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Congratulations on your desire to learn an instrument! We are so excited to begin working with you. 🎉 Please make sure that you bring the following materials to each lesson:
- Your instrument (violin, viola, or cello), and your bow 🎻
- Lesson materials (all assigned instruction books and sheet music) 📚
- A 3-ring binder for lesson materials 📝
- Some divider tabs to help organize the different sections of your binder. 🗂️
Students are required to purchase their own lesson materials. This includes instruction books, sheet music, binders, tapes, pencils, notebooks, instruments, and accessories. When a student is ready to move on from their current instruction book(s), they will be notified during their lesson about which book(s) will need to be purchased next!
Supplemental materials (such as orchestra music, sight-reading materials, or “just-for-fun” pieces) are also encouraged. These will help students to further enjoy their practice time, gain new skills, learn different musical genres, and prepare for other ensembles. If a student would like to bring supplemental materials to their lesson in preparation for an upcoming performance or rehearsal, they are encouraged to do so!
For solo repertoire, our studio teaches primarily using the Suzuki method books. We will attempt to go through this entire series during our lessons together, as the Suzuki method is one of the most popular and widely accepted practices for string instrument instruction in the United States. We will also use ideas from our training in the methods and schools of Paul Rolland, Zoltán Kodály, Ivan Galamian, and more.
Please arrive at each lesson with your instrument tuned and ready to go, so we can make the most of your lesson time!
Our studio uses an online software called MyMusicStaff to log practice time, attendance, scheduling, studio announcements, online resources, and more. During the onboarding process, parents and students will be sent a link to create an account. You can log in to MyMusicStaff at any time using the Student Login page on this website. We encourage you to log into MyMusicStaff often and take advantage of the resources we have stored in there!
Students should plan to take 30- or 45-minute lessons when they first begin their study. As a beginner, many of the songs we play are shorter in length and require less instruction time. As a student advances, however, a longer lesson becomes necessary as our pieces get longer and techniques take longer to grasp.
Students can increase their lesson length at any time. As a general rule of thumb, students should plan to take 45-minute lessons once they reach Suzuki book 3 or 4 and a 60-minute lesson once they reach Suzuki book 4 or 5.
Students should plan to practice at least 5 days per week in order to make consistent progress and see results. For beginners, we recommend practicing for about 30 minutes each day. For intermediate students, plan on 45-90 minutes. Advanced students should practice between 2 and 3 hours per day. Individual practice time can be logged through MyMusic Staff under the “Practice Log” tab.
Here are a few tips to make the most out of your practicing sessions!
Parent observation in lessons is highly encouraged, especially for younger students. Parents are always welcome to ask for advice on the best way to aid their child’s learning. If parents are observing a lesson, they should remain quiet during the instruction. This is a perfect time to take notes and gain ideas for how to help your child at home during the week!
We are happy to review lesson assignments with parents and answer any questions they have after the lesson. Please don't be afraid to ask! We are also willing to modify our teaching approach at any time if you notice that your child could benefit from another style of instruction.
For students under the age of 16, communication about lessons and scheduling will always be directed to the student’s parent(s).
If your student has any disabilities or learning impairments, please let us know during the onboarding process so your teacher can adjust for individual student needs.
Your tuition purchases a specific slot in your teacher's schedule and will not be refunded if you are late or absent. We want you to take advantage of every lesson!
Occasionally, you may need to miss your scheduled lesson time due to illness, a vacation, or another conflicting event. In these situations, we can schedule a make-up lesson as long as you give at least 24 hours’ notice of your absence. Please make attending your lessons a priority!
Students who give at least 24 hours advance notice of an absence due to illness or another situation are eligible for a make-up lesson which can be rescheduled at any point within 365 days of the absence.
Students who give less than 24 hours' notice of an absence, or do not give notice for an absence, forfeit that lesson and are not eligible for a make-up lesson.
Make-up lessons can be scheduled online through the MyMusicStaff portal. To schedule a make-up lesson, navigate to the Calendar tab and click on one of the available “Open Lesson” slots. Finally, click on the “Register” button and you will be scheduled for your make-up!
Please note that no lessons will be held on the following occasions:
Any other lessons can be scheduled and rescheduled according to your individual needs and preferences!
Sometimes our teachers may be out of town, playing a gig, or otherwise unable to teach during your scheduled lesson time. Depending on the situation, we may ask to reschedule your lesson for another time during the week or cancel it for that week altogether. You will receive at least one week’s advance notice in either case and will always have the option to schedule a makeup lesson for a later date!
Students who are tardy to their lesson by 15 minutes or more will forfeit that lesson. While we understand that accidents and emergencies happen, no rescheduled lessons will be offered for lessons when the student is more than 15 minutes late.
Students who are less than 15 minutes tardy will receive instruction for the duration of their lesson time slot. Lessons will not go over their allotted time to make up for student tardiness.
We love providing virtual lessons for the families in our studio! There are many great advantages to doing online lessons, such as:
- Greater flexibility with scheduling/rescheduling lessons 🗓️
- Saving drive time, especially driving during peak hours of the day and when there is bad weather ❄️
- Attending lessons when you may not be feeling well 🤒
- Joining your lesson from any location 🏝️
- And more!
Don't hesitate to reach out to your teacher on the day of your lesson if you'd like to switch to a virtual lesson. We will accommodate your preference for an online lesson whenever one is needed.
That said, please treat online lessons as the exception rather than the "go-to" format for weekly lessons! Limitations with online lessons include:
- Teacher and student are unable to play together/play at the same time (this affects our ability to play duets, do intonation work, work with drones, etc.) 🎼
- Connectivity/internet issues can waste valuable lesson time 🛜
- No opportunity for hands-on adjustments, which can save time and offer clarity when learning new concepts 😕
- Teacher cannot quickly write anything in the student's music (fingerings, bowings, tempo markings, etc.) ✍️
- More distractions at home vs. attending lessons in a focused and calm studio space 🧘♀️
During lessons, our teachers may use physical adjustments to help the student achieve more proper technique. These will include small hands-on corrections that alter the student’s hold of the bow, left-hand fingers, elbow height, etc. If you are uncomfortable with having the teacher use physical touch during lessons, be sure to communicate this by letting us know during the onboarding process, “I am not comfortable with physical adjustments in (my/my student’s) lessons.”
Our studio is a space where we want you to feel comfortable and respected. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you feel uncomfortable during a lesson!
Tuition is non-refundable once it has been paid. Tuition is due by the 3rd day of each month and is the same amount monthly, regardless of the number of lessons received. In other words, tuition for our studio is not prorated.
A $10 late fee will be charged for any payments made after the 3rd day of the month, and an additional $10 late fee will be applied for any payments made after the 7th day of the month.
Prior to the beginning of each month, an invoice will be automatically emailed as a reminder that your payment is coming up! With standard 30, 45, and 60-minute lessons, the pricing breakdown is as follows:
Students may receive between 2 and 5 lessons per month, with one of those lessons being a monthly group class, recital, or masterclass! Tuition prices remain consistent throughout the year regardless of holidays, summer vacations, and other planned absences. Paying for your lessons on a subscription-type basis allows us to be more flexible as teachers and offer additional value to families in the studio.
In addition to your weekly private lessons, your regular tuition price includes:
For those who prefer to attend lessons less frequently (typically every other week rather than weekly), tuition will be adjusted as follows:
Those who take lessons bimonthly may receive fewer lessons when a masterclass, group class, or recital is to be held. Tuition for all students is collected electronically through MyMusicStaff, which uses Stripe to process payments. You will have the option to pay with either a debit/credit card (includes a 3% transaction fee) or a bank transfer (no transaction fee).
There is an auto-pay feature available on MyMusicStaff that you are welcome to set up if you would like your monthly tuition payments to be processed automatically. Auto-pay can be nice if you don't want to worry about forgetting payments or paying late fees!
With auto-pay, all transactions are processed through Stripe so your information is 100% safe and secure. As always, you will receive an invoice a few days before your payment becomes due so you know exactly how much your card will be charged.
To set up AutoPay for your account, all you'll need to do is log into MyMusicStaff and click on your name in the top right-hand corner. Choose the option that says, "Profile Settings."
On the right side of that page is a space where you can link a bank account or add a card. Once you've entered your information, click the box at the bottom of the form that says, "Automatically pay emailed invoices." That’s it!
*Please note that Stripe charges a 3.5% non-refundable transaction fee for online payments made with a debit or credit card. If you prefer to pay via a bank transfer, your transaction will not incur any additional fees!
Students are expected to continue lessons in the summertime, as this is a perfect time to get in some extra practice and make a ton of progress! Lessons in our studio work the same way year-round. We do not offer special programs or promotions during the summer months.
Each year, students are invited to participate in a studio-wide "Summer Practice Challenge" from June through August, where they compete to see who can practice the most hours before school starts again. It is one of our favorite annual traditions that we hope you will look forward to!
If a student would like to schedule an extra lesson during the week of a masterclass, competition, audition, group class, or recital, they may do so at the following rates:
- $35 for a 30-minute lesson
- $50 for a 45-minute lesson
- $60 for a 60-minute lesson
Extra lessons can be helpful when preparing for a special event if you don't have any make-up credits available and want some extra help on your pieces!
Intent to discontinue or pause lessons must be given with at least 2 weeks (14 days) of advance notice or tuition for the next month will be charged and not refunded. Please be aware of this policy if you plan to take time off of lessons during a given time of year!
Even if you take a multi-week vacation or an entire month off of lessons, you will still be required to pay tuition. This allows us to hold your spot in the studio.
If you’d prefer to take time off of lessons without having to pay, your spot in the studio will not be held or reserved. Thrive Music Studio reserves the right to enroll students from the studio’s waiting list any time a new spot becomes available.
Studio recitals will be held at least 3 times each year. Recitals will typically be held sometime in the Spring, at the end of the summer, and around Christmas time in December. All students will be encouraged to participate in studio recitals, as it will take the place of their regular lesson for the week.
There are no additional fees associated with recitals. The teacher's time, rental of a recital hall, accompanist fees, refreshments, and any associated costs will be covered by your regular monthly tuition!
Students are encouraged to take recitals seriously, as they provide wonderful insights into what we’ve learned so far, and what future goals we’d like to set with our playing. Students will be asked to memorize their pieces and perform with an accompanist, when possible.
The dress code for any recital is business attire or "Sunday best."
Masterclasses are held 4 to 6 times per year and offered at no additional cost to students. Studio masterclasses focus on topics relevant to students of every age and level, such as practice techniques, instrument care, improvisation, performance strategies, music history, music theory, and other topics which are not normally covered in traditional 30-minute lessons.
If a student cannot attend a masterclass live, recordings will always be made available in the “Online Resources” tab in MyMusicStaff. Private lessons will not be held during the week of a masterclass, as the masterclass will count as the student’s lesson for that week.
Group classes will be held up to 5 times each year. Students will be assigned a group class at the time of enrollment based on their experience level (beginner, intermediate, advanced, or adult learner) and attend classes with other students of that instrument. Group classes are a great time to gain performance experience, collaborate with others, and learn "pedagogical" pieces that aren't typically covered in a private 1-on-1 lesson.
During group classes, students will have the chance to meet other like-minded musicians and join a community of friends who share similar goals. Since there is no substitute for attending a group class live and in-person, make-up lessons will not be offered when you are unable to attend a group class.
Note: Whereas masterclasses are held studio-wide, group classes are specific to age and experience level.
Students are highly encouraged to attend as many local concerts and performances as their circumstances allow. There is no better way to learn the language of music than by immersing yourself in it!
As a music student, we want you to be active in your community by supporting local community and professional orchestras, solo artists, chamber groups, university groups, and more. Every time you attend a concert, you are invited to send us a short email talking about how it went! At the end of each month, a prize will be given to one student at random who submitted a concert report. 😊
Parents and students are welcome to contact us anytime during the week if they have questions about scheduling, practicing, assignments, recitals, and any other music-related questions! Communications can be made through our main email address (kaitlin@thrivemusic.co), through your private teacher, and/or through Facebook.
