PAYMENT
Please do your best to be consistent with monthly payments. They are due the FIRST LESSON of every month. Please don't hesitate to let me know if there's a problem. The monthly fee includes 3-4 private lessons (depending on the month) and 2 group lessons. The only time the payment is altered is if the student receives only 2 private lessons and there are no scheduled group lessons for that month.
LESSONS
If you arrive at the office and you're waiting for your lesson to begin, please get your violin out, rosin your bow, and have your music ready WITH your practice sheet from the week before. This will enable us to start a little quicker.
PRACTICING
Each week you will receive a new practice sheet in order to help you outline your practicing. Please make sure to record the length of each practice and the number of days you practiced. Make sure you bring the sheets back to me so I can file them. I am requiring at least 5 DAYS each week. Remember that the important thing about the length of your practice is that you spend however long you need to be able to complete the assignments given in the lesson. If a student comes more than 3 WEEKS in a row with less than 5 days of practice per week... we'll talk! In order to make it worth the money and the drive down, each student needs to be committed to practicing.
LISTENING
Please don't underestimate the value and importance of listening to the recordings. The new piece/s should be heard at least 30 minutes DAILY, along with the current volume being studied. Remember, the more you listen, the more you are training your ear to hear accurate pitch and articulation in each piece.
MUSIC/STRINGS
Please make sure you have ALL of your music when you come. When new music is assigned, please be quick about ordering/picking it up. Also, the strings need to be replaced once a year (twice a year if you practice a lot). I would ask that you replace the strings sometime between now and the recital.
MAKE-UP LESSONS
Due to the number of students and other obligations I have each week, it's hard to do make-up lessons on a regular basis. If a make-up lesson is necessary, it will be rescheduled sometime during the group week. Legitimate reasons for canceling lessons do not include too much homework, birthday parties, or simply forgetting. If you know you will have to miss a lesson, please contact me at least 24 hours in advance; otherwise, that lesson will not be made up, nor will the payment be adjusted. Another option, to avoid missing a lesson, is to switch the lesson time/day with another student for that week. Be sure to switch with someone that has the same length of lesson. With the consent of the parents, I will hand out a list of names and phone numbers to facilitate this.
