Tuition/Studio Policies | Christy's Studio

Tuition: Monthly fee

45 minute Lesson - $140 monthly (30 minute Lesson PLUS 15 minute lab)

75 minute Lessons - $280 monthly (60 minute Lesson PLUS 15 minute lab)

(Schedule your first lesson free on our scheduling page)

Please Note: Christy also teaches online!

Studio Policies:

Lessons:

Music lessons are given weekly following a yearly calendar in 45 and 75 minute increments. Each lesson consists of a 30 or 60 minute lesson with Christy and a 15 minute music lab where students will deepen their knowledge of Note Reading, Rhythm, Music Theory and so much more!
Please be on time dropping off your student and when picking them up. Plan on arriving no more than 5 minutes early and picking up no later than 5 minutes after your student's lesson has ended.
Arrive at your lesson with all needed materials-Music, Assignment sheet, etc.

Payment:

Lesson balances are to be paid on the first day of each month. Payments can be made through cash, check (please make payable to Christy's Music Studio), Zelle (480-3654) or PayPal. This amount does not change if you need to miss a lesson.
There is a 5 day grace period after which a $15 late fee is assessed.

Absences:

For students to be successful and enjoy their lesson experience, it is important that attendance is consistent. That being said, there will be times when a student will need to miss a lesson due to illness or unavoidable circumstances (i.e., a school concert or family vacation). For those rare occasions, the following options are available as long as I receive prior notice:

If your student is sick, but feeling well enough to do a lesson, we can do a Zoom or Facetime lesson during their regularly scheduled lesson time.
If you know in advance you will be missing a lesson, submit a video recording of what was prepared during the week. I will view and assign new lesson material for the upcoming week during your scheduled lesson time. (This option requires a minimum of 24 hours notice )
Students can receive a "Video Lesson" with a challenge for them to complete during the week. This lesson can include theory material, a new piece for them to work on during the week, games, etc.
For ALL absences, please let Christy know by text (480-365-9694) so she won't worry something happened to you!

There are no refunds for unscheduled/missed lessons

Group Classes:

Group classes will be held at least two times per year. These classes take the place of the student's regularly scheduled lesson for the week. The group lesson experience is an opportunity for students to come together and have fun learning about and playing music with kids of their same age. These classes will generally last between 1 1/2- 2 hours in length.

Performance Opportunities:

There will be at least two recitals a year for students to perform in along with other performance opportunities such as Music in the Mall, Arizona Study Program, Piano Ensemble. Fiddler's Fest, etc.

Discontinuing Lessons:

Every student stops taking lessons at some point. Please make this decision thoughtfully with plenty of discussion between the teacher, parent, and student so that lessons can cease with a positive sense of closure. Because tuition includes much more than the reserved lesson time, the studio requires a one week written and paid notice before the end of the month. The student must finish the remainder of the month paid in full or forego any unused lessons, as there are no refunds given. If appropriate, a parent/student teacher conference may be scheduled before the last lesson to establish if this might be a temporary setback that can be resolved.

Miscellaneous:

Email or text is the best and preferred way to reach me. If you need to cancel a lesson at the last minute, please text. I check my email several times a day. I let voicemail take calls during lessons.
Please allow 24 hours for me to respond to your messages-longer on weekends. I will get back to you as soon as possible within business hours.
Be certain your piano is tuned and in good condition. It is very discouraging to play on an out-of-tune instrument. Putting off tuning is not cost effective; a piano, which is very out of tune, will most likely require several tunings over a period of weeks or months to bring it back to pitch. I am happy to recommend tuners/technicians.
If your child is starting on a keyboard it is recommended that it be touch sensitive, have a pedal, and have at least 61 keys or more. Please be aware that this will only get them through the first year, maybe two. An electronic keyboard severely limits the technical and musical skills a student can practice on at home. After that you will want/need to invest in either a full size-88 key acoustic piano or a good digital piano with weighted keys to get the full benefit of piano lessons.
String players: It is important that a student has a quality instrument to learn on. In the world of string playing, cheaper is not always better. Please consult with Christy before renting or purchasing an instrument for your child.
Long fingernails preclude the development of good piano/string technique, so please be sure they are trimmed no longer than the end of the finger! This is necessary preparation for every lesson. If they are too long, we may use the lesson time to study theory. (A basketball player wouldn’t play in high heels!)
Parents, siblings and friends are welcome to observe lessons as long as it is quiet. Please silence all cell phones. Additional children must be under the supervision of an adult.

My Responsibility:

My responsibility to the student is to provide an atmosphere for learning and a well-balanced musical education. Professional standards will be maintained and definite goals will be established for each student. It is my goal to give your child the best possible music education. I belong to professional organizations, attend workshops and educational programs, subscribe to professional publications, and engage in other activities on a continuing basis in order to provide opportunities for professional growth and enhance my own teaching skills.