Payment Schedule for Private Lessons
Lessons are charged monthly at $25 a lesson, and payment is to be made the first week of the month. No-shows and cancellations will still be charged. You are paying for a 30-minute slot of our time every week set aside specifically for you, and it’s up to you whether or not you use it. Canceled lessons may be made up, provided they fit into our schedule. Lessons that cannot be made up will not be eligible for a refund. Lessons are scheduled regularly for good reason, and missing them should be avoided if possible. Please remember that too many lesson cancellations will result in poor progress. Improvement greatly depends on consistent piano instruction and practice.
Travel Policy
This policy is only for In-home lessons. In-home lessons cost the same as in-studio lessons, but a travel cost could exist for families more than 30 minutes away roundtrip from my previous lesson. THERE ARE WAYS TO AVOID THIS COST. Families in Claremore, Pryor, Broken Arrow, Owasso, etc., can still receive lessons but will have to follow the travel policy. For every 30-minute time slot used in travel to and from your home, a $25 charge will be added. There are two ways for this policy to be waived.
- If your schedule aligns with multiple families who also take lessons in your area.
- For instance, if multiple students in a town 30 minutes away have their lessons back to back, lessons could be reduced or even waived.
- If your schedule does not line up with other families and a separate trip has to be made, the fee will remain
- If you have multiple children in your home.
- Depending on the amount of kids and the distance, the fee could be reduced or waived.
I understand that this cost could be high and can prevent you from taking lessons. I will work with you as much as possible to reduce or waive the fee in times of scheduling.
The decision to waive the travel policy is up to our discretion, but you will not be charged this fee without prior notice and explanation of the fee. To avoid the travel policy completely, in-studio lessons might suit your family better.
Termination of Lessons
Lessons are a semester commitment. If a semester is not working, rescheduling may work. If you wish to terminate lessons, a two-week notice is required. Payment is required for the two weeks whether the student wishes to continue with lessons or to be absent. If you wish to take a break for a semester and stop lessons, feel free to sign back up, but you may not be given the best times. Priority in scheduling is given to those who participated in the recent semester.
Music Lesson Time-Slot
Weekly timeslots are reserved for each student.
- In-studio students who are late may not receive an extended lesson. It will depend on the instructor’s schedule.
- In-home students will see the instructor be delayed from travel occasionally. The instructor will adjust the lesson time and ensure that a proper lesson is completed.
Keyboard/Piano
A proper keyboard or piano IS REQUIRED for ALL students. Within 6 months of playing the piano, most students will have to do things that a cheap $50 keyboard cannot do.
- If you have or are buying a piano, consider having the piano checked and tuned by a certified tuner. If you are in the Tulsa area, Sam Hull has been terrific.
- If you are buying a keyboard, the features to look for are as follows…
- Fully weighted
- 88 keys
- Has speakers
- Comes with a Pedal, Stand, and Music Stand
Recitals
Recitals are a terrific way to show others how you or your child has developed over a semester. It also helps to reduce anxiety when playing for others by playing in a safe space where everyone playing is a student. Two recitals happen every year. Our spring recital includes songs from Beethoven to Broadway, Strauss to Spotify, or even Disney to Debussy. We even have some students who want to play their favorite songs from church! For our Christmas recital, students play Christmas songs. There is a recital fee of $10 to help cover costs. We also do require participation unless we are given a heads-up a month before the recital.
Practice and Parental Support
The most important factor in lessons is not what the instructor does, but what the students/parents/guardians do. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to wait and talk about student progress at the end of the lesson. Parents can even sit in and listen to every word said. Students progress more quickly when parents and guardians take an active role in their lessons and practice sessions.
Students also have an important job; PRACTICE. Daily practice is strongly encouraged. A quick learner who does not practice will not be better than a slow learner who practices daily. Sufficient daily practice time is the surest guarantee that students will experience consistent progress in music.
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
10-20 Minutes
30-45 minutes
60+ minutes
Tip* If a student is having issues concentrating, breaking up practice sessions can help. Practicing 5 minutes before school and 5 minutes when a student gets home may work better than 10 minutes at one time.
For our youngest students, Parents and Guardians may need to sit in on practice to help them with focus, reading, and understanding. With young children, attention spans need to be developed. It is very easy for them to just mindlessly play instead of practicing. One strategy is to set a time for 5 minutes of practice, and then allow a 2-minute break in between. This can allow their minds to rest, which should increase concentration and decrease frustration. Some children may experience a feeling of isolation and lose motivation to play if nobody is nearby to hear them practice. Being active and providing encouragement can create more opportunities for your child to excel and love music!