Studio Policy 

"If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart."
Shinichi Suzuki

Teacher Commitment


  • meet each student ‘where they are at’ and guide them forward in their individual music learning journey
  • teach the skills necessary for well-rounded musicianship: rhythm, technique, theory/reading, listening, expression 
  • foster a growth mindset via goal-setting, recognizing and building on strengths, and framing mistakes as an opportunity for learning 
  • continually strive to enrich and improve my own teaching via ongoing professional development and formative assessment
  • provide digital lesson notes targeted at specific practice goals, as well as motivational quotes and links to inspiring performances and/or instructional demonstrations 
  • organize and help students prepare for at least 2 voluntary performance experiences each year. ​​

Parent/Student Commitment

  • be punctual for arranged lesson times
  • be prepared with necessary materials
  • come to lessons ready to try their best
  • parents of children 10 and under should be present during lessons  practice between lessons (both review and new material) — a good rule of thumb is at least 4 purposeful** practice sessions per week between lessons
**Purposeful, mindful practice sessions between lessons are essential for student progress (and to keep learning fun!). These practices will look different for each student, and the best way to structure them is to use the weekly notes as a guide. Younger learners should have an older “practice partner” present  to review lesson notes and help them stay positive and focussed. ​

Tuition

What is covered?
Aside from private weekly lessons with your devoted A.R.C.T.-qualified, B.C. College of Teachers-certified instructor with 30 years of experience, tuition also goes towards weekly practice notes, recitals/music shares, and other studio expenses. Students supply their own lesson materials (books, flashcards, etc..).

​Registered lessons commence September 10th 2024 and follow the school calendar for holidays/breaks until June 19th 2025. Tuition for these 37 weeks is divided into 10 equal payments and payable by the end of the first week of each month via e-transfer.
Summer lessons may be available at a per-lesson cost (see table below).
*Note* Lessons WILL take place on district Pro-D Days.

In-Person and Online Learning 

I will offer a mix of in-person and online lessons for the 2024-25 school year.

  •  Masks are optional for students/parents in the studio (although this may change if respiratory illnesses skyrocket — we want everyone to stay healthy and I have close immunocompromised family members).
  • Please sanitize hands before entering (I’ll have some on a table outside).
  • Please do not visit the studio if you are sick. We will switch to an online Zoom or Facetime lesson format on these days. Alternatively, students may record themselves playing through everything they have worked on and I will provide feedback and next steps via video and notes.
  •  The above also applies if you have recently been exposed to someone who has tested positive for Covid.

Missed Lessons

  • Any lesson that I need to cancel will be made up at a mutually convenient time.
  • Lessons missed by students will not be made up as a rule. Given adequate advance notice we will try to arrange for an alternate time, but this is not a guarantee.
  • If a student is ill but feeling up to a lesson, we can do the lesson online via Zoom or Facetime. I only need a couple of minutes notice for this switch.
  • If a short-term injury (sprain, broken bone, etc) prevents a student from participating in lessons as normal, lessons will be adapted to accommodate the injury (for example, we might focus on the uninjured hand, or do some more music theory/history, etc.). It’s all valuable learning! If a student wishes to pause lessons as a result of a short-term injury, tuition will still be charged to maintain the spot in the studio.
  • Scheduled make-up lessons are subject to the same policies as regular lessons.

Discontinuation of Lessons

If you wish to discontinue lessons, a minimum of one month’s written notice is required.