Billing and Attendance

Although most piano teachers request payment at the first lesson of each month for all lessons and classes to be received that month, I bill at the end of each month for the number of lessons received and the number of theory & playing classes attended in the form of a statement.  A $20 fee will be assessed for returned checks.

There is no annual registration fee or deposit required.
There are no additional fees for studio performing workshops, rehearsals, or recitals.

Books, materials, and evaluation/audition/competition/festival/non-studio recital/master class/accompanist/etc. fees will be billed as they occur on your monthly statement.

I will let you know all registration/application fees in advance.

Parents will be responsible for the payment of any missed lesson, unless notification has been made by 9:00 p.m. the previous evening.  If your child wakes up with an illness or is sent home from school due to illness, please call or e-mail me immediately to reschedule that day’s lesson.  Lessons missed due to illness (or family emergencies) will not be billed as missed lessons.  Your child must be fever-free, vomit-free, and diarrhea-free for 24 hours before attending a lesson.  (Sneezing and runny noses due to allergies are, of course, a different matter.)  Although you may think your child is feeling well enough to have a lesson, I do not want any unnecessary spread of viruses, diseases, etc.  Several of my students are asthmatic and/or suffer from chronic bronchitis (myself included), so please be conscientious!  If your child does come to a lesson and is obviously ill, (s)he will be sent home immediately, and you will be charged for the lesson.  My teaching schedule has enough flexibility to occasionally accommodate lesson time changes.

Attendance is mandatory for all lessons (and 75% of the Theory & Playing Classes), as well as for studio performing workshops and studio recitals.  In addition, all students in school grades 2 & up must participate in the annual MTAC (Music Teachers’ Association of California) Certificate of Merit Evaluations.  I also expect all students to work toward sitting for the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory of Music Achievement Program assessments (Practical & Theoretical Subjects).  The Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory curriculum is an international standardized examination program for music.  (Think Honors/AP exams in music for each grade, starting from preschool and going through college and teaching/artist diplomas.)  Careful preparation is necessary for these exams and participation for my students is highly encouraged and strongly recommended!  Students already in high school (10th-12th grade as of September 2007) are exempt from this requirement if they are preparing to take the Certificate of Merit Advanced Level Evaluations before graduating from high school.  Students may also prepare a 10-piece memorized program for the annual NGPT (National Guild of Piano Teachers) Piano Playing Auditions and prepare for the American College of Musicians High School Diploma in Piano Performance.  Additional events and competitions will be suggested for individual students when appropriate.

Here are the links to the three examination programs:

Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program

www.theachievementprogram.org

Music Teachers' Association of California (MTAC)

Certificate of Merit Evaluations

http://www.mtac.org/programs/cm/

http://www.nationalmusiccertificate.org/

National Guild of Piano Teachers (NGPT) Piano Playing Auditions

www.pianoguild.com

Students who miss lessons, Theory & Playing Classes, studio performing workshops, or studio recitals for unexcused reasons, and students who are unprepared for Certificate of Merit will be dropped from the studio roster to open space for students on the waiting list.

I require a parent/guardian to be present for and actively observe all lessons, performing workshops, and studio recitals, unless previous discussion has resulted in other arrangements being made.  The key to a child’s musical success is parent involvement and the priority the family places on music in the home.  However, the monthly Theory & Playing Classes are for students only.

Lesson Length and Practice Schedule

Lesson lengths are determined as follows (Certificate of Merit Levels):

Longer lessons and/or more frequent lessons are recommended for:

1.         Students who want extra help with theory
            —add 15 minutes to regular lesson length.
2.         Students who are playing at a significantly higher level than their C/M level
            —add 15-30 minutes to regular lesson length.
3.         Students who are pursuing more advanced study and are preparing for competitions
            —double regular lesson length.

Required minimum practice schedule (written theory assignments not included):

Longer practice sessions are recommended for students who are pursuing more advanced study and are preparing for competitions (e.g., double the required minutes per day).  Progress is directly related to quality practice time.  Motivated younger students should take advantage of their less demanding school schedule to build technical skills, repertoire, and musicianship before the rigors of high school.

Community Service

Community service and volunteer work are extremely important to me.  I would like to encourage all of my students to participate in at least one community service program this year, such as the Westside Music Foundation Practice-A-Thon, which raises funds for music lessons and instruments for at-risk youths, or the MTAC-WLA Music Students Service League (MSSL), which (among other activities) arranges for students to perform in recital at senior assisted living homes.  Most middle and high schools (public & private) grant credit hours for participation in the MTAC-WLA MSSL program.  Several of my students are on the MSSL Board of Directors this year, so if you are interested in participating, just let me know.

Please share your music!  It is a wonderful gift to the community.