Studio Policies

NOTE: Adult lesson policies differ. For adult lesson policies, visit the Adult Piano page.

Tuition

Payment is due the first week of the month prior to or at the beginning of your lesson. School age students pay a flat monthly tuition rate September through May, and will receive 4 lessons per month. If the month contains a holiday week, then the lesson will be prorated minus the holiday. 5th weeks are optional at no charge. December tuition will be for two weeks only. The preferred method for tuition payment is online via credit or debit, and is offered via all major secure platforms (PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Google Pay, Square, Zelle, Stripe).

Lesson Times

Students must commit to a regular lesson time. When you plan your lesson time, consider travel time and allow for some leeway so as not to arrive late. Occasional reschedules are allowed and understandable, but rescheduling your lesson time frequently is not acceptable. Make sure to find a time that you will be able to commit and stick to.

Expectations

Students are expected to maintain a regular and consistent practice schedule at home between their weekly lessons. Daily practice time should, at the very least, be enough to keep up with weekly assignments. For beginners this can range from 15 to 30 minutes, and for advance students, 1 hour.

Attendance

Your monthly payment is to reserve the lesson time for the month. Missed classes are not refundable. Students are expected to attend their lessons regularly and minimize their absences. 24 hours notice is required for cancellations. If 24 hours notice or more is given, I am happy to find a time to reschedule.

Recitals

All school age students are expected to participate in yearly studio recitals. These are an excellent opportunity for performance and to meet and hear other students play. Students should observe proper recital etiquette as discussed in their lessons. Skipping a recital should be weighed and considered carefully, and if you must skip due to a previously scheduled event or trip, please discussed with me ahead of time.

Festivals and Competitions

Students are encouraged to participate in local and regional festivals and competitions. I will make students aware of opportunities, but students are encouraged to seek out performance opportunities as well. Students will be responsible for any fees associated with festival and competition performances, including application and registration fees, travel expenses, and purchase of music scores for judges.

Teacher Absences

If I am unable to make a regularly scheduled lesson due to illness, an emergency, etc. I will offer the student an alternative makeup time, or, if no makeup can be scheduled, discount the student’s tuition for the price of the lesson at the next tuition payment. Missed lessons due to scheduled performances will always be made up.

Holidays

If a normal lesson day occurs on a major holiday (Christmas, New Years, 4th of July), lessons do not occur.

Weather Cancellation

If a student is not able to make their lesson due to inclement weather, they have the option to do a Skype lesson with me at their regular time. Because of the last minute nature of inclement weather, in-person makeup lessons are not generally offered due to scheduling difficulty.