Lesson Formats

Traditional “On the Bench” face to face lesson 

30 minute lesson for beginners/first year students
45 minute lesson required for second year students

"Off the Bench” learning activities 

OTB sessions are scheduled for 15 minutes. Anticipate a minimum $5 fee/session.

Video lessons

The price of the package is about 50% of the cost of regular tuition.  

Calendar

My studio calendar tracks pretty closely with the local schools. Fall semester will begin the second week of public school. The piano studio is closed during the school holidays, as well as during federal holidays.  

Schedule

Fall (August – December):  Around 15 lessons and one flex week

Spring (January – May):  Around 18 lessons and one flex week

Summer (June – August):  First week of June until the middle of July

Piano studio is closed from mid-July through the beginning of August.

Take this portion of the summer as an absolutely perfect time to pursue video lessons.

About Flex weeks

Additional obligations beyond my piano studio may require occasional travel, meaning that there will be no lessons. Rather than working our multiple schedules to provide make up lessons, I schedule flex weeks. You will not be charged for these weeks that I do not teach.

Summer Lessons

Students have the option of lesson packages, according to your availability and your goals. You pay for only the number of lessons that you want to take. 

Fees

Annual Registration 

Your registration fee reserves your space in the studio schedule. As other parents pay registration fees, your student will receive priority in scheduling. Realistically, first come, first served.

Students are registered for the full school year.  

Furthermore, the student registration fee contributes towards the resources which I continually purchase for my students. My rhythm instruments, the Boomwhackers, animal figures, the digital keyboard, spiral binding system, photocopies, not to mention all the music licenses and books which I purchase to have available for your child! These are all examples of resources which I purchase for you.  

This year I anticipate investing in further tech tools to better facilitate your receiving a lesson from home on a sick day. I’m in the process of producing materials to be used as a “flipped classroom” format, preparing both stills and instructional videos for my students, and creating a YouTube channel for the studio.

Furthermore, I invest time each week in continuing education hours and webinars in order to grow in my skills, knowledge, and insight as your child’s music educator/facilitator. 

Tuition - Option 1 = Monthly

To help simplify your life, I would encourage you to set up online bill pay for piano lessons, whether through your bank or PayPal. Setting up a recurring payment will save you considerable time, because you can set it up at the beginning of the school year and not have to remember it again! No more forgetting your checkbook or extra trips to drop off payment. Plus, you’ll have the advantage of the savings incentive which I offer for doing so.  

The monthly payment amount is divided evenly between the 10 months from August to May inclusive. Whether there are 5 or 2 lessons in a given month, the tuition fee is exactly the same.

Tuition - Option 2 = One Payment per Semester

New Students starting mid-semester will have the first month’s tuition prorated.

Families should expect a yearly increase in tuition appropriate to cost of living increases, expenses, and services offered.

If payment is not received by the second lesson of the month... no lesson will be given. Should something come up where you cannot financially fulfill your commitment to your lessons, advanced notice and open, ongoing communication is appreciated and encouraged!

These rates are approximate. Anticipate annual increase in tuition.

Payment options

   - Checks payable to Melinda Denigan

   - Online payment with PayPal

Cancellations,

Missed Lessons,

Terminations

Illness and skype Lessons

Students who are ill should not come to piano lessons.  If students are only mildly ill, please contact me and we will do a FaceTime, Skype lesson, or even a phone session.  Although you are not physically in my studio, the time can still be used constructively. (My ENT once told me, “A runny nose is fine;  a cough is not fine.” ) Technology facilitated lessons are also very useful for students who cannot attend due to family illness, poor weather, conflicting schedules such as working around a sports event, etc. 

Replacement Video Lessons 

Too sick to FaceTime? I’ll record a short video lesson for you. Recording will be done during your normal lesson time. I can send the video to you by uploading it to Google Drive or Dropbox, and then the link for the lesson will be emailed to you. I will email the link within 48 hours.

Please let me know by 12:00 pm of your normal lesson day that you will need a video lesson so I can prepare accordingly before I start teaching for the day. If you have a morning lesson, then I will need at least a 15-30 minute notice.

I do have your student’s assignment sheet. I do not, however, know how much content you have covered the past week. Please inform me as to the progress on the practice. Otherwise, I will be adding supplemental pieces only to your practice week and not reviewing/discussing previous content.

If you need practice tips on a current piece, it is your responsibility to send me a video link of you playing it. This needs to be done at least 24 hours in advance of the lesson. Otherwise, I will be assigning new pieces in the video lesson.

Cancellations

A student who does not attend a lesson will simply miss the benefit of that lesson. I will use that time or other times to plan for the student’s progress, locate materials, etc.  Please be assured that your tuition pays for far more than the time spent with your child. There are no refunds, discounts or makeups given unless I am hindered from teaching the promised number of lessons. The tuition you pay reserves an exclusive weekly time in my schedule for your child.  

Although I do not technically do makeup lessons, I do recognize that events happen such as flat tires, broken bones, babies being born and the like. Consequently, I schedule group activities which could be considered a replacement. If I have a core number of students, I will hold workshops on topics such as “Improvisation,” and “Feel the Beat off the Seat,” and “A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.”

Termination of Lessons

Students are automatically enrolled for the entire school year. If a student must terminate lessons before May, please give me one month’s written notice. If, after providing notice, you decide not to attend that final month of lessons, you are still required to provide the final month of tuition.  This notification will allow me to enroll another student on the waiting list.