To facilitate communication between families when a schedule conflict arises, all student families receive the studio's Swap List. This shows my teaching schedule for the week, with one parent's first name and phone number noted for each lesson time. (Trading lesson times is the only approved use for this information.) When a swap is successfully arranged, please notify me so I can be prepared for each student’s arrival.
All lessons are one-on-one, which permits individualized pacing. We are able to build immediately upon quickly-grasped ideas, and on other occasions, allow a concept to further solidify before progressing. Tuition rates are in effect for at least one year, and are set each Fall to coordinate with the start of school. The rate for the 2024-2025 school year and the summer following, is $30 per weekly half-hour lesson. Longer lessons of 45 and 60 minutes may be available, with tuition adjusted accordingly.
Lessons are paid for one month at a time, based on how many lessons are offered that month. (See Attendance policy.) Cash, checks, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle are accepted, with payment due at each month's first lesson. Those individuals who meet the state's requirements may have the option to claim lesson tuition as an educational expense on their taxes. Your cancelled checks or electronic payment transaction records are your receipts. All payments in cash are confirmed with an emailed receipt.
In March 2020, six weeks before our Spring recital, we migrated from in-person lessons to online lessons over Zoom due to Covid, and did our first live-performance Zoom recital in April, with friends and family attending from all over the country. That was exciting! Many of those individuals would not have been close enough to attend had it been a traditional format - such an outpouring of support. At that time lessons continued to be virtual each week, with students reaching their goals, completing leveled method books, sitting for exams, participating in other recitals, and enjoying the journey. The learning curve required by us all to keep music in our lives during those uncertain times was well worth it!
We are now back to in-person lessons for all students. However, we do still make use of this useful option when weather interferes with easy travel, students are feeling poorly, or it works better for a family's schedule.
Though the year is visually divided into quarters at the calendar page, lessons may begin at any point. Tuition pays for your student’s exclusive lesson time and instruction, as well as preparation and educational investments of my time outside of lessons. Should you be unable to come to lessons on a given week, please keep in mind that, similar to other activities, no refunds or credits are offered for missed lessons. For schedule conflicts you are aware of in advance, you may use our studio Swap List to help arrange a trade in lesson times with another student, allowing your lesson that week to still occur.
Should it be needed, one paid cancellation for family conflict or illness (per September to August school year plus summer time) is permitted to me. Any lesson I cancel for another reason, where a make-up lesson is not possible, will result in you receiving equivalent credit toward the next month’s tuition. Should you need to stop lessons, one month’s notice or equivalent tuition is required.
To see a list of dates and planned vacation dates, visit our Events page.
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