Each student is scheduled for a 30 or 60 minute lesson slot. This is your assigned time and consistent attendance is expected in order for the student to maximize their full potential. If you are late to your scheduled lesson, you will lose the minutes that you were late. In the unlikely event that I am running behind, you will still get your entire lesson. Out of respect for other students, should you arrive early, please wait until 5 minutes before your scheduled lesson to enter. Parents and siblings are allowed to stay for the student’s lesson as long as they are quiet and non-disruptive.

Regular practice is the key to your student’s success. Each student should practice a minimum of 5 days each week. A first year beginning student (primer level/level one) should practice 15-20 minutes per day. Students beyond their first year of lessons should commit to practicing their assigned materials daily for a minimum of 20-30 minutes, five days a week. Consistent, efficient practice leads to the satisfaction and joy of steady progress towards solid musicianship.

My current monthly rates for lessons are as follows:

• $90/month for a 30 minute lesson
• $180/month for a 60 minute lesson

These fees are due on the first lesson of each month. This monthly fee reserves a weekly time slot, which works like rent one would pay for an apartment. These are flat fees to reserve your student’s weekly time for lessons, whether you choose to attend or not. Fees are charged by the month and are not lowered nor refunded for lessons missed by the student. Payment can be made in the form of check, cash, or Venmo (ask for details).

If your student’s tuition is not received by the 20th of the month, there is an additional $15 late charge. Lessons will not continue into the next month if there is an unpaid balance. Any books that are purchased on the student’s behalf should be paid for as soon as possible or with the next tuition payment. If there are circumstances that make meeting these financial deadlines more difficult than usual, please talk to me! Starting a discussion allows us to make a plan for moving forward.

No payment credit will be provided for missed lessons. Make-up lessons are only offered for illness or family emergencies. Students should give notification at least 8 hours in advance, when possible. Make-up lessons will be scheduled at the discretion of the teacher. Be sure to choose a lesson time that is least likely to be in conflict with the rest of your schedule. Please do not request to alter the schedule to accommodate extracurricular activities. Students who miss lessons due to busy schedules, lack of preparation, or vacation times are not eligible for a rate adjustment.

Your flat rate tuition breaks down as follows:

• $90/month = $22.50/lesson
• $180/month = $45.00/lesson

Each "month" is calculated as having 4 weeks. However, there are a few times that you will notice a 5-week lesson month. For calendar months that have 5 weeks, I will use the 5th week to cover my absences. This allows me the flexibility of having a vacation or a sick day. Students will not be permitted to use a 5 week month in order to cover their absences for any reason.

Example
October - 5 lessons
November - 3 lessons (I cancel the last week for Thanksgiving break)
Total – 8 lessons, or 4 each month

Learning how to perform is a lifelong skill and one that we like to celebrate! Recitals are open to all friends and family members and a wonderful opportunity to showcase your student’s accomplishments. Attendance at recitals is expected.
There will be two recitals each year: one in May and one in November. The recital will count as the scheduled lesson for the following week whether you attended the recital or not.

If you are going to miss a lesson for any reason, please contact me via email or by phone (number given at your first lesson). Feel free to either call or text me when you need to communicate. If you are texting me for the first time, please include your name! Please also keep in mind that during the work day (8am-4pm), I will not be available by phone, as I will be at work! Should you need to contact me during this time, email is the most effective.

My policies are in accordance with recommended professional policies and my tuition fees take into consideration that I must provide for all of my continuing education costs, as well as bear the expense of equipping and maintaining my studio, instruments, lending library, and other equipment and supplies. In addition, I spend even more hours in planning, scheduling, phone calls, emails, bookkeeping, and other studio related responsibilities than I do in actual lesson time. Teaching is my profession, my business, and my art. I pride myself on having a personal relationship with my students and their families, and providing them with the most complete music education that I can impart.