Studio Policies
Policies and Agreement: Piano Lessons 2021 / 2022
Scheduling Policy
Lesson Schedule and Fees: The lesson schedule follows the school year from September to June.
Statutory Holidays & Spring Break: Lessons will not be taught on statutory holidays or during school breaks, unless otherwise arranged with Yvonne. There will be no charge for lessons during these times.
Summer Term: Tuition for the summer lessons is paid separately upon registration in June.
All students are strongly encouraged to schedule at least 4 lessons over the summer. This helps to ensure that they are able to keep up their skills over the break. Minimal practice is required since I will be doing 'skill' work with them that we don't necessarily have time for during the year. Any students taking an RCM piano or theory exam in August will be required to have weekly lessons until their exam.
Recommended Lesson Time: A half-hour piano lesson is recommended up to age 10. A 45-minute lesson is recommended at age 10, or if a student has progressed very quickly. A 60-minute lesson is required once exam work starts or for students who wish to explore a wider variety of styles.
Required Materials: Students must have a piano or equivalent keyboard available to practice on daily. A piano must be tuned and maintained regularly. A keyboard must have 88 keys and be fully weighted with hammer action keys. A metronome (or an app with a metronome feature) is also required. Beginner students will also need an audio playback device like a CD player or iPad so that they can practice along with their duet tracks. Books are ordered and paid for by the student. I will let you know ahead of time which books are required to give you time to order them.
Practicing: Teaching students to practice and use their time productively is one of my strongest skills. It's not instant, and being able to focus and follow instructions is a developed skill. Practice times vary, and attention span and growth are taken into consideration. The role of parents is to provide time and space. Until the attention span grows, two shorter times per day is suggested.
Missed Lesson Policy: Missed lessons will not be refunded, and skipped lessons will not be made up unless I cancel them. However, if a student is sick and 12-24 hours notice is provided, I will notify you if a cancellation comes up and that lesson can be made-up.
Tardiness Policy: When you register in my studio, you are entitled to your reserved time. If you are late for your lesson, you will receive the remainder of your time slot. Missed time due to lateness will not be made up.
Online Lessons: Due to Covid-19, all lessons are online. Lessons are on Zoom and the meeting numbers will be sent to you. Zoom is a secure platform, and free. I take notes during the lesson and forward them to you. Please print these out so that the student has them at the piano.
Parental Involvement: Parents are not encouraged to sit in on lessons except for the very young student. I encourage independent practicing also. I structure their practice time. If a parent wants feedback or a progress report, a phone call or email can be requested.
Tuition Policy
Tuition is paid monthly and is due on the 1st day of the month. Email remainders will be sent out the last week of every month. Overdue accounts will be charged a $10 administration fee per month.
Monthly Tuition Per Student
(based on 4-week month, extra will be charged for months with 5 weeks)
30 minutes: $120 45 minutes: $160 60 minutes: $216
Withdrawal Notice
If withdrawing from the studio, notice must be given at least 28 days before the end of the month. If less than 28 days notice is given, tuition for the following month will still be charged in full as a cancellation fee. This policy applies throughout the year, even during the summer term. Students that have registered to begin or resume lessons in September must give 28 days’ notice of withdrawal before August 31st or tuition for September will still be charged.
Accepted Methods of Payment
Monthly Payments: E-transfer payment on or before the 1st of each month. Send e-transfers to yvonnemariemusic15@gmail.com.