Studio Policy

Before starting piano lessons, parents and a prospective student should schedule a free introductory meeting, called an interview.

For a beginner, during the interview we (parents and I) will decide if a child is ready to start piano lessons. For an already playing student, I will evaluate their skills and assess their level of advancement. In the interview we will establish the length of lessons (30, 45, or  60 minutes) and how often the lessons will take place (once or twice per week).

Regular and punctual attendance of the weekly lesson is of utmost importance for successful music study. When a lesson is missed, continuity is broken, interest slides downward, and the clarification of concepts is lost. In order to encourage this practice, I have the following policy:

• Lessons are only to be missed in the event of illness or an unavoidable conflict.
• Notification of any missed or canceled lesson must be made at least 24 hours in advance in order to request a make-up lesson. Each student is permitted a maximum of 2 make-up lessons per semester.
• If a student is not able to come to his/her scheduled lesson time and notifies me more than 24 hours in advance, I will try my best to switch them with another student. The earlier that I am notified, the better chance that I will be able to find another student to switch with you.
• No refunds will be made in the case that the student is unable to attend a scheduled regular or make-up lesson. Make-up lessons are not guaranteed, and will be offered at my discretion. No make-up lessons will be offered if requested less than 24 hours before a regular lesson time. Make-up lessons are to take place in the period of 2 weeks from the original lesson time, otherwise the lesson is forfeited and no refund will be issued.
• In the case that I need to reschedule your lesson, I will offer you a mutually convenient make-up lesson time.
• During the summer months of June, July, and August, students are required to pay full monthly tuition for June and July. August will serve as a make-up month for students who have missed any lessons in June or July due to travel or camps. Students are permitted to miss a maximum of four lessons during the summer . If they miss more than the allowed number of lessons without payment, their place in the studio will not be reserved for the fall semester. All make-up lessons should be completed before September.

I know the student’s process of learning piano is our work together between a student, parent, and a teacher. A student’s success relies heavily on this teamwork. For younger students, especially beginners, a parent is required to attend all the lessons. It is also vital to take notes or record lessons so when at home you can help your child by reminding what and how they are supposed to practice. The parent who attends lessons should be the primary helper for home practice.

Your responsibility is to remind, to encourage, and to motivate your child every day, but at the same time, not to push or force your child so that piano learning does not become a kind of punishment or unpleasant commitment. At the beginning, it is important to establish that playing piano is fun and it is a reward and not a dreadful obligation. Even if you have no musical knowledge, you can help your child immensely by simply being in the room with no distractions and reminding them of the assignments and goals. Note-taking or recording/videotaping during lessons is encouraged, since it will assist you in your home practice.

Feel free to ask me any questions before or during the lesson. After the lesson, I may not have the time, so in a case if you still have questions, you can text or email me. During lessons, I ask that you refrain from “coaching” your child, as it can often confuse a student to have multiple teachers simultaneously.

Students should aim to practice their assignments consistently and thoughtfully on a daily basis for a length of time that I will tell the parents.  For young beginners, I do not recommend planning the practice sessions after physical activity classes (like dance, swimming, tennis) or late in the evening because practicing when a student is tired will be inefficient. It is very important to make practicing piano a routine/habit like brushing your teeth twice a day.

I take the issue of practicing very seriously, and I expect all students to be committed to their practice time. If I feel that a student has been consistently unprepared for lessons, I address the issue with both the student and parent.

It is required for every piano student to have an instrument at home. If possible, a grand piano or a baby grand piano would be the best choice but if not, an upright piano will be prefect too. In the worst-case scenario, a digital piano would work as well. A keyboard on unstable legs, with no pedals, and with less than full range (7 octaves) is unacceptable.

A piano bench and a little foot stool for (younger students) are also required for an effective piano studying. The height of the piano bench has to be adjusted according to the student’s height with either knobs or, if it does not have them, with additional mats. I will keep parents updated on additional materials that need to be purchased like books and sheet music.

Students, especially the young ones, love to perform in front of the others. I host three recitals per year which are usually at the end of each semester. For such recitals, it is encouraged to invite family, relatives, and friends of students for them to listen to the best selections from what students learned throughout a given semester. Also, since I am a member of Houston Music Teachers Association, there are plenty of additional performance opportunities available to my students such as festivals and competitions.

I keep parents up to date about all of the events. Often times, before important festivals and competitions, small recitals for selected students are organized to give them an additional performance opportunity.

A monthly tuition will cover all lessons within the month. Tuition depends on the lesson length (30/45/60 minutes) and a number of lessons in the month. Additional costs, such as recitals, festivals, or competitions will be added to the tuition amount if needed.  It is normal if the length of a lesson is not exactly 30, 45, or 60 minutes. This is because occasionally we run a little over or stop a little early depending on what is needed on a given week. I determine the lesson length.

Parents receive a tuition statement the week before the tuition is due. Please do not edit the tuition amount on your own; contact me with questions instead. Bring the payment (a check or cash), or send it via Zelle, to the first lesson of the month. If adjustments are made for holidays, any changes will be reflected on the tuition statement.