Studio policies
Please read this page carefully in its entirety.
Supervision
All students below the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult for the duration of the lesson appointment. This adult should remain in either the same location as the lesson (generally the St. Matthew’s Choir Room or church itself) or the room adjacent (i.e., the St. Matthew’s Narthex). This adult should not disappear except for brief moments. This policy is crucial and serves to protect everyone, including the student, St. Matthew’s church, and me.
COVID
COVID continues to be a concern. I do not have a mask requirement in my studio, but I am happy to wear one if it would make you and your family more comfortable. Naturally, anyone in your family who tests positive for COVID or is awaiting test results should not attend the lesson appointment. If anyone attending the lesson appointment has a non-COVID sickness that is causing them to cough, sneeze, etc. I may ask them to wear a mask. Being a professional musician who depends on good health to carry out my work and earn a living, I cannot afford to take the risk of being in close quarters with sick people.
Other safeguarding concerns
• No part of the lesson shall be recorded (audio or video). However, I am okay with you taking photos.
• It is your responsibility to guide me on any special learning needs your child may have. Please disclose to me any neurodivergences or disabilities they have, so that I can best serve them. I will do my utmost to give your child the best musical education possible.
Fees and payments
2024 rate: 30 minutes for $49.
Rates are subject to change each January (i.e. for the new fiscal year). Invoices are issued in advance. In general, I will bill you at the beginning of the month for that month’s lessons.
Absence
In general, I am fairly generous with my approach to missed lessons. If the lesson appointment cannot be kept for any reason at all, you can have credit for the lesson (i.e., not lose any money), as long as I am notified 48 hours in advance. If you cancel a lesson, the following policy applies:
• More than 48 hours’ notice (any reason): Lesson credit applied to next month (i.e., no lost money)
• Less than 48 hours’ notice (due to illness): Lesson credit applied to next month. One transferable credit will be allowed per quarter. If this short-notice situation happens a second time in a given three-month span, the lesson is billable.
• Less than 48 hours’ notice (not illness-related): Lesson is billable.
• No notice at all (regardless of reason): Lesson is billable.
My Music Staff
I use www.mymusicstaff.com for the administration of my music studio. This resource facilitates automatic billing and scheduling. You can use this site to view my teaching calendar, register for lessons, cancel lessons, see invoices, etc. If you are registered with my studio, you will have access to a “student portal.” Please familiarize yourself with this site and get in touch if you have any questions.
Calendar
My teaching calendar follows the school year only loosely. Pay attention to the calendar on My Music Staff for these specifics, since a day off from school does not necessarily mean we won’t have music lessons. You are entitled to have your own breaks, of course, and I encourage advance notice in these instances. There is a brief summer “session” in July and early August, which will help ensure your kids don’t forget too much over the summer.
Teacher cancellation
If I am the one to cancel the lesson, naturally you will not be billed for it. This may happen in the event of my illness or inclement weather. I will give as much advance notice as I possibly can. With that said, however, it is very unlikely that I would cancel for weather-related reasons.
Practicing
Encouraging children to practice their instrument at home is vital to their education. Do not conflate homework (the value of which experts often disagree about) and practice. The weekly lesson is the place to learn the technique, receive guidance, and ask questions, but practice time at home is where musical growth truly occurs. Every student will have different practice needs, but some rough benchmarks are as follows: elementary students should aim for 15–30 minutes per day, middle school 30–45, high school 45–90.
Here are some helpful tips for practicing:
• Practicing does not have to be done all at once. In fact, breaking it up into several shorter periods per day can be more productive in terms of memory building and skill retention. Could the student fit in some time before school, during school (i.e. a free period), right after school, later in the evening?
• Some students will be eager to practice by themselves and will not benefit from supervision from a parent. However, some will not be as productive if left to their own devices. Pay attention and be ready to provide some gentle encouragement and company if needed.
• Avoid distractions, particularly phones. Encourage the others in your household to avoid making too much noise and/or being in the same room while the student is practicing.
• Taking short but regular breaks can be very helpful. This is a tricky balance to find. Assuming each stretch of practice time is long enough to be productive, taking a break to clear the mind or intentionally find a distraction allows the brain to build the connections.
• Stay hydrated. Again, this helps the brain build its connections.
• Avoid practicing while particularly hungry. Consider having a snack time immediately before practicing, so that blood sugar is never dwindling while at work.
• Take whatever steps you feel would be helpful to ensure that practice time does not feel like a chore, but rather a wonderful opportunity for the student to enrich their growth.
