Collaborative Pianist Information

Before you go on...

Students must check with their private "applied" instructor before requesting a collaborative pianist. Students may be assigned pieces that do not need accompaniment.

Important Details

  • Submitting the request form is not a guarantee of hours.
  • Hours are limited and fill up quickly. Request as soon as possible after talking with your instructor.
  • The amount of hours with the accompanist is based on the difficulty/amount of repertoire.
  • Read the full policies and procedures below.

Eligible Activities

The following performance activities are eligible for WWU music department collaborative pianists

  • Lessons
  • Rehearsals
  • Degree recital hearings
  • Masterclasses/Studio classes
  • Concerto competitions
  • Virginia Glover/Bellingham Music Club competitions

Policies and Procedures

Collaborative Pianist Request Steps

  1. Ask your primary instructor if you need a staff pianist.  You may be assigned a student to work with or have a repertoire that is unaccompanied. 
  2. Submit an E-sign request form as early as possible and no later than the 4th Monday of the quarter. Submitting a form does not guarantee you a pianist (see forms below).
  3. Attach PDFs of your music to the E-sign request form or email your music to the collaborative area after submitting your form. (Rebecca Manalac: Instrumental). Any repertoire changes after the 4th Monday will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Important Details

  • Accompaniment hours are limited and will be assigned at the discretion of the collaborative pianists. Hours fill up quickly and often the collaborative area carries over students from prior quarters so it is imperative that requests be made as early as possible
  • Collaborative pianists will allot accompanying hours based on difficulty/amount of repertoire. 
  • Any repertoire changes after the 4th Monday will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Requests for collaborative piano accompaniment for a recital must be made at least one full quarter ahead of the scheduled recital date. Allotted hours may not cover all rehearsals. See the recital drop-down for more details.

E-Sign Form Directions

After reviewing the request steps and important details above, carefully review the following instructions to be eligible for accompaniment hours. Submitting a form does not guarantee you a pianist.

  1. Fill out the form completely, and type your name and date on the Signature Line. If you are playing only selected movements or portions of a larger work, clearly indicate this on your form.
  2. Attach PDFs of piano accompaniment to the form or email them directly to Rebecca Mañalac (Instrumental). The form will not be completed by the collaborative pianist area until they receive your music.
  3. Enter your applied instructor’s email in the final blue box and hit submit. This will route the form to your applied instructor. Your instructor will approve the information and submit the form to the collaborative pianists.

Your request will not be complete until copies of your music have been attached to the E-sign form or emailed to the collaborative pianists.

Instrumental - Collaborative Pianist Request Form

Rachel Roulet, PA 140, Vocal Collaborative Pianist and Instructor of Collaborative Piano, 443-797-7665 (cell), Rcroulet@me.com, Rcroulet@wwu.edu 

Rebecca Mañalac, PA 176 and 123, Instrumental Collaborative Pianist, 425-345-5718 (cell), manalacpiano@gmail.com, manalar@wwu.edu

Emily Gantt, emilyjgantt@aol.com, 515-988-3788

Important Details

  • Requests for collaborative piano accompaniment for a recital must be made at least one full quarter ahead of the scheduled recital date.
  • Allotted hours may not cover all rehearsals.
  • Expect to pay your pianist $40-$60/hour for any additional rehearsal time booked.  
  • If a pianist is only used for a portion of a recital, the above rates may be negotiable.
  • Payments are due directly to the pianist.
  • Non-WWU pianists may be hired and paid at their own professional rates, subject to approval by the student’s primary instructor. See the "Collaborative Pianist" drop-down for recommendations.

Recital Fees

The recital rates below cover the recital performance only and are separate from the WWU Music Department fees to hold a recital. The following are professional rates charged by the pianist that must be paid directly to the pianist, expect to pay for your recital in full at your dress rehearsal or final run-through.

  • Senior Recital: $350
  • Junior Recital:  $200
  • Graduate Recital: negotiable based on rep and length
  • Other recitals: negotiable based on rep and length

 

These student recital rates are applicable if the student uses a staff pianist for their recital or jury. Non-staff pianists may be used and paid at their own professional rates, subject to approval by the student’s primary instructor. A current list of available pianists will be maintained on the WWU Music Department website.

If not assigned an accompanist through the university, please refer to the list below to hire an accompanist according to your area of study policies.

Looking for more information?

If you have any questions, we're happy to find you an answer. Call the Music Department Office 360-650-3130, or view the directory of faculty and staff.