My studio policies.
As of 2023 and on.
As of 2023 and on.
To give you or your child the most comprehensive music education that I can. Students will be exposed to a range of music, technology, and creative endeavors. All lessons are created to suit the individual goals, desires and loves of each student. I encourage my students to be curious and creative. I show students how music is constructed and how they can make up their own. I help students learn music what they want to learn. I develop their reading and technique. Students will learn a large amount of repertoire and enjoy a wholistic education that suits their level and goals for the future.
Students are responsible for arriving at lessons on-time, with their lesson material and having completed their practice. Students should practice to achieve goals, not to fill time and it is expected that all instructions are followed week-to-week. Late arrival times will not be made up as I often have other students or commitments immediately around lesson times. Students need to practice on a decent instrument. If playing an acoustic piano, please ensure it is regularly tuned. If using a digital piano, please do your best to ensure it has a solid stand (preferably not a cross brace), three pedals, adjustable padded bench and a fully weighted action. Let me know if you need help choosing an instrument!
Lessons during the school year are based on a 9-month calendar (August – May). Students should expect 17 lessons in the fall and 19 lessons in the spring for a total of 36 lessons throughout the school year. Most studio breaks coincide with the school systems in the area, but some holidays (e.g. Columbus Day) are not observed, and lessons will occur.
lessons are offered in flexible packages to allow for vacations and time off. Summer schedule is announced mid-spring. Students who take lessons in the summer are guaranteed a spot during the fall semester. Students who take the summer off will be placed on a waiting list for fall.
If a student will be missing their lesson for any reason, they should inform me by text, email, or on My Music Staff with as much notice as possible. Missed lessons will not be made up in-person. Instead, I will record a video lesson during the regularly scheduled lesson time and send the send the recording to the student. An example of this can be provided if you would like.
If for any reason I have to cancel a lesson myself, I will offer a make-up lesson at a different time, or if a suitable time cannot be arranged, I will refund the cost.
My Music Staff is a web-based music studio management system which I use to set lesson schedules, process payments, add lesson notes, general communication to students and parents, and more. Students have their own login (which is what the login button on the top right of this website is for) and can do things like look back at last weeks lesson note, access lesson materials (PDFs, videos, etc.), cancel a lesson, and set up automatic reoccurring payments. To learn more about how to use My Music Staff, click the login button at the top of this screen.
I will accept checks, cash, credit/debit online (3.5% fee), and bank transfer (0.8% fee). I highly recommended setting up reoccurring payments with a bank account through my studio management software. Invoices are sent via email one week before the due date. All tuition payments are non-refundable.
Tuition covers not only the actual lesson time spent with the student, but time preparing for each student as well as ongoing studio costs, including:
My rate is $40 an hour and it is prorated over the course of the 9 month school year. This means that tuition is spread equally over the course of the school year and charged each month in advance, starting on the date of the first month’s lesson. This monthly payment guarantees the student’s place in my studio and covers the costs of lessons and enrollment. This means that whether there are 5 or 2 lessons in a month, the tuition fee is exactly the same. Weekly students should expect 36 lessons during the school year. If lessons are $40 an hour and a student is having weekly 30-minute lessons, their monthly charge will be $15 x 36 lessons = $720/9 months = $80 per month (not including processing fees for cards or bank transfer).
Lessons during the summer will be offered at $40 an hour (30-minute lessons welcomed) and will be paid monthly on the first lesson of each month. The schedule will be set each month based on my availability and the student’s availability.
Music is a lifelong pursuit, but lessons are not always possible for a multitude of reasons. Whatever the reason, I will never take discontinuation of lessons personally. If you are unsatisfied with your lessons for any reason or if you are contemplating quitting lessons, please speak freely to me about your concerns.
Preferably, I would like a three week notice on discontinuation of lessons. This gives us time to wrap up any current projects and discuss how the student can continue to follow their music goals.