Fees and Terms

Cancellation Policies and Tuition Payment:

The monthly tuition fee is due on the first lesson of each month for the coming month, or the date listed on the invoice. Invoices are issued via online invoicing. Fees received more than seven days later than the due date listed on the invoice are subject to a $25 late fee.

Individual Absences:

8 excused absences are allowed per calendar year, with 24 hours advanced notification by text message or email. This means that the excused lesson will be refunded, credited forward, or rescheduled at no additional cost, except during new student probation.

New Students may receive no more than 3 excused absences during their first four months of study, with 24 hours advanced notification. New students exceeding 3 excused absences during their first four months of study must pay for additional missed lessons if they wish to continue.

When a student is not feeling well, or a member of their household has a fever, they must do online lessons via Zoom, FaceTime, phone, or recording if the other options don’t work.

Student may also do online lessons while traveling.
If no make up option can be scheduled, students may do their lesson via recording.

In addition, when a weekly lesson occurs five times in one month, the student will only be charged for 4 lessons. This extra lesson can serve as a make up lesson or make up lesson in advance.

After a student has exhausted their 3/8 allowed absences if they wish to continue lessons, they will need to pay for all canceled lessons for the remainder of the calendar year. This does not apply to properly notified “extended vacations.” Please see below.

LESSONS CANCELED WITH LESS THAN 24 HOURS NOTICE ARE NOT REFUNDED, CREDITED TOWARDS NEXT MONTH’S LESSONS, OR MADE UP WITH OUT PAYING FOR THE MAKEUP LESSON IN ADDITION. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO RECITAL FEES.

Extended Leave/Vacations:

Each student may take one extended vacation or leave of absence per calendar year. Extended leaves are vacations or leaves lasting more than 3 weeks and lasting up to 6 weeks. Two weeks Notice must be given before the first missed lesson of the extended Leave/Vacation. A deposit in an amount equal to two lessons must be paid to reserve the lesson time. This will serve as tuition for the first two lessons after returning. Only one extended leave is allowed per calendar year. The missed lessons accrued during an extended leave will not count towards the 8 allowed absences unless the leave will cause the total absences to exceed 12 in a calendar year. If missed lessons during an extended leave will cause the student to miss more than 12 lessons during the calendar year, the lessons must be paid for and scheduled as make up or recorded lessons.

Quitting Lessons:

Four weeks notice is required for quitting lessons, whether planning to return to lessons at a later date, or permanently quitting. The last four lessons must be scheduled and paid for if not already covered in a monthly invoice.

Excessive absences and serial cancelations may lead to dismissal from the studio.

If the instructor misses a lesson, one of three things occurs:

• You will not be charged for the lesson, or the next month’s fee is reduced in the amount of the missed lesson.
•  OR Arrangements will be made to make up the time by extending future lessons or arranging for a separate makeup lesson.
• If the instructor is absent due to a prescheduled performance or vacation, the missed lesson will be discounted from the monthly fee at the beginning of the month.

Practice, Sheet Music/Tracks, Attendance:

Students are expected to practice their warm ups and music on their own between lessons. Students should practice daily. DAILY PRACTICE will bring the best results. Singing is a physical activity, and as is true of other forms of physical exercise, practice is essential and MUST be done at least every other day in order for any progress to occur. The amount of daily practice time will vary between students based on their age, goals, and vocal development. This will be discussed and agreed upon in lessons. Practice may include silent study, visualization, focused listening/viewing. Do not practice vocally for more than 2 hours daily as this can bring on vocal fatigue and hoarseness. This includes choral and rehearsal singing.

Students/parents will be advised to purchase sheet music in a timely manner. Downloadable sheet music should be made available by the student or family by the next lesson. If there is some difficulty obtaining the music, the instructor must be notified. Students should have their sheet music organized, and accompaniment tracks cued and ready to go to save time at lessons. A binder should be purchased in which the sheet music is kept. Music books and binders must be brought to every lesson.

Students are expected to attend their lessons regularly. If a pattern of absences occurs, the teacher and student/parents will discuss the problem. There is no point in paying for lessons that the student is not able to attend. If the irregular attendances continue, the student may be dropped from the studio.

Communication:

Communication is key to building the student-teacher relationship in which the student can thrive and flourish. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Depending on the issue it may be best addressed during lesson time, or a separate phone call, email, or text message. Please be advised that if issues are raised during the last few minutes of a lesson, lesson time cannot be extended to address issues verbally.

Medical Vocal Issues:

If there are physical conditions such as ongoing hoarseness, chronic vocal fatigue, sore throat, or allergies, that impede the singing and speaking voice, medical attention must be sought out. If medical attention is recommended by the instructor, it must be obtained in a timely manner. If access to a physician specializing in vocal care is not available, lessons may be put on hold until the care can be obtained to avoid further and possibly serious vocal injury and damage.