Studio Policy
Tuition is based on 47 weeks of piano lessons per year divided into 12 monthly payments. Some months will have only 3 lessons, some months will have 5 lessons. Tuition remains the same for every month.
Holidays:(no lessons) Easter 1 week, Summer - 1 week, during July 4th, Thanksgiving - 1 week, Christmas - 2 weeks
Holidays do not affect monthly tuition.
Students are responsible for purchase of all piano books.
Makeup Policy: Makeups can usually be done on Fridays, depending on availability. Sometimes other makeup days are available if there has been a cancelled lesson.
Sick Policy: If a student is sick, please schedule a makeup. Online lessons are always avaliable, if the students is up for it. If I am sick, I will ask to have online lessons or schedule a makeup.
Online Lessons: Sometimes during the year, I will be traveling out of state or county - during this time I may have opportunity to teach online. Please be advised that some online lessons may be required. If you do not wish for online lessons, you may schedule additional in-person makeup lessons to cover for it.
Monthly tuition always remains the same. There is no reduction in price for missed lessons. Please schedule a makeup.
Cancellation Policy: You may permanently cancel lessons at anytime. Please make partial a payment if cancelling in the middle of a month.
Temporary Break in Lessons: You can stop piano lessons at any time, however I do not reserve a time slot if you wish to return. Your time slot will be open to new students, and upon your return I will add you to the waitlist. Exceptions are made during the summer, but please talk to me so we can come to an agreement
2 public recitals per year. One recital during the Christmas season. One recital in the Spring.
Teaching Style:
I have been a piano teacher for 16 years. I have developed an approach to piano lessons that works with my strengths and personality. I focus on 3 things:
1. Technique: development of finger/wrist strength, dexterity, form, posture, and accuracy.
2. Improvisation: learning the language and structure of music in practical application.
3. Repertoire: Piano literature in many different styles with a focus on sight-reading.
Important notes: I focus on learning to read music - which means I assign many easy pieces to learn every week. This may seem as slow progress to some parents - but learning to read piano music takes a long time and skipping important steps is not a good idea in the long term. Think of it as learning to speak in another language. The language of sheet music.
Each Level of piano, on average, takes 1 year to complete. This is the best way for you to monitor progress.
All students from Level Primer to 2a - must count out loud when they play. This is extremely important for the development of rhythm. Students Level 2b and higher do not need to count, but will be required to play most pieces with a metronome.
I work with a 90% rule: Each piece only needs to be learned to 90% - because making it absolutely perfect will slow down progress. Recital songs are exceptions - those will need to be 100%.
Although I’ve had a lot of success teaching many kinds of students, each with different personalities and characters, I understand that my teaching style and personality may not be a good fit for everyone. I encourage you to find a piano teacher that best suits your educational needs. Do not worry, I will not be offended.
- PianoGym: $60 a month:
1. Take a video of your piano practice.
2. Upload and submit up to 6 videso per week
3. Receive feedback.
4. Repeat
