High Quality Courses in a Christian Atmosphere!

Grace Notes Piano Studio

Studio Policies

PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING

Music can greatly enrich anyone’s life! At Grace Notes, my goals for all of my students are to develop musical skills to the best ability of each student. I do not require perfection, just that my students sincerely do their best. My ultimate goal is for the piano student to fall in love with music and apply what they have learned during piano lessons to cultivate a lifelong enjoyment and appreciation for music. Piano lessons should be fun, not drudgery! Learning to play the piano is like any other skill: you must practice to become proficient, and it is hard work. However, tackling a difficult skill, overcoming obstacles, and achieving goals are character-building endeavors that will outlast the actual lessons themselves. I allow each student to progress at his or her own rate, do not view any question as a “stupid question,” and view mistakes as opportunities for learning. I chose the name Grace Notes for my studio because I wish to treat each student with grace and dignity.

The lessons consist of theory, technical exercises, musicianship, repertoire pieces, ear training, and music appreciation, all presented in a fun and noncompetitive manner.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TEACHER

Treat each student with dignity and respect.
Tailor each lesson to the learning style of the student and try to meet the musical needs of each student.
Praise work well-done.
Attempt to deal with any problems in a timely manner and with professionalism and courtesy.
Give reasonable assignments each week.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARENT

Bring the student to the lesson on time each week and pick them up on time.
Notify me of any absences. I worry about my students if they don't show up for their lessons.
Set a practice time each day and stick to it. Check your schedule and make sure you have time for piano!
Give performance opportunities to students (e.g. playing for grandparents, at church, and for friends and neighbors).
Listen to students play at least once a week.
Sign the weekly practice form. Please do NOT sign it if the practice wasn't done!
Keep students' fingernails clean and neatly clipped short.
Pay for tuition on time.
Watch any siblings during the lesson.
You are welcome to observe any lessons at all, but please do not interrupt them.
Pay for any music, computer software, or other supplies the student will need for lessons.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT

Practice at home. I will provide you with a sheet or notebook to keep track of the minutes you spend playing at home. Each student will decide on their individual practice goals for the semester and will receive prizes for achieving those goals.
Call me if you have problems during the week, or e-mail me. (312-1113 or mariecole@austin.rr.com)
Finish all theory assignments prior to the lesson.
Play any technique assignments every day that you practice before you play anything else.
Keep fingernails clean and clipped short.
Bring your music and other assignments to your lesson every week.
Set personal goals (with the help of the instructor and your parents) and work on them each week.

NEW STUDENTS

All new private students must audition. I am not looking for technical expertise or musicianship during these audition interviews! After all, that is what the lessons are for! I just want for both the student and myself to see how our personalities mesh and to answer any questions the student or parent might have. If the student has had lessons before, please bring their books, and prepare one song to play for me, of the student’s choice.

SUPPLIES

Each student is expected to bring all of his or her assigned books to each lesson.

One way to organize supplies is to provide a book bag for the student. They can easily keep all of their books in that bag, along with a three-ring binder for hand-outs.

Supplies you will need include:

Book Bag or Backpack.
Three-ring binder or notebook (supplied by the teacher).
Music or other books as assigned by the teacher.
Pencil
Metronome (optional for the first year or two)
Piano. A keyboard is acceptable for only the first year of music instruction. After that time, it is essential for the student to have a real piano to develop touch, dynamics, and other techniques.
Optional: Dry Erase Board with a keyboard on one side and a grand staff on the other. (Published by Alfred and available at Strait Music or through me.)
Optional: Musical Flash Cards. (I recommend the set published by Alfred and can get these for you.)
Optional: Musical Software. (Numerous versions abound. Most are adequate.)
Optional: Musical rhythm instruments or other games and/or manipulatives.

TUITION

The current tuition for Grace Notes is payable by the lesson, at the beginning of the month. The current rate is $17.50 per half-hour lesson. Tuition is pro-rated throughout the year, so that you can pay the same amount each month. The prorated amount for 2009/2010 is $60 per month. This is due at the first lesson of each month and is due each month regardless of the number of lessons that month. Students that require a longer lesson will be charged at a prorated rate.

Please contact me for information regarding rates for the summer session.

The monthly tuition payment is due at the first lesson of that month. A late fee of $10 will be assessed if the payment is more than 7 days late. In cases of excessive late payments or payments that are more than two weeks late, I will not be able to give lessons until all payments, including late fees, are up-to-date.

Tuition covers not just the actual lesson itself, but also holding that lesson day and time for you, as well as numerous hours spent devising lesson plans, trips to the music store, planning recitals and making recital programs, etc. I also take time each week to think about individual students and how best to meet their needs.

I do charge a $20 supply fee at the beginning of the year, to help defray expenses of prizes, notebooks, in-studio copies of music and extra books, and more. It is applied per student, not to exceed $45 for one family.

ABSENCE POLICY

Refunds will not be given for missed lessons. In the events of vacations taken during the time the studio is open, I will make every effort to give make-up lessons as long as notification is given to me at least 1 week prior to the vacation. In the event of illness of the student, I will make every effort to give make-up lessons, but am not required to do so. Students are limited to one make-up lesson a month at the discretion of the teacher. Make-up lessons are given at the convenience of the teacher as a courtesy to parents and students. Please return the courtesy by giving as much prior notice as possible and by not abusing the make-up policy.

Make-up lessons may be given as a group lesson on a Saturday morning, or may be a half-hour private lesson, at the discretion of the teacher and according to how many make-up lessons need to be done that week.

Very rarely, I have to cancel lessons due to illness. In this instance, I will offer a make-up group lesson, and will do my best to choose a time that everyone will be able to attend.

STUDIO SCHEDULE

Fall Session: Lessons begin the week of August 18 and end December 12.

Spring Session: Lessons begin on January 12 and end May 8.

Summer Session: Lessons begin the first full week of June and end the last full week of July.

Holidays will include:

The Summer Session is strongly encouraged to keep momentum going. It will be required to hold your lesson day and time for the following fall. The Summer Session will begin the first full week of June and run through June and July. (I will close the studio during the week of Kids' Camp at Hays Hills Baptist Church.)

MISCELLANEOUS STUDIO POLICIES

Please park on Hampton Street when dropping off students. The street directly in front of my house is to be reserved for parents picking up their students, as it is visible from the home. Bradfield Drive is a busy street, so I will require students to wait quietly on a chair near the front door for their parents, not on the front porch. Please bring students on time for their lessons and pick them up on time at the end of the lesson.

I leave the front door unlocked during lessons. Do not knock on the door, but enter quietly and go to the living room to wait for your lesson. Parents are welcome to observe the lesson from the living room at any time, but please try not to interrupt the lesson. I do have a few toys available in the living room, but any siblings must remain quiet so as not to disturb the lesson. Just down the street, a playground, gazebo, and picnic table are available, on Crescent Drive.

Students may be asked to wash their hands prior to their lesson.

If you have more than one student in the same family, you must be responsible for one child while the other is taking his or her lesson. I will do my best to find back-to-back lesson times for you, but cannot guarantee this, as lesson times are granted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If you need to reach me during studio hours by telephone, please call and leave a message. I will turn off the volume and ringer during lessons, but will check them periodically.

Technically, lessons last twenty-five minutes, although I usually do go the full thirty minutes. This gives me a chance to go over the assignment with parents, discuss anything that needs to be discussed, and take a water break between students.

INCENTIVES AND AWARDS

I encourage students to set personal goals for their piano lessons and will reward students who achieve those goals. Awards will be given at the Spring Recital for outstanding achievement in several areas, including lesson attendance, practice, memory, sight-reading, technique, and theory.

MAESTRO AWARD

Each Spring, I will choose one student to achieve the Maestro Award, given for excellence in all areas, including musicality, technique, behavior during lessons, theory knowledge, etc.

BRAVO AWARD

Each Spring, I will award Bravo Awards to any student who reaches all of his or her goals in all areas.

RECITALS AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES

NURSING HOME VISITS

At least once a semester, we will try to attend a nursing home or other facility (e.g. Marbridge Farms) to share our music with them. All students are encouraged to view recitals and other performance opportunities not so much as performances, but as opportunities to share their talents with others.

FALL RECITAL

In November, we will hold our fall recital. All pieces must be memorized. A $15 recital fee may be collected to help defray the cost of rental of the facility, printing programs, etc.

SPRING RECITAL

Our formal spring recital will be held in April. All pieces must be memorized. A $15 recital fee may be collected to help defray the cost of rental of the facility, printing programs, etc.

DISMISSAL INFORMATION

Unfortunately, very rarely there is a student who does not respond well to either piano lessons themselves or to my personality. My policy when dealing with students who are not responding (by this I mean moving forward at their pace, meeting their personal goals, and spending time playing the piano at home) is to place them on a one-month suspension, and then if improvement is not seen, to suspend piano lessons at that point. I will of course do all I can to avoid dismissing a student, but if a student is unmotivated and dislikes lessons, or if for some reason our personalities clash, more harm can be done by continuing the lessons than by stopping them. My worst fear is to force a child to take lessons and have them wind up hating the piano or classical music. No refunds will be given for that semester, and the parent or student will be responsible for paying for the entire semester.

TERMINATION OF LESSONS

In the event that you need to stop taking lessons, please be aware that I do not give refunds of tuition paid, and that the entire semester must be paid for regardless of whether you attend lessons or not, except in the event of extreme circumstances and at my discretion. I will only reserve a spot in the following semester for students who pay on time and do not take excessive time off. If you decide to take a summer off, please be aware that I might not have a spot left for you in the fall.