STUDIO POLICY

FALL SEMESTER 2010, SPRING SEMESTER 2011, and SUMMER SEMESTER 2011

Music education is an investment in a lifetime of enjoying music. An appreciation for and understanding of music cultivates both creative and intellectual growth. My goal is to create a genuine love for music so that learning and enjoyment will continue long after lessons have ceased. Music can be enjoyed a lifetime.

There is a lot of hard work involved in learning to play an instrument, but the rewards are many: self-esteem and confidence, intellectual growth and maturity, perseverance toward a long-term goal, joy, pride, poise, coordination, discipline, concentration, and satisfaction with a job well done. It takes commitment, though, from the parents as well as the student and teacher. The combined efforts of parent-student-teacher will produce good results. We are a team.

Because I believe music education is very important, I have established the following policies for my studio. Please read it carefully and if you have questions, please ask.

MISSING A LESSON: Lessons should be missed for illness and emergencies only. Such occasions should be infrequent. For the health of all concerned, please do not come to your lesson if you are ill. I will schedule make-up lessons when illness interferes with your attendance. Not having practiced is not an acceptable excuse for missing a lesson. There is always something to learn at a lesson.
ADVANCED NOTICE: If you know you will be missing a lesson due to a scheduled conflict, please give as much advance notice as possible so I may adjust my schedule and have the opportunity to give a make-up lesson to another student. My time for make-up lessons is limited. I will allow the same courtesy.
RESCHEDULING: If I am given notice at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of lessons which conflict with other special activities, the lessons may be rescheduled for a mutually convenient time. Once a mutually rescheduled lesson time is determined by the teacher and student, that lesson will not be re-rescheduled if the student fails to show up for any reason. Any lessons missed due to my illness or scheduling problems on my part will be rescheduled for a mutually convenient time. All scenarios mentioned should be infrequent.
TAKE NOTE: “No shows” and cancellations other than as described above will be charged as though the scheduled lesson was attended.
TO REACH ME: I can be contacted on my home phone (478) 757-2227 and if I cannot answer, do leave a message on my answering machine. I do not answer the phone during lessons, but will retrieve messages as soon as possible. My cell number is (478) 696-0163 and you may also leave a message on my cell phone. You can contact me, too, by email, as I check my email several times a day.
FEE PAYMENT CHANGE: Those students who were previously paying their lesson fees weekly will note that my policy has changed. Requiring monthly payments is not to cause hardship to anyone, but, rather, is intended to bring my studio in line with the current practice of other professional teachers.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY: Please remember that, although I want to make studying music enjoyable, studying music also involves work. The actual work of learning an instrument – and the credit for success – rests with the student. Even the wisest and most competent teacher cannot master the instrument for the student. This is a great opportunity to develop discipline – to learn to schedule priorities and to understand there is not always enough time in the day to do everything, but to choose wisely those activities that are important. Daily practice is vital for any student’s progress, and a certain time for practicing should be set up as this will help a student get into the habit of practicing without having to be reminded. The progress that is made is no better than the effort that is put into it.
DISCONTINUING LESSONS: If the student discontinues lessons partway through the year for any reason other than an out-of-town move, the student is required to give the teacher at least four (4) weeks of paid advance notice whether or not those lessons are used.
ARRIVAL AT LESSON: Please try to arrive no more than 5 minutes before your lesson time. Do let yourself in as I may be in another lesson. Students who are late to a lesson will have what remains of their scheduled time.
TERMINATION OF LESSONS: Students may be dismissed from lessons for any of the following reasons: repeated inadequate practice in quality or quantity; excessive absences from lessons, repeatedly failing to notifying instructor that he/she will be missing a lesson, rude, disrespectful, or uncooperative attitude toward the instructor, failure to comply with studio policy, or failure to pay tuition when due.
SUMMER LESSONS: Unless unavoidable, extended summer absences are generally discouraged for students at all levels. Many students experience startling musical growth during the summer when academic pressures have eased. Students who are away for a month or more are often frustrated by loss of technical facility, practice discipline, skills, knowledge, and losing general ability on pieces once mastered. Students are expected to continue lessons in the summer months. If they do not continue lessons in the summer, they will be put on a studio waiting list for the fall. However, if you wish to hold your spot for the fall, you can continue to pay the monthly fee for that time.
NEW STUDENTS: New students are accepted conditionally for one month. At the end of that period, I shall confer with the parent (or adult student) regarding the advisability of continued study.
MUSICAL GROWTH: Opportunities to be exposed to music for musical growth should be taken advantage of. Listen to National Public Radio at 89.7. Classical music is played in the evening hours. Listen to CD’s. Amazon.com has many used CD’s for relatively cheap, and you can find almost anything. You can even listen to short samples of the music on the CDs. You can go to YouTube.com and watch and hear many of the pieces you are working on performed by musicians…some quite young. Go hear live concerts! The Macon Symphony Orchestra is great as is the Macon-Mercer Youth Orchestra. Build a library of music besides the study books used in the lessons to develop personal likings.

FALL SEMESTER: AUGUST 2, 2010 – DECEMBER 20, 2010 ( 18 LESSONS)

No lessons scheduled: November 24-26 (Thanksgiving holidays)

SPRING SEMESTER: JANUARY 3, 2011 – MAY 27, 2011 (18 LESSONS)

No lessons scheduled: March 28 – April 1 (Spring break)

SUMMER SEMESTER: JUNE 6, 2011 – JULY 29, 2011 (6 LESSONS)

Additionally, no lessons will be scheduled on the following holidays:
Labor Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, or Independence Day

A TOTAL OF 42 LESSONS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE YEAR.
ADDITIONAL LESSONS ARE AVAILABLE
ON A PER LESSON BASIS.

Tuition for lessons is computed for 12 months. Tuition payments are NOT based upon the number of lessons (whether 2, 3, 4, or 5,) in a given month. It is a yearly fee indicating a commitment to study for the entire year.

45 minute lessons @$30 per lesson X’s 42 lessons = $1260
MONTHLY FEE: $105.00
60 minute lessons @$35 per lesson X’s 42 lessons = $1470
MONTHLY FEE: $122.00

FEES DUE: Tuition is due by the first lesson of each month for that month’s lesson (i.e. September’s tuition is due at the student’s first lesson in September; October’s tuition is due at the student’s first lesson in October, etc.) This due date applies whether the student’s lesson falls on the first or seventh day of the month. Any tuition paid after the first scheduled lesson of the month should add a $10.00 late fee. Payments may be made with cash or check. Receipts will be provided for your records.
OTHER FEES: You are responsible for paying for the cost of music and supplementary materials (Such as flash cards, rosin, shoulder rests, tuners, etc.) I keep a supply of music and accessories on hand of which I get at discounted prices and pass that on to you. If you have a specific budget, please let me know. When music and/or materials are purchased for your child, I will provide you with an itemized list of said music and materials and their cost. Payment for music and supplementary materials is due no later that the next scheduled monthly payment for lessons.
UPKEEP: Periodically violin strings will need to be replaced and violin bows rehaired. I will make recommendations for these as the need arises. I recommend you order the strings from SharProducts.com. (Do request a catalogue) as I do not keep these in stock. Metronomes to aid in rhythm study will need to be ordered from Shar.