Studio Policies 2018/2019
Lessons and Arrival:
Please park on the street and enter my studio through the back door.You may enter quietly and begin to unpack if I am finishing with another student.Parents, plan to observe your child’s lessons and take your own notes or videos to help you successfully practice at home.Students in middle school or older can begin taking their own notes in lessons, but may still appreciate their parent’s support and involvement in lessons.Siblings and other family members are welcome to quietly observe lessons.If you are running late, please call or text.Your lesson will still end at the scheduled time.Please come to all lessons prepared and ready to learn!
Group Lessons:
Group Classes are a vital part of the Suzuki approach to learning the violin.Group Classes are a time to practice review pieces, learn ensemble skills, learn or reinforce musical concepts and technique, practice performing, and make new friends who share an interest in music!Students in books 1 - 3 should plan to attend all scheduled Group Classes.Students in book 4 and above may opt out of Group Classes if they participate in their school orchestras AND the Richmond Youth Symphony.Advanced students are still encouraged to participate in group performances when available.Group classes are held at St. Luke Lutheran Church.
Practice and Listening:
Daily practice and listening is the best recipe for success and progress learning the violin.Daily practice gives the muscles and the brain plenty of opportunity to absorb and internalize the week’s assignments.While I understand families are very busy, it is still important to create a practice routine and stick to it.1 or 2 practices a week is not sufficient.Until at least age 10, parents will need to practice with your child.Older children may gradually move towards independent practicing, but often still need help structuring their time and will always need encouragement from their parents.Listening to the Suzuki CD is an important part of the weekly practice routine. Listening provides an example of beautiful violin tone and prepares the student for upcoming repertoire.If you have questions or concerns about practicing or listening, please don’t hesitate to let me know!
Website:
Our studio uses this website: www.caitlinhuntviolin.mymusicstaff.com Each family has an account they can log into to check the calendar, cancel lessons, or pay tuition balances.Although there is not an app associated with the site, you can use your device’s mobile browser to log in to My Music Staff, and add a bookmark to your home screen. This will allow you to access My Music Staff the same way you would a regular app.
Tuition:
Tuition is to be paid monthly by the 10 th .Payments submitted after the due date will incur a $10 late fee.An invoice will be emailed to you on the 1 st of the month or you may log in to the website to check your balance.Cash, checks, or online payments are accepted.
Scheduling:
Lessons for the 2018/2019 year will begin the week of September 10 th and end June 14 th .Each student has 35 scheduled lessons during the academic year (September thru June). Should I need to cancel a lesson for any reason, a make-up lesson will be arranged.If a student must miss a lesson, please use the calendar to cancel it.If you must cancel last minute, please also send me a text message.Students are permitted to make up only 3 cancelled lessons during the academic year.The last 2 weeks of June can be used for any lingering make-up lesson credits or to schedule extra lessons.
There will be 10 Group Classes scheduled during the academic year.Missed Group Classes cannot be refunded or made up.
During inclement weather, I will be in touch and we will discuss the best plan.I may choose to hold lessons even if schools are closed.
During the summer months of July and August, students may sign up for lessons as their schedule permits by using our online calendar and will pay the drop-in lesson rate.Students who participate in at least 6 summer lessons will receive priority in next Fall’s scheduling.Students who take 5 or less summer lessons will be added to my Waiting List and only accepted back into the Studio if space remains after any new students have been accepted. There will be no summer Group Classes.Summer lessons in July and August will not be made up for any reason, so schedule carefully.
If you need to discontinue lessons, please provide a written notice 30 days before the last lesson (email is acceptable).Payment is expected to cover the last 30 days of lessons, as is attendance in final lessons.
Materials: (Recommended depending on student’s level)
2018/2019 Rates and Calendar:
Tuition: Monthly tuition covers private lessons, group classes, recital fees, online payment fees, and some materials.
Recitals – Recitals will be held at St. Luke Lutheran Church.
Community Performances- Holiday performance tentatively scheduled for December 15 th .We will have 2 December Group Classes and students who would like to perform will need to attend both classes.
Group Classes – Please reserve the following dates for group classes.Classes will generally meet from 5:30pm to 6:30pm but exact times may vary depending on the needs of the group for that particular month.For example, I may ask less advanced students to come for the first part of class and more advanced students to come later. The dates in bold are deviations from our typical ‘first Friday of each month’ schedule.
Lesson Breaks:There will be no lessons on the following days: