STUDIO POLICY

PRIVATE LESSONS

-30 minute, 45 minute, or 1 hour lessons are scheduled once a week. Additional lessons may be scheduled (as time is available). Lessons are taught year-round. Lessons are an open experience, and you are welcome and encouraged to observe other students lessons in my studio. Your lessons may be observed by other students as well.

BE PREPARED

***PARENTS ARE EXPECTED TO PRACTICE WITH THEIR CHILD ON A DAILY BASIS***

Once the student reaches an appropriate age and level of individual ownership, this expectation may be reconsidered. Often students around the ages of 10-12 years old will begin to successfully take notes and practice on their own.

-Put LISTENING and REVIEW on top of your priority list. These are the cornerstones of the Suzuki approach and will make the biggest difference in your child’s progress.

  • Quality Practice: Practice time should take place in a quiet, well-lit, and comfortable area. Practice time should be interruption-free (i.e.: no phone calls, no TV, no computer, etc). Ideally, practice time should be at a consistent time each day.

-Bring all materials to lessons, especially the lesson notebook and technology to record practice videos, to every lesson.

-Your teachers assignments are not mere suggestions; they need to be carried out fully in order for your teacher to help you and your child do your best.

MUSIC

-I will always consider any music that is outside of the approved method books and music I have approved for each student for purchase. Students are always encouraged to bring in any music they would like to work on. However, I reserve the right to decide whether or not the music is appropriate for the student’s current level of skill.

PAYMENT

-Rates are subject to raise annually.

-Please pay your tuition by the first of each month. This will take some planning ahead. Payment’s received after the 1st will be charged a $25 late fee. There are no refunds for tuition or late fees.

  • If you know you have a conflict with a lesson within the month please contact your teacher as soon as possible. There are no make-up lessons for student absences or late notice cancellations. Please do not ask for a make-up.

  • It is not acceptable to cancel lessons because of a birthday party, sporting event or other social activity. Being a part of a program means devoting time to your weekly lessons / group classes, and keeping absenteeism virtually non-existent.

-Please do not bring a sick child to a lesson or arrive ill yourself. If your child is too sick to attend school, they are too sick to attend their lesson.

-If you are requesting additional lessons (those outside of the once a week lesson or group class curriculum), those lessons will be charged individually.

CONTACT

-Email or text messaging are the best ways to contact your teacher. Please email to set up a conference about any sensitive issues rather than discuss them in front of your child and waste valuable lesson time. These include questions regarding your child’s progress or insights into your child’s skill development. These issues are not appropriate to discuss in front of your child, and should be addressed in a private conversation with your teacher.

ATTENDANCE

-When you purchase a lesson you are not purchasing minutes of time, you are purchasing a time slot. Lesson time will not be extended because you are late to your reserved time slot. However, if your lesson starts late due to me being behind with students, your full lesson time will be given to you.

-There are no make-up lessons. If you need to change a specific date/time for a particular week, you must notify your teacher by the start of that month. Accommodations may be made when possible, however, the teacher is not obligated to make that change in any given circumstance. Your time slot is yours, and it cannot be sold to anyone else on short notice.

  • There are no make-up lessons for student absences or late notice cancellations. Please do not ask for a make-up.

  • It is not acceptable to cancel lessons because of a birthday party, sporting event or other social activity. Being a part of a program means devoting time to your weekly lessons / group classes, and keeping absenteeism virtually non-existent.

-Please do not bring a sick child to a lesson or arrive ill yourself. If your child is too sick to attend school, they are too sick to attend their lesson.

-Zoom lessons are always available for students who are not able to attend their lesson in person. Please notify your teacher ahead of time so we can make sure we are set up for a virtual lesson during your lesson time.

-Scholarship/Financial Aid (Pasadena Conservatory of Music): The Conservatory reserves the right to withdraw a merit scholarship at any time during the school year should a student fail to attend lessons or classes regularly, to practice consistently or to make musical progress. Instructors are required to evaluate student progress throughout the year.

MAKE-UP LESSONS

-There are no make-up lessons.

-Your teacher works as a performing and recording artist in Los Angeles. Due to the demands of your teachers professional recording and other performance obligations, there will be periodic changes to the lessons schedule.  You will always be notified well in advance of such dates, and you will always receive your full lesson time in such situations. You will NEVER lose a lesson that your teacher must cancel and reschedule, due to a professional engagement.

GROUP LESSONS / RECITALS

-Group lessons are crucial to your child’s development in skill. They are part of the student’s music program and curriculum, attendance is required.

-Students are required to take part in recitals at the end of each semester. The readiness for a student’s level and ability to perform is left to the discretion of the teacher, and will be discussed and decided on an individual basis. Additional fees may apply to recitals and group lessons.

PARENT RESPONSIBILITY

-Students and parents are both held accountable for consistent, quality practice. If the parents are living in separate households, it is crucial that the same standards be upheld equally in both. Never hesitate to call or email me if there is something that the student does not understand.

-Distractions are not tolerated during any lesson, whether that be your child’s lesson, or another students lesson you are observing. If other children are to be present during lessons, it is the parent’s responsibility to maintain the children’s safety and proper behavior.

-Please set all electronic devices on off or silent, and put them away during the lesson. This is with the exception of using a phone as a recording device to create practice videos at the appropriate time. Texting, using social media, making or receiving phone calls distract your child and minimize the lessons impact. All students under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or an adult over the age of 18 during private lessons.

STUDIO TRANSFERS

An exit is just an entrance to another. Should a change be necessary, please speak to me via phone, email, or at the lesson. We will have 4 more lessons to say goodbye to each other as well as time to prepare for transitions to a new studio.  If you have a teacher in mind, I’d be happy to set up a trial lesson with that teacher. It is impolite to solicit other teachers before speaking to your primary teacher first.

If you are coming to me from a previous studio, my expectation is that there has been communication with your current teacher about the transition. If such steps have not been taken, please do so in a respectful and professional manner before enrolling in private lessons with me.