FAQs
How are lessons scheduled? Students come once a week for a private lesson (30 or 45 minutes). Six to seven times throughout the year, a 75-minute group class will take the place of the private lesson. The calendar for the current year can be viewed here.
What if we need to miss a lesson? I reserve a specific day and time for each student, and don’t have the ability to fill a slot made vacant by a student absence. Families have the option of joining a Lesson Swap List, through which they can temporarily switch lesson times with another student. Make-ups are not provided for lessons missed by the student.
How does tuition work? Tuition for the year is divided into 12 equal monthly payments, regardless of the number of lessons in each month. There is a $35 registration fee per student at the start of each academic year (August). Books are ordered by the teacher and the cost is added to the following month’s tuition invoice. Payment is due on the 1st of each month, and can be made online via credit card.
Do I need to have a piano at home? Progress at the piano happens between lessons, during at-home practice. For this reason, having an instrument for the student to use at home is required. The type of instrument is also important! Students will need either an acoustic piano or a digital piano, with touch-sensitive fully-weighted keys. (*Please note that an electric keyboard, or synthesizer, is an entirely different instrument and cannot substitute for one of the piano types listed above.)
I’m interested in starting lessons. What’s the next step? If you haven’t already, fill out the contact form and tell me a bit about the student and their/your interest in taking piano lessons. I will contact you to schedule a complimentary mini-lesson. This first meeting allows us to get to know each other a bit, and gives you a chance to ask any additional questions you might have. If the student is a beginner, I’ll spend 10-15 minutes working with them on the piano to get a feel for their readiness and learning style. If the student has already taken some lessons in the past, I’ll ask them to play a couple of previously-learned songs for me so I can get a feel for what they’ve already learned and which materials might be a good fit for them. After the first meeting, if it seems like a good fit and you decide you’d like to move forward, you’ll fill out the registration form, we’ll decide on a weekly lesson day and time, and we’ll get started!