2019 STUDIO POLICY

Music lessons are a vital part of a student’s weekly activities. Music needs commitment. I hope that you would view this document in this light. I too need to be committed to each student. This document is the business application of my commitment.

This studio policy serves as the guidelines within which this studio operates.

I request your assistance in abiding by this policy thereby helping me to run my teaching more effectively.

MATERIALS NEEDED

Each student needs to have a tutor. I will give you details in an email of which book to order. Additional materials (tutors) are ordered on a need basis.

FINANCE

1. Payment is by means of a monthly fee and not per lesson and is non-refundable. This fee reserves exclusive lesson time for each student.

2. Fees are payable monthlyin advance prior to lessons starting with a final fee due at the end of November. Please let me know if you would prefer to pay quarterly.

3. Fees are charged pro-rata for January or month of commencement of lessons.

4. Fees are to be paid electronically. Account details are at the top of this document.

5. Fees need to be deposited/paid before the 3rd of each month. If fees are paid by the 4^th of the month or later, please note the following:

a. Your fees are LATE.

b. There is a R100 per half hour slot late fee payment.

If your fees are paid late regularly, you will lose priority of your time slot for the next year.

6. Fees for books, exam fees etc are extras.

7. Students whose fees are paid quarterly, please deposit them into the savings account.

If you already pay into Capitec, please leave it as such.

8. If mothly fees are paid late more than once, you will be asked to change to a QUARTERLY PAYMENT.

New Students

All new students are placed on a probation period of three months after which lessons can be terminated in various situations.

Please note that this is extremely rare as students usually settle in very well, even after a month.

FEEs and INCREASES

Fees will increase in July by about ±10%.

NB NB NB NB

The fee structure allows me to miss 2 lessons in the year.

This is in case I am sick, need to be away or have some form of emergency, or need to attend a conference.

LESSONS

1. A lesson is one half hour lesson weekly at a scheduled time. Should a student want a double lesson, then double fees apply.

2. Lessons may be terminated if the student does not practice on a regular basis.

2. Students are expected to be punctual for lessons.

3. Should a student arrive late, the lesson will still finish at the specified time. (All my student lessons take place directly after each other so any time delay would inconvenience the other students of that day.)

4. Lessons NO LONGER take place on public holidays. The annual fees have been reduced by the amount to cover no lessons on public holidays.

5. If any lesson is missed (school activities etc), it will not be credited or made up, even if I am notified thereof. Only lessons that are missed because of emergencies will be made up.

Please do not come to your lesson sick. If you are not well enough to go to school/work, you are not well enough for the music lesson.

Should you require the lesson to be made up, it will be done at R250 per half hour (over and above fees) and only if a slot is available to to so.

6. The Studio closes for 2 weeks in April, 3 weeks in July and 1 week at the end of September School holidays). The Fees were reduced in 2017 to facilitate this change.

EXAMS

I have experienced that even when students miss lessons or do not practice sufficiently, the teacher is still expected to deliver. This is impractical and stressful for teacher and student. The following will apply from 2019.

1. Pieces must be completely learnt even if played very slowly by the end of the second term. The same applies for scales. Scales must also be known from memory.

2. If the student is not up to this standard, he/she will be withdrawn from the exam with no refund. (Exceptions will be made at the Studio’s discretion if there are valid reasons for insufficient work having been done – school outings, tests and other activities are not valid reasons.)

3. An agreement will be signed by the parent giving a commitment to a minimum practice routine of the student.

TERMINATION OF LESSONS

Should lessons need to be terminated for any reason, the following applies.

One calender months fees to be paid when student stops lessons, except from September when 2 months fees are due upon termination of lessons. (This does not apply if the full academic year is completed)

NB. If a student needs to withdraw from lessons for a short period, please note that fees are still payable if that time slot needs to be reserved.

SHEET MUSIC

Each student is to have his/her own personal tutor/sheet music at every lesson. It is not my responsibility to supply the materials or make up something if materials are left at home.

GENERAL

Each student needs his/her own piano or instrument to practice on. Students will not be enrolled unless the student has his/her own instrument.

Once a student has been accepted for music lessons it is expected thatpracticing is part of the agreement. If your son/daughter is not practicing, he/she is WASTING YOUR MONEY.

Recommended practice time per day is 15-20 minutes for beginners with time increasing as student advances.

The student is responsible for practicing as instructed.

A satisfactory, playable instrument, and parental encouragement in the organization of practice time are necessary tools of success for the student.