Policies | Rise Music Studio

STUDIO POLICIES

Tuition:

The studio year consists of 32 weekly lessons scheduled September through May - 29 private lessons and 3 group lessons. Group lessons range in time from 60 -120 minutes and are scheduled 2 weeks prior to the group lesson. Tuition is due the 1st of each month with invoices sent by e-mail on or around the 22nd of the previous month.

Tuition includes weekly piano lesson preparation and instruction, and membership to Piano Maestro and other music learning apps that are used within the studio.

Registration Fees:

A non-refundable Registration Fee per family before lessons begin each studio year. This fee is used to help cover administration expenses, recital expenses and group lesson expenses. The fee is reduced if paid before July 1 and gives returning students first choice of their scheduled lesson time for the new year.

A Music Account Fee is required per student each studio year. It is maintained for each family in a separate studio account to handle the purchasing of new music and entrant fees for recitals, exams and competitions. Purchases will be added to the monthly Tuition Invoice if spending exceeds greater than what the Music Account holds. Any money left over at the end of the studio year can be rolled over into the next year or reimbursed by Rise Music Studio.

Late Fees:

A late fee is applied to the next invoice if payment is not received before the 15th of the month. It may be waived if an invoice was not received by the student or a prior agreement was made between the parent and the instructor.

Payment:

Monthly tuition payment is accepted in cash, check or PayPal (fees apply). Arrangements may also be made to pay by the semester or year.

Refunds, Make-Up Credits:

Tuition is based on enrollment, not attendance. It is payment for a course of piano study, but what is done with the reserved time, in the end, is up to the student. To get the most out of lessons, every opportunity needs to made to be in attendance each week. If cancellation is necessary, please notify the teacher at least 24 hours ahead of time if possible. The notification of inability to attend a lesson is a courtesy to the instructor but does not excuse payment for contracted lessons.

No refunds are granted. Students are expected to complete the studio year. If a student discontinues lessons before the end of any month, he/she forfeits payment already made to the studio. Missed lessons are NOT refundable, although a lesson may be credited by the instructor if an excused makeup lesson cannot be taught.

Make-up Credits are permitted for: 1. A death in the family, 2. A serious injury involving immediate travel to the ER or the like, 3. Serious illness (missing a week or more of school), 4. Inclement Weather

Make-up Credits are NOT permitted for lessons you choose to miss: 1. Forgetfulness, 2. School activities, 3. Family vacations, 4. Doctor appointments, 5. Sporting events. If a conflict is known ahead of time, a student may swap with another student from the Family Swap List, or look at the online calendar for an open lesson time.

Permitted make-up lessons are scheduled at the discretion of the instructor, and they must occur before the end of the studio year. Lessons may be made up during Group Lesson Weeks, meaning the students would have a group lesson AND a private lesson in the same week. If a lesson cannot be made up, the student’s account will be credited accordingly on the next tuition invoice.

Lessons are held online on snow days and if students are at home sick, but still feel ok.

Instructor Cancellation:

If the instructor needs to cancel a student’s lesson, the student will be notified as soon as possible of the cancellation. The lesson will be made up, or his/her account will be credited accordingly for the missed lesson.

Terminating Lessons:

A student may terminate lessons with Rise Music Studio before the end of the studio year. A notice of at least 2 weeks is required to allow time to create a good way to end the course of study as well as allow proper closure for the student/instructor relationship.
Rise Music Studio reserves the right to terminate lessons with a student at any time if there is an ongoing conflict with the instructor/student relationship, if payment is not received, or if continuing lessons is no longer beneficial for the student.

Home Practice:

Students must own or have daily access to a piano or a keyboard instrument with 88 keys (preferably weighted) BEFORE they begin to take piano lessons. Keyboard instruments with at least one working pedal and a bench that is at an appropriate height is also preferred. It should be set up in a place with good light, where distractions are minimal, yet also still allow inclusion with the family.

Practice is the responsibility of the student AND the parent. Just as it is vital be in attendance each week to get the most out of piano study, it is just as important to incorporate daily practice. The instructor can set up a practice schedule and incentives, but the parent needs to implement what the instructor is asking at home. Do not expect a student to sit down and complete daily practice of the assigned material on his/her own. The age of the student does not matter when introduced to a new discipline such as learning an instrument.

Assignments are given each week, either written down in an assignment book or e-mailed to the parent, along with any specific instructions on what needs extra work and/or practice techniques on how to improve. ASSIGNMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED AND ASSIGNED MATERIALS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AT EACH LESSON.

To help progress, try setting a regular practice time each day or break up the minutes into 2 shorter practice sessions.

Be aware that students will hit plateaus when no progress seems evident, and these plateaus will pass and progress will be evident with regular practice (and patience).

Behavior:

Misbehavior and disrespect are not tolerated. Students need to be able to focus, be a good listener and follow directions during lesson time.

Misbehavior that is not tolerated: 1. Rocking the piano bench, 2. Banging on the piano, 3. Stomping on the foot pedals, 4. Student constantly playing the piano when the student should be listening, 5. Wandering around the room during a lesson, 6. Being too silly and not settling down to focus on the lesson

Disrespect is also not tolerated: 1. Talking back to the instructor, 2. Refusing to do what the instructor asks during the lesson

Siblings, or other students, who are waiting in the room during someone else’s lesson, are expected to remain quiet and busy while they wait. They may not interrupt or be distracting to the student who is having his/her lesson. They will be asked to leave and wait outside if they cannot meet these expectations.

If misbehaviors continue after the opportunity to fix the behavior is given, the lesson is stopped for the day, the student is excused and the parent is notified of what happened.