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§1. CANCELLATIONS: Please think and plan ahead, and remember your lesson time. If you need to cancel a lesson, make every effort to give teacher as much notice as possible, at least 24 hours. Makeup lessons are not given without 24 hour notice.
§2. DISMISSALS: If a change needs to be made, teacher would like the opportunity to say goodbye on a pleasant note, wish the student well, and tell them how happy I was to have the opportunity to work with them.
§3. ILLNESS: Teacher recognizes that—especially with small children—it is not always possible to know in advance if your child is going to be feeling ill. Please do not bring children to lessons if they are running a fever or ill.
§4. INSTRUMENTS: Students are by no means required to purchase an instrument from me, but reasonably priced instruments are available for students who want them. Please click here for description and price of instruments. My policy is that a student instrument may be upgraded to a larger size at no additional costs, except that if the instrument needs strings, bow rehaired or other costs, that cost will be covered by the student (not the teacher).
§5. FEES: Lesson fees are due on or by the sixth of every month, with a $5.00 late fee. If new students start during the month, fees may be prorated for that month.
§6. LESSON TIME: Please be on time, neither early nor late. Parents must accompany all students under age 12, and please pick up older ones on time.
§7. MAKEUPS: With a waiting list and fully booked schedule, make-up lessons are not always possible. You are paying for the teacher's time, not the lesson, per se. 24 hour notice is required to schedule a makeup. Long term students, frequently professional people, do have the option of a second, optional lesson time.
§8. PARENTS: Please observe carefully and have a clear idea of what your student is expected to work on during the week. Please wait until the end of the lesson, however, to ask questions; it is too confusing for a child to take direction from two adults at the same time. Also, help me by picking up any toys your child may have left on the floor. Teacher is not responsible for any items left in studio.
§9. PARKING: Please park on the street and not in anyone's driveway.
§10. RECITALS: Recitals will occur regularly, usually twice a year. Format is informal, and free to the public.
§11. RETAINERS: The flat monthly fee covers four lessons, and occasionally five, per month—except for November and December, when it covers three lessons. Regardless of the number of lessons you receive in a month, the fee remains the same. No monthly refund will be given, once lessons are started.
§12. TIME-OUT:
- The studio runs on a year-around basis, with only one week off in December and one week off in November.
- It is normal, however, for students to request one or two weeks or even a month off in the summer, for vacation. No fees will be requested during these times if teacher is given a month's notice in advance.
The key here is: "give the teacher notice." The further ahead I am informed of your plans, the more I am able to protect the needs of the student, and I will appreciate your courtesy. Please: no 24 hour notices of major changes.
How can I get my child to practice
This is often, for parents, a very serious and sometimes troubling issue in music study. They should be told that it is normal for students to not want to practice, and home practice should be supervised by the parents until the child is older and has developed more independence. There is an excellent book about this: How to get your child to practice without resorting to violence. In general, the recommendations in the book include:
Remain calm but firm; don't nag, threaten, get angry, or give up. Brushing teeth is not optional, and neither is practicing. 10 minutes a day is fine at the beginning.
Create a musical environment: this will include listening to the Suzuki CD's, other CD's of classical music or other musics, going to concerts, and listening to NPR (National Public Radio) programs with classical music. Have music on all the time, or at least during meals and before bedtime.
Make it fun and enjoyable. Let the child be happy and loved at all times. Never make being loved contingent on whether they practice, or whether they do well.
Use lots of praise, even for the smallest thing, and even if it sounds awful. There is always something positive to say: "You really worked hard" "That sounded pretty good" "That was much better than last time." No negative or derogatory remarks!!
Recommended Reading
For parents:
Johnson, Philip: The Practice Revolution: Getting great results from the six days between lessons
Gottman, John; Declair, Joan: Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child
Sprunger, Edward: Helping Parents Practice: Ideas for Making It Easier See also: Podcast
Suzuki, Shinichi: Nurtured by Love: The Classic Approach to Talent Education
Suzuki, Shinichi: Ability Development from Age Zero
Richards, Cynthia: How to get your child to practice without resorting to violence
Fink, Lorraine:
A Parent's guide to String Instrument Study
Morris, Carroll:
Suzuki Parent's Diary: Or How I Survived My First 10,000 Twinkles
Starr, William, Constance Star:
To Learn With Love: A Companion for Suzuki Parents
Nathan, Amy:
Young Musician's Survival Guide (for older children, middle school and up)
See also: Extensive list of Suzuki materials
For adult students:
Adams, Noah:
Piano Lessons: Music, Love, and True Adventures
Cooke, Charles:
Playing the Piano for Pleasure
Green, Barry and W. Timothy Gallwey:
Inner Game of Music
Holt, John:
Never Too Late: My Musical Life Story
Judy, Stephanie:
Making Music for the Joy of It: Enhancing Creativity Skills and Musical Confidence
Ristad, Eloise:
A Soprano on Her Head: Right-Side-Up Reflections on Life and Other Performances
Wilson, Frank:
Tone Deaf and All Thumbs?: An Invitation to Music-Making
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