I will teach students the language of music in a positive and enthusiastic environment. My Goal is to give students a lifelong ability to play their instrument at the level of their choosing while also teaching them life skills such as long-term and short-term goal setting, breaking apart big tasks into manageable parts, determination, hard work, and resilience. I will tailor the curriculum to match each student’s specific learning needs.

Students (and parents) agree to arrive at each lesson punctually, well-prepared, and with their assignment books, music, instrument, and any other materials assigned to the student. For young Pre-Twinkle students, this includes their violin box, practice bow, and foot chart. 

To make good progress, daily quality practice and daily listening to the professional recordings are necessary. For practicing, consistency is more important than the quantity of time.

Please ask questions about home assignments so the student and parents can completely understand the assignments and goals.

Parent attendance of the lessons and careful notetaking are required of the parent through the student’s age of 12. After this, parent attendance is recommended but not required.

As much as possible, observation of other children’s lessons is encouraged, with the consent of the observed child’s parent. Much can be learned by observing other lessons. 

Review of pieces already learned is an essential part of the Suzuki Method. A piece will never be fully “completed” in the Suzuki Method, as more refinement can be added. New skills are also easier to learn using familiar pieces.

RECITALS

Studio recitals will be held twice a year, once in the winter and once in the spring. All students age 18 or younger are expected to perform at both recitals. (Adult students are encouraged but not required to perform on recitals.)

Regular opportunities to perform solo for a live audience are crucial for developing performance skills. Recital fees are included in the tuition.

Parents: If something is happening at home or school that is affecting your child, please let me know. The more information I have, the more I can be sensitive to the needs of your child.

*Please note that tuition reserves the weekly time slot, but may not directly correlate with lessons received if the student does not attend the scheduled lesson times.

Flat monthly tuition rates are based on the number of guaranteed lessons in the calendar year. There will be a minimum of 42 private lessons offered by the studio throughout the year, and the weeks where lessons are not held (due to holidays, personal performance opportunities, or illness) will be communicated in advance. 

All payments are non-refundable. After the first payment, invoicing and payment will run automatically on the same day. Tuition will be drawn on the 1st of each month from the method on file. All automatic payments will be run through Fons.

If a payment is returned or declined, a 48-hour window will be provided to adjust the payment method and resubmit payment. Invoices paid after the 3rd of the month will receive a $20 late fee. Recurring late payments may result in the termination of the student’s enrollment.

To cancel tuition, written notification must be received via email 2 weeks in advance. In the case that notice is not received by that deadline, the full tuition amount will be run automatically on the first of the month, and students have the option to attend all paid lessons that month. Lessons will then be canceled for the following month. Tuition payments are non-refundable. 

No makeup lessons will be given in the case of a student's absence. However, the following are offered:

If the student is too ill to attend an in-person lesson but well enough for a virtual lesson, this can be done, provided the student can use a computer or tablet for the online lesson. At least ten minutes' notice must be given and received.

If the student has a fever or is otherwise too ill to have an online lesson at the scheduled time, and notice is given before the start of the lesson time, Ana Maria may submit some video lesson assignments and demonstrations based on the material and skills the student is currently studying. This will be submitted via the Practice Space app/website. 

Another option is to make a series of videos no longer than 15 minutes in length to be submitted to Ana Maria by the start time of the missed scheduled lesson. Ana Maria will then give feedback in written or video form, and this will serve as the student’s missed lesson. 

If a vacation is planned, please give a minimum of one month's notice prior to the missed lesson, and Ana Maria will try to accommodate the student’s absence with either online video assignments or rescheduling the lesson when possible. Rescheduling this student's absence may not be possible. This is especially true for the fall and spring semesters.

As a courtesy, please do NOT attend in-person lessons if the student has a fever above 99.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Please utilize the above-mentioned options to ensure the health of participating families.

Lessons canceled by Ana Maria will be given as much notice as possible and rescheduled as needed by the end of the semester. 

Tuition is based on the number of lessons the studio schedules and will not be altered. *A student's spot will not be guaranteed for the fall term if they were not enrolled in lessons during the summer term.

VIRTUAL LESSONS

In the case of mild teacher illness, severe weather, or other conflicts, in-person lessons may be held online. When online lessons are offered, in-person make-up lessons will not be offered. 

Each student is responsible for purchasing the required music and materials for lessons. Materials will be assigned by Ana Maria, and the student will be expected to have the materials no later than two weeks after the materials have been assigned. Advanced notice will be provided whenever possible.

Parents new to Suzuki lessons will be required to read the short book, Nurtured by Love, by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki. (The older edition, Kindle, or audio formats are also acceptable.) In addition, Ana Maria will recommend other reading or audio material for the parent.

Please consult Ana Maria before making any decisions to purchase a new instrument. 

For beginners 6 years old or younger, it is expected that the parent will be learning alongside the student for the first semester. This is in line with the Suzuki Method of learning and also creates a stronger bond between the parent and child. 

COMMITMENT

When students enroll, they are reserving their place in the studio for the entire term. Changes to weekly schedules may be made on a case-by-case basis each month before tuition is due.

If the student decides to pause lessons during a semester, tuition for the remainder of the month still applies.

Fall Term - mid-August through December

Spring Term - January through mid-May

Summer Term - mid-May through August 1st

Tuition is based on the number of lessons the studio schedules and will not be altered. *Please note that a student's spot will not be guaranteed for the fall term if they were not enrolled in lessons during the summer term.

PHOTO AND VIDEO RELEASE FORM

 From time to time, I use photos and short videos of my students around the studio, on the studio website, or in social media posts. These videos and posts are encouraging to other students and helpful to other teachers. If you do not want your child's image(s) to be used, please let me know. The students are identified only by their first name.