Thank you for your interest in lessons. Private, one on one lessons are certainly the
most effective way to learn and we know you will find your music education
rewarding and enjoyable. To make the
most of your lesson time you must be committed to study and attend
regularly. This is your personal time, which
your instructors have reserved for you to help you achieve your goals. Please carefully review the studio policies
regarding your responsibilities.
TUITION PLANS
Music lessons are not a product or a service you are
purchasing, but are a request for an instructor to reserve a time slot for you. In essence, the student is not paying for the
lesson itself, but to reserve the instructor’s time. As such,
Weekly
$30 per half hour lesson
$50 per full hour lesson
You are welcome to pay as you go, however,
Late fees: If payment is not received by the end of the
lesson, a late fee of 30% will be applied to the unpaid lesson and lessons will
temporarily be suspended until the account is brought current. The instructor reserves the right to waive
late fees and lesson dues at their discretion.
Monthly
$130 – half hour weekly lessons
$215 – full hour weekly lessons
The monthly rate covers all weeks in the month, it will not increase when there are 5 weeks' worth of lessons. Payment is due on the first week
of the month. If there is no lesson
scheduled for the first week, then payment is due the lesson prior.
When you choose the monthly payment plan, your lesson time
is guaranteed for the length of the month. Additionally, your preferred day and
time will be automatically reserved for the following month until the time when
you, a) select the weekly payment plan, b) temporarily suspend your
reservation, or c) choose to discontinue lessons. If tuition fees increase,
they will do so at the beginning of the month following notification of the
increase.
Late fees: If payment is not received by the second week in
the month, a late fee of 30% will be applied to all unpaid lessons and lessons
will temporarily be suspended until the account is brought current. The instructor reserves the right to waive
late fees and lesson dues at their discretion.
Quarterly
Best Value - one lesson free!
$360 – half hour weekly lessons
$600 – full hour weekly lessons
When you choose the quarterly payment option, your lesson
time is guaranteed for the length of the quarter and would be automatically
reserved for the following quarter until the time when you a) select either the
monthly or weekly payment plan, b) temporarily suspend your reservation, or c)
choose to discontinue lessons. You are
allowed one freebie cancellation that may be credited toward either a
re-scheduled lesson time, or credited to your account. If tuition fees increase, they will do so at
the beginning of the quarter following notification of the increase.
Late fees: If payment is not received by the second week in
the first month, a late fee of 30% will be applied to all unpaid lessons and
lessons will temporarily be suspended until the account is brought
current. The instructor reserves the
right to waive late fees and lesson dues at their discretion.
METHODS OF
PAYMENT
PureSounds Academy accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express &
Discover through PayPal, cash and personal checks.
Checks should be made out to the individual instructor. Any personal checks returned by the bank for non-sufficient
funds are subject to a $35 returned check fee, due the lesson following
notification of a returned check. After
three returned checks are noted on a student’s account, cash will be the only
acceptable method of payment.
ORIENTATION
/ INITIAL ASSESSMENT
At your first lesson, the instructor will spend a small
portion of the time performing a skills assessment. This will enable the instructor to get to
know the student’s abilities and natural talents so a course of study can be
properly constructed. The books and
supplies will not be provided at this orientation session as the student’s
skill level has not been identified.
After the orientation, the instructor will purchase the books and
provide them at a later date. The
student will not have much practicing to do in their first week.
This orientation will also include time for the instructor
to go over these studio policies with the student or parent and both parties
will sign the agreement.
BOOKS &
SUPPLIES
After your initial orientation, usually the following week, each
student will be supplied with a bundle of books and supplies; this cost is
generally around $50. Payment will be
due when the student receives the bundle.
Depending on how quickly the student progresses, how much practice time
is contributed, as well as the individual’s learning style, most book bundles
last approximately 3-5 months. Each time
a new book bundle is required, the cost for the materials will be charged to
the student’s account and payment will be due when the student receives the
books.
CANCELLATION
POLICY
MAKE-UP
LESSONS
If your lesson is canceled with appropriate notice, make-up
lessons may be offered. All make-up
lessons would be based on instructor availability, at their sole discretion,
and would be offered at the time of cancellation. If the instructor does not have time to
schedule a make-up lesson in these circumstances, your account would be
credited.
INSTRUCTOR
CANCELLATIONS
If the instructor cancels a lesson for any reason, the
lesson will be credited to the student’s account or a make-up lesson may be
offered.
HOLIDAYS
If a lesson day falls on a holiday or a day
LESSON
TIMES
When taking music lessons, the student is not paying for the
actual lesson but for the block of the instructor’s time. If a student is late for their lesson, the
time slot in which they’re scheduled does not change and the lesson will still
end on time. For example, if a student
arrives 10 minutes late for a 30 minute lesson, the lesson will end on time and
will simply be shortened to 20 minutes.
THE STUDIO
After your initial orientation, when you arrive for your lesson, feel free to knock and
enter the instructor’s home if you can hear another lesson in progress. If you hear music playing or singers vocalizing, you do not
have to wait for the instructor to answer the door. If a previous lesson is still in progress,
feel free to sit in the designated waiting area until your lesson time begins.
If you bring anyone with you to the lesson, they are welcome
to wait in the designated waiting area, but may not wait in the area where the
lesson is taking place. Lessons will
occur within earshot (and usually plain view) of the waiting area. However, students can be easily distracted by
a third party within line of sight during their lesson. Children also tend to do better if their
parent/guardian is sitting outside of the line of sight where the lesson is
taking place. **NOTE: Parents/guardians are welcome to come and
visit the studio prior to scheduling lessons.
WHERE DO I
PARK?
You may park in the driveway or on the street in front of
the instructor’s home. Please do not
park in any other driveway on the street.
PRACTICE
STRATEGIES
Learning any new skill takes consistent, focused repetition.
In the music world, it's called practice. In order to receive the full
benefits of musical study, daily practice is essential.
Thirty (30) minutes, five (5) days a week is the ideal for
the beginning to early intermediate student. As pieces become longer and more
complex, the amount of practice time needed will naturally increase. For
younger students, as well as busy families, this time may be divided into
shorter segments.
The ultimate goal of practicing is to be able to play the
assigned pieces with all the right notes. Carving out a consistent practice
schedule is the first step. If you are purchasing lessons for a child, we
strongly recommend that the parent sit down with their child at the beginning
of lessons and establish a daily/weekly routine for practicing. With our busy
schedules and countless obligations each day, it is too easy to let the day
slip by without practicing. But if practicing is established as a priority on
your child's To-Do list, creating a daily habit, your efforts will be rewarded.
The student will make consistent progress and they - and you - will enjoy their
musical study much more.
HERE WE
GO!!
We are excited to embark on this journey with you. If, during the week, the student or parent/guardian has questions about the lesson material or feels stumped, feel free to call/email/text your instructor with your questions. Helping students achieve their musical goals is not only our priority, it is a joy. We look forward to seeing each student succeed and hone this lifelong skill. Let’s get started!!
Updated 12/30/09
