Studio Policy
Lessons meet weekly except on major holidays and during specified breaks (see Calendar.) Students are expected to attend each week of the quarter, except when a holiday coincides with their regular lesson day. NEW this year - there will be no makeup lessons provided for missed lessons, however, we have added one week at the end of the year of FREE LESSONS. This means you have paid for 33 lessons and get an extra one for free, to use as a bonus lesson if you have attended all 33, or in place of a missed lesson during the year. In addition, you are always welcome to check with us if we have another opening during the week of a missed lesson and we may be able to offer a switch. If a lesson must be missed, kindly notify us as soon as you can so we might be able to offer that space to someone else. We truly want everyone to have as many lessons as possible but find it is too hard to track cancellations. We hope this solution will work in everyone's favor. To cancel, please call our cell phones or email. If we cancel a lesson due to our own illness, that lesson will be refunded or given as a makeup at a mutually agreed upon time.
Tuition is divided equally across 10 months and includes 33 weekly private lessons, plus a bonus lesson, monthly group lessons and two recitals. This is due in total at the beginning of each month. A courtesy invoice with be sent automatically on the 1st of the month. Since the monthly tuition remains the same, setting up an automatic payment at the beginning of the year might just be the easiest way! We accept online bank transfers.
We believe that parents should be actively involved in their children’s learning process. Parents are welcome and encouraged to observe the lessons, and are required to be part of Suzuki lessons. A young child cannot learn and master the complexities of the piano or guitar without parents’ consistent time and devotion to “playing” at the instrument with them. Success at an instrument can only come with daily practice. While lesson time is important, the major part of the work has to be done during practice time.
Students should have a regular, uninterrupted daily practice time on a well-tuned instrument in a well-lit environment. A metronome is also a required and invaluable tool to have for more advanced students.
The more regular the practice routine, the more successful the student will be at the piano. The more successful the student is at the instrument, the more the student will want to play.
Parents attending lessons need to take notes so they can replicate the lesson during their practice time at home. For older students, parents should be aware of current assignments (check assignment notes) and monitor practice sessions each week.
Listening to your Suzuki cd/music is a key part of learning to play well. This is easy to do, and cuts down dramatically on learning each new piece. Make sure you have a regular time to play the cd/music each day in the background.
We understand that we all have rough weeks of practice due to heavy schoolwork or other extracurricular activities. Please come regardless! We may use that lesson to work on sight reading or play some fun duets. Consistency is the key!
Suggested Practice Time
Beginner (year 1) - 30 minutes per day (two 15-minute sessions)
Intermediate (year 2-4) - 30-45 minutes per day (two 20-minute sessions)
Late Intermediate (year 4-6) - 60 minutes per day
Advanced - 60-120 minutes per day
Performance at Recitals & Group Classes
Throughout the year we will host group classes and studio recitals for the students to perform for their families and each other the pieces they have learned. These events are mandatory as they provide musical growth and motivation to continue working toward a goal. We encourage every student to perform as much as possible, for family members, for friends, at church and at school.