Studio Policy:

Thank you for your interest in furthering your music education through private lessons. I am delighted to be working with you and your child. Below outlines my policies regarding attendance, payment, materials, and expectations. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me. Thank you again for enrolling your child in saxophone lessons. 

My Music Staff Account:

If you haven't already set up your My Music Staff lessons account, please follow the instructions here.

  • include an email addresses for students that is not their school email so they can receive lesson notes, concert announcements and more! You also include a cell phone to receive text reminders for lessons.

Absence, Cancelations, Make-Ups, Credits:

  • Lesson enrollment is for the duration of the school year. Your 33 lessons are divided into 9 monthly payments due at the first of the month.

  • If I am not able to teach you during your assigned lesson time, you will be assigned a make-up lesson on another day (typically a make-up day at the end of the semester.

  • If the student is not able to attend a lesson due to illness, tests, performances, trips, appointments, or any other school-related or personal conflicts, it is the students responsibility to notify the teacher of the absence with 48 hours of advance notice (illness is handled case by case). You will be given a make-up credit and the student is responsible for using that credit to sign up for a make-up lesson on the calendar. The assigned make-up days may be accessed here. Unused make-up credits may be used for summer lesson credits.

Payment Policy:

  • Lesson tuition: is based on the number of lessons scheduled in the school year, billed by your lesson rate, and divided into even monthly payments that are due on the 1st of each month.

  • You can sign up for the auto-payment feature on you My Music Staff Account. Follow instructions for setting up Auto-Pay here.

  • You will receive electronic invoices via email. Lesson tuition invoices can be paid with PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or check.

  • Tuition is due by the 15th of every month to avoid a late fee ($20). If late payments exceed three, families will be asked to enroll in the auto-pay feature on your lessons account.

PRACTICE makes PERFECT!

Improving as a result of private lessons boils down to 30% what the teacher can reveal about the student’s playing/practicing and 70% what the student does to improve on a regular basis.

To see improvements, students and parents should commit to 40-60 minutes of efficient practices daily. What is efficient practice?

Equipment:

There is a lot, and I mean a lot of equipment out there for saxophone, and the majority of it is not appropriate for the sound we are looking for in band. Please contact me before purchasing any equipment that we have not talked about, especially mouthpieces and saxophones. I am a huge equipment nerd and I have wasted enough of my time and money on things that you shouldn't have to! I'm happy to advise on what I think it best for you student specifically, and am more than happy to test any mouthpieces or saxophones before you buy them. 

Maintenance:

Your student's saxophone will require maintenance twice a year at minimum (I suggest the beginning of Winter and Summer breaks). I also ask advanced students to take their instruments in before a big performance, audition, or competition. The kids put a lot of hours on these horns, and they are constantly traveling with them, both in the case to and from school, as well as out of the case during rehearsals/sectionals/dress rehearsals/concerts/etc, and it will cause the instrument to come out of adjustment and make it difficult to play. These bands perform at a high level across the board and the students need instruments in good working condition to be able to play the things we usually ask them to. With regular maintenance, costs will stay low (usually $25-50 per visit) and your kid's instrument will be easy to play!

Other Available Services:

  • Instrument Cleaning $150: I can provide a cleaning service.Your instrument will be completely disassembled, cleaned and oiled (all moving parts), I also can sometimes provide minor repairs. If I am not able to make repairs, I will tell you what needs attention and recommend a visit to one of the above shops. Email me to schedule an instrument cleaning.

Required Materials: 

  • Metronome and Tuner:

  • either the standard Korg model used in beginning band or consider adding the Tonal Energy app to your phone or ipad.

  • Reeds:

    Students should have more than 1 box of reeds at all times, if the number gets down to 6 working (alto) or 3 (tenor/bari) working reeds, another box must be purchased. If you are not sure what kind to buy or where to buy them, I have links on my webpage for easy purchase, just ask your child what strength he/she is playing on to make sure you order the right kind. 

  • Pencil and Practice Journal:

  • The student is required to keep track of weekly assignments and practice progress with either a spiral note book, school issued practice journal/sheet.

  • Books and materials:

  • Each student will be working with 1-2 books and a fundamentals packet in lessons that will be assigned during the first lesson. 90% of the time you can purchase these materials directly from me. If you cannot, I can send a link to purchase online OR here is an Amazon Shopping List.

  • Beginner students (6th grade) will be using the book "A Good Reed" that will be delivered to your first lesson ($18).