Services Provided:

Private individual piano lessons are provided on a weekly basis with lesson times of 30/45/60 minutes. Additional time can be added if discussed and agreed upon in advance.  Enrolled students are expected to participate in performances, festivals and recitals to build up their professional artistic skills. Please prioritize these dates in your family’s schedule.

 

Tuition and Expenses:

Monthly tuition is expected to be paid one month in advance by cash, check or online banking, and is due by the 1st of the month.  In case the student missed some of the paid lessons, make up lessons will be scheduled. Other expenses may include purchasing the instrument, pedal bench, music scores, competition, and festival entry fees.

 

Holidays, vacations, and make up lessons:

Each student is permitted to make-up classes. Lessons that will be missed due to vacations (Chinese New Year, Easter, Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, etc) should be scheduled in advance. Extra lessons will be given before vacation starts, and monthly tuition will remain the same. Lessons missed due to illness or emergency should be scheduled immediately after missed class at the convenient of the teachers and students time. Make up of the missed make up class will not be offered.

 

Participation Expectations for Parents:

Parents of the beginner kids are strongly recommended to be present at the lesson, taking notes/videos that can be used for practicing at home. While most students are initially excited to begin piano lessons, please be aware that they will face challenges and sometimes frustrations. The fastest progress is noticed in students, whose parents can ensure supervised practice sessions at home while making it a part of a child’s daily routine. As the initial enthusiasm is replaced by an awareness of the discipline and commitment required to attain skills, your encouragement and praise will be essential to your child’s success.

 

Instrument requirements:

You must have a piano or full-sized keyboard with 88-weighted keys, foot pedal and a bench at proper height in your home. A piano is strongly recommended as nothing can take the place of its touch and sound. Since the very first lesson the quality of sound is one of the main focuses, control of the touch and change in sound quality beside skill, requires a suitable instrument. If you have an acoustic upright or grand piano, it should be tuned twice a year. Maintaining your acoustic piano is important.

 

 Studio-Based Lessons:

Students and parents entering the studio in the middle of other student’s class are expected to sit quietly in the waiting area and should supervise any siblings that have accompanied them. Parents will be held financially responsible for any damages in case they are made by students or their siblings.

Phone calls should be taken outside. Parents are welcome and encouraged to observe a lesson as long as their presence does not create any distractions. Teacher may not have time to discuss student’s progress immediately after class. In order to avoid compromising another student’s lesson time, teacher will find alternative time to answer parent’s questions and to discuss any other concerns via phone.

 

Obtaining Books and Other Necessary Supplies:

All recommended materials – Lesson Books / Music / Theory/ Sight reading books will need to be purchased by the student right after initial evaluation, prior to the first lesson.

 

Media Consent:

Parent hereby consents to and authorizes Russian Academy of Music to capture and use video-audio recordings and photographic images of my child(ren) and/or his or her musical performance or quoted statements in print, electronic, or online media, for educational and promotional purposes only, and without any compensation to me or my child(ren). Students will not be personally identified without further parental permission.

 

Termination of Services Policy:

Regrettably, I will have to discontinue lessons if a student has an uncooperative attitude, persistently misses lessons, does not progress due to insufficient practice or fails to pay tuition on time. Other causes include, but are not limited to, any violation of this studio policy. For any reason, if you must stop lessons, please give as much notice as possible