 20 minutes. He will do Grade 1 early in July. We both really like the teacher and he is practising regularly, but there isn't a lot of time to cover everything. Assuming he gets through G1, I am thinking about longer lessons and I get the impression half an hour is about right for a 9-year-old. Do others agree? At some point I would also have to arrange separate theory lessons for ABRSM, but I'm not sure when most pianists start these.

DS2 started on 15 min slots at school, but if they want to do Grade exams she moves them to 30 minutes. He was 6 then.

He is 11 and did Grade 5 6 months ago, and is still on 30 mins.

He does a bit of theory in with the lesson every now and then. But he also does theory for his Voice for Life book as a chorister so he does learn.

He may do Trinity for Grade 6, (He did ABRSM for Grade 1 and 5, trinity for Grade 3). Or he may wait until he has done his theory and do an exam then. Teacher is partly waiting to see what the new pieces are like.

Older DCs have done /will do done anything past Grade 5 as Trinity so haven't done a theory exam, although they have both done quite a bit of the learning.

We've done from beginner to grade 7 (would have been 8 but her hands weren't big enough for some of the pieces!) on 30 mins a week ( out side school so less mucking about settling in etc I think). Theory up to grade 5 was also in these sessions.

DS has done grade 8 horn on 30 mins/week school lessons.

REcorder lessons again to post grade 8 are 1hr/fortnight .

30 mins is plenty till age 12 -13 at least. THey need to concentrate hard- don't know if you've ever had a 1hr one to one music lesson as an adult? I have, they are knackering!

Yes, I know what you mean, Theas18, I have tried one hour piano lessons myself - it's OK occasionally to catch up missed lessons, but I was drained afterwards!

Thanks, both, that's really helpful feedback and good to know that 30 minutes works fine for all grades! Interesting to know theory can be included as well.