Lesson length
Lesson length depends on the quantity and length of the student’s material. Parents are required to attend all lessons for elementary-aged students.
- Book 1 students: 45 minutes
- Book 2+ students: 60 minutes
A 5-minute transition time is included in the stated lesson time to provide the teacher with personal time and to prepare for the next lesson.
Rates
Our tuition is affordable for most families but on the higher end in terms of cost. Because of our unique curriculum and our exceptional faculty, students will make as much progress in one year as they would make in three or more years with most teachers. Please contact [email protected] for our current rates. We are committed that no one be turned away due to cost, and provide scholarship to cover the cost of committed families with demonstrable financial need.
As a side note, rates for a qualified violin teacher are higher than for piano (with the exception of the most pre-eminent teachers), because teaching violin requires a detailed knowledge of biomechanics and a decade of specialized training in addition to proficiency on the instrument.
This is a violin-priority studio. Tuition includes private lessons, group classes, one master class per year, recital preparation with a pianist, and studio social events. Please prioritize attendance at all studio events as equal in importance to your private lesson, limit other activities, and plan to accommodate other activities around the violin schedule. When you enroll in other activities, please inform the activity’s director that you are unable to miss violin events. High school students in good standing may be granted a limited exception to the group class requirement.
Enrollment is by semester, and payment is expected in full at the beginning of each semester. If you wish to divide tuition into payments, you may do so by submitting four postdated checks on the first day of the semester. Payment is also accepted by cash, Google Pay, and Zelle.
If a family chooses to discontinue lessons within the first month of the semester, they will owe for a month of lessons from the date that notice was given. Please make sure to allow for a final lesson to honor the relationship and say “good-bye.” After the first month, semester tuition is non-refundable except in the case of extended student illness.
Cancellation & Make-Ups
When you take private lessons, you are paying for the teacher to reserve a specific time for you for the semester. This time has been set aside for you regardless of whether you attend or not. If you must miss a lesson due to a schedule conflict, you may contact another student to arrange a trade (provided you make this request at least one week in advance) or donate your lesson to another family. This is the best way to handle lessons you need to miss. Family contact information can be found in the studio portal.
If you are unable to arrange a trade, simply enter the online calendar and click on the lesson you must miss. Select “Cancel Attendance.” This lesson will now become available for someone else, and you may use this credit to join an open time slot (marked on the calendar with a recycling sign). However, since openings are rare, the best way to handle missed lessons is to trade with another student.
Please do not contact the teacher with make-up requests, as these cannot be accommodated.
Teacher Illness
The teacher is allocated one “sick day” per student per year; this missed lesson is not required to be made up. Any further lessons missed by the teacher, or any lesson missed for reasons other than illness, will be made up or the lesson refunded. This policy is in accordance with NMTA guidelines for private studio teachers.
Dismissal
Parents and/or students who do not ensure excellent lesson preparation, maintain regular attendance, prioritize group class, or be responsive in payments and communication may be dismissed from the studio.