Attendance
- Your tuition reserves a time slot for your
lesson. If you must miss that time slot, please give
me 24 hours prior notice to make other arrangements.
- Rescheduling will be allowed for pre-arranged
absences (24 hour minimum), sickness, emergencies,
and any teacher absence - as scheduling allows (
which it sometimes does not.)
- Lesson no-shows will not be made-up.
- Enrichment class absences will not be made up.
- Students who are ill should not come to piano
lessons. If you are unable to come to lessons due
to illness, please notify me as soon as possible.
- Please come prepared to study:
Bring all materials to every lesson - especially your assignment
sheet;
Do not bring photocopied music to your lesson;
Have fingernails trimmed as needed.
Tuition
- Tuition is due at the first lesson of each
month. If this does not fit your circumstance,
please speak with me about it. All payments should
be regular and prompt.
- Additional costs will be incurred for printed
materials, Student Affiliate membership dues, state
testing, performance fees, etc. as applicable. They
may be paid when tuition is paid.
- Individual private lessons (when enrolled for the full term):
30 minute lessons (plus enrichment classes) - $85
per month
- Buddy lessons (two students) (when enrolled for the full
term):
30 minute lessons (plus enrichment classes) - $65
per month per student
- Group lessons (three or more students) (when enrolled for the
full term):
60 minute lessons (plus enrichment classes) - $65
per month per student
- Term tuition purchases a weekly time slot for
the term. It will not be divided into a per-lesson
fee. However, since lessons are only provided for one half of
December, the tuition for December will be one half of the regular
monthly tuition. This exception will not be applied to any other
month or circumstance.
- Tuition will be pro-rated for mid-term enrollees.
- A family discount will be granted when more than one member of
an immediate family enrolls for lessons and at least one is in
private lessons. The discount is $10 for each additional family
member.
- The family discount may only be used toward private lesson
tuition. Buddy lesson and group lesson tuition will not be reduced,
regardless of the number of family members enrolled.
- The private lesson tuition for any one student may only be
reduced by $10 regardless of the number of additional family members
enrolled.
Practice Time
Here is where performance progress
is made. The quality of practice determines the quality of performance, so
it is critical that students practice well!
- Parents should monitor all practice sessions.
- Practice five or six days each week. For best
results establish a set time to practice. Make a
routine of it.
- Practice when you are fresh (morning time is
often best), not tired, rushed or harried.
- Practice in a quiet setting without competing
sounds such as a TV, radio, video games, siblings at
play, adult conversation, etc. Give full attention
to the playing.
- I recommend these minimum times:
Elementary level students - 30 minutes per day
(skill level, not age level)
This time may be broken into two separate practice
sessions for very young students.
Intermediate level students - 45 minutes per day
Advanced level students - 60 minutes per day
- Here is a good generic practice session outline:
Warm up routines to warm up the playing muscles and
focus the mind.
Scales and cadences.
Technical drills as assigned.
Sight reading as assigned.
Assigned literature. (The bulk of the time is spent
here.)
Review of learned pieces. The session should end
with a sense of success!
- Some work must be done at home in addition to
the hands-on piano practice. This includes the workbooks
for music theory (Just the Facts) and music history &
literature (World of Music).
Equipment
- Pianos should be in proper mechanical condition
(pedals working, keys not sticking, keys not chipped
on the ends, all keys equal in weight and in the
volume produced, etc.)
- Pianos should be tuned once or twice a year.
(See me for technician recommendations.)
- Printed music should be well lighted on the
piano desk. The piano keys should also be well
lighted.
- Digital pianos should have weighted keys, be
touch sensitive and have a sustain pedal and a soft
pedal. A lesser instrument hinders a student's
progress from the very beginning. (See me for
recommendations on rentals and purchases.)
- Each student at intermediate level and above
should have a metronome and (pocket) music
dictionary.
- Tote bags are helpful for keeping printed music
and assignment sheets from walking away and hiding.
Parking
Please park close to the curb in front of my house.
Be mindful of the path taken by cars as they steer
thru the corner that my house sits on.
Miscellaneous
- Please keep fingernails short to enable proper
hand positioning on the keyboard.
- Female students should dress modestly.
- As a matter of propriety and professionalism, I
have determined to always have another adult in the
house while lessons are in session, especially when
teaching female students. My wife will usually be
that other adult. In cases where she is not present
I may request a parent to remain in the area.
- Students should always demonstrate good manners,
courtesies and attitudes within the studio and
during studio activities outside of my house.
Improper behavior may ultimately result in removal
from the studio without refund of tuition or fees.
|
