2011-2012 Policies & Contract
The policies & contract for the upcoming school year have been revised and updated. Please make sure you are familiar with them before registering for the fall session. For a downloadable version, please click here.- Tuition is calculated by the number of lessons scheduled per session (excluding vacation weeks and holidays; please see the calendar for dates when the studio is closed).
- Fall tuition is due by August 1. Winter tuition is due by December 1. Spring tuition is due by March 1. On-time payment guarantees your lesson time slot. In the event of late payment or nonpayment, your spot will be released to someone on the waitlist. If you need to make alternate payment arrangements, I am happy to work with you.
- A family discount of 10% per additional child is offered.
- Payment in full for the entire school year will be given a 5% discount.
- Materials are not included in the tuition.
- *Tuition is nonrefundable. Mid-session withdrawals will not be credited or refunded.
Lessons
Private piano and voice lessons are offered at my home studio in Exeter, NH. Lessons are 30 or 60 minutes long and are held on a weekly basis. The school year is comprised of three sessions. Please see the calendar for details regarding vacations and holidays. Kindly be on time to each lesson, as our time together is valuable and lessons are often scheduled back-to-back.Studying music is a long-term commitment and responsibility, so students and parents should treat lessons as a priority and commit to the entire school year. Please seriously consider how many other activities you or your child has scheduled, as regular practice is required. If you must discontinue lessons, you are required to give me 30 days paid notice prior to the upcoming session. Tuition is non-refundable. Mid-session withdrawals will not be credited or refunded.
Tuition & Billing
| 30-minute lessons | 60-minute lessons | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Session Aug. 30 – Dec. 16 |
$360 (15 lessons) | $645 (15 lessons) |
| Winter Session Jan. 3 – March 23 |
$264 (11 lessons) | $473 (11 lessons) |
| Spring Sessions March 27 – June 15 |
$264 (11 lessons) | $473 (11 lessons) |
Missed Lessons & Lesson Exchange
Enrolling for lessons reserves your spot in the teacher’s schedule for the entire year, whether or not the student attends the lesson. Once your scheduled lesson time is in place, it is expected that music study will have priority. If an occasional schedule conflict should arise, the student may either swap lessons times using the Lesson Exchange List* or participate in a group makeup lesson held once a month on a Saturday morning (dates TBA). Students may attend as many group makeup lessons as needed. These makeup lessons are not individual; students will be grouped together. During this time, students will have the opportunity to gain performance experience by playing/singing in front of their peers; the lesson will also include music appreciation/history, musical games and/or focused listening. There will no absolutely no refunds, credits or tuition adjustment for missed lessons, nor will individual makeup lessons be offered.*The Lesson Exchange List is a resource to enable the parent to rearrange a lesson when a conflict arises. The student/parent will call names on the list to arrange a lesson swap. If a student misses the traded lesson, a make-up lesson will not be scheduled. The lesson exchange is for a one time conflict, not for a permanent lesson trade. Permanent lesson trades will be at my discretion. The list will be given out at the first lesson of the session. If you do not wish to be included on the exchange list, please let me know.
Inclement Weather/Teacher Cancellation
If lessons are missed due to inclement weather, students will be able to attend one of the group makeup lessons. Because New England winter weather is so unpredictable, I leave it up to your discretion whether or not to attend lessons when it snows. You/your child’s safety is priority. If lessons are cancelled because of teacher illness/emergency, I will credit a lesson towards the summer session.No refunds are offered for cancellations.
Materials
I will choose appropriate materials to fit the needs of each individual student. The student or parent is responsible for purchasing the materials upon receipt. A metronome is a crucial requirement of studying piano or voice; please make sure to obtain one.Personal Care
Piano students should wash hands before every lesson. Fingernails which are too long impede development of proper piano technique, cause distracting clicking on the keyboard, and can damage piano keys. Please be certain your nails are trimmed very short. If they are too long, our valuable lesson time will be used to work on written theory work and ear training instead.Recitals
Our annual student recital will be held in mid-June. All students are expected to participate in this recital. I strive to make these as low-pressure and confidence-building as possible. Families and friends are invited to attend. Informal holiday recitals, Honors recitals and Evaluations/Adjudications are also offered throughout the school year as a collaborative effort with the NH Music Teacher’s Association. Students are encouraged but never required to participate in these opportunities.Practice
I expect each student to practice at least four (4) days a week and to do their theory work as assigned. This allows the student to learn new skills and repertoire in our lessons, as opposed to practicing or doing homework at the lesson. Regular practice also ensures an appreciable return on your investment in your child’s music education. Guidelines to successful practice are attached.I cannot stress this enough: It is a waste of time, money and energy to take music lessons without regular home practice. Please be prepared to commit to this endeavor wholeheartedly. If a student is not sufficiently prepared for three lessons out of any given session, the student will be placed on probation for the remainder of that session. If the student continues be unprepared during their probation, lessons may be terminated at my discretion.
Instrument/voice lessons entail dedication and hard work, but they also yield incomparable rewards. Besides the pure joy and fulfillment which come from playing piano and singing, the benefits conveyed by music education are proven to include success in society, success in school and learning, success in developing intelligence and success in life (MENC: The National Association for Music Education, Why Music Education? 2007). My mission is to make studying piano or voice a wonderful experience for every student, and to foster in them a lifelong love of music and the arts.
Studio Contract
All parents/adult students are required to read and sign below that they have read and agreed to this policy. By scheduling yourself/your child for lessons in this studio, you have committed to the entire school year. If the student discontinues lessons, the student or parent is required to give the teacher at least 30 days of paid advance notice prior to the upcoming session whether or not those lessons are used. Tuition payment must be made by the respective session deadlines (August 1, December 1, March 1). Tuition is non-refundable, nor will credits be issued. Please make sure you understand the missed lesson policy and realize that unattended lessons are automatically forfeited unless arrangements are made using the Lesson Exchange List or by participating in a group makeup lesson.All students must sign the contract committing to careful attention to assigned pieces, written music work and a regular practice schedule.
Please sign below, indicating that you have read the policy and agree to its terms, and return to me along with your deposit of $50 per student. I will provide you with a copy of the policy and contract for your files and reference.
PARENTS/ADULT STUDENTS:
I agree to the above studio policy and wish to sign up _______________________ for the 2010–2011 school year.
Signature____________________________ Date____________________________
STUDENT(S):
I agree to follow all the rules that apply to me, to pay careful attention to my assignments, and to commit to a regular practice schedule.
Signature____________________________ Date____________________________
Signature____________________________ Date____________________________
