POLICIES & FAQ's

PRIVATE LESSONS

30-minutes $990 semester two, 2024 ($55 per lesson, 17 lessons + fall recital)

*$880 for Monday students

45-minutes $1,476 semester one, 2024 ($82 per lesson, 17 lessons + fall recital)

*$1,312 for Monday students

*Monday students will have two fewer lessons due to holidays and tuition will be adjusted accordingly.

STUDIO FEE

$70 per semester (charged in January and July)

The studio fee helps cover our legendary prize box, recital costs, studio supplies, etc.  

Upon signing up for lessons, the expectation is that you will continue for the full semester. 

Semester one is January-May and semester two is June-December.  

Tuition is charged quarterly (January and March for semester one, July and October for semester two). 

Payment via Venmo is preferred (@stephthomas33).

Reach out to me if you’d prefer a different method.

CALENDAR
Lessons in the studio go year-round, and are divided into two semesters. 

Semester two will run from June 10-December 16, 2024. 

Semester two includes 3 summer lessons that can be scheduled online according to your availability. Students who aren’t around for summer lessons should take advantage of group classes and make-up weeks during the school year. 

Please note the following important dates for this semester. 

JUNE, JULY & AUGUST 

Summer lessons available - book online.

Monday, August 26th - school year lesson schedule begins.

SEPTEMBER 

Monday, September 2 - NO LESSONS (Labor Day)

OCTOBER

Monday, October 14 - NO LESSONS (Indigenous People’s Day)

October 21, 22, 24- Group Class Week (No regular lessons, each student should sign up for one group class this week in place or regular lessons)

Wednesday, October 23- NO LESSONS

Sunday, October 27- MONSTER CONCERT (Fall Recital)

4:30pm, The Lab (2948 16th Street)

Monday-Friday, October 28- November 1- NO WEEKDAY LESSONS (YES Saturday lessons)

NOVEMBER

Monday, November 11 - NO LESSONS (Veterans Day)

November 23-30 - NO LESSONS (Thanksgiving Break, please note this includes two Saturdays)

DECEMBER 

Monday, December 16 - Last semester lesson

December 17-18 - Make-up lessons as needed 

MAKE-UP LESSONS

Students will be offered three make-up lesson opportunities (in addition to group classes) per semester which can be used for any reason (travel, illness, etc.). These must be scheduled through the online booking calendar. Anything over three missed lessons cannot be made up and must be paid for. No-shows can not be made up. Saturday students needing to shuffle lesson times here and there due to sports games may coordinate that with me directly. Saturday shuffles won’t be counted against the three allotted make-up lessons unless a different day is needed. 

In the event of illness or emergency, just reach out to me as soon as you can and I’ll work with you. In the event that I need to cancel, I will either reschedule or refund your class. 

In the event of mild illness or covid exposure I am happy to do a virtual lesson instead. 

It is your responsibility to schedule make-up lessons by the end of the semester (December 18 for semester two). 

No refunds/credits are given for missed lessons once the semester ends. 

**No make-up lessons are needed for holiday breaks. Holidays have been worked into the semester calendar already. Please only schedule a make-up lesson if you have conflicts/illness/travel, etc.** 

FALL RECITAL
This fall I will be trying something a little different for our recital. 

On Sunday, October 27th, we’ll be having a “Monster Concert”. This will be a less formal event than our usual recitals. Students are invited to come in costume! We’ll prepare Halloween, Broadway, Pop or Classical music. It should be a lot of fun!

The recital will be held at 4:30pm at The Lab (2948 16th Street in San Francisco). There will be one recital session, followed by a short reception with snacks and drinks for all. Friends and family welcome!

There will be no weekday lessons the week following the recital (plenty of time for Halloween and recovery!). We’ll then get a headstart on holiday music or NFMC Festival music for the spring. 

DRESS CODE

Students are expected to dress formally for recitals. Please note that athletic wear is not acceptable. Learning how to dress appropriately for different occasions is a vital part of the performing arts experience. 

GROUP CLASSES

The week before the Monster Concert will be a group class week for everyone, instead of regular lessons. Students should sign up for one session this week. There will also be make-up lessons available to schedule this week.

Monday October 21st: 5-6pm

Tuesday October 22nd: 5-6pm

Thursday October 24th: 5-6pm

BOOKS AND NOTEBOOK
Students are expected to bring all their lesson books, flashcards and assignment notebook to every lesson. I recommend students have a dedicated bag for their lesson materials. I do have extras we can use in a pinch, but students should get in the habit of bringing everything they’ll need each week to and from lessons.  

LESSON DAY

Students should come to their lessons with nails trimmed neatly. This is vital for proper technique development! Before lessons start, students are asked to wash their hands in the small bathroom in the entryway. Siblings are welcome to stay for each other’s lessons. Please be on time (but not too early) to lessons and pick your student up promptly when lessons end.

AT-HOME PRACTICE
Students are expected to maintain consistent progress and practice at home regularly. I totally understand having busy, low-practice weeks here and there, but that should be the exception, not the rule. I am very confident in my teaching process and experience and expect studio families to make learning the piano a priority. Students are required to have a keyboard or piano at home and are encouraged to practice as regularly as possible. 15-20 minutes, four to five days a week is a great starting goal for beginners, and should move up from there. As a parent of four, I know how herculean it can be to achieve consistent practice! Excitement for the instrument will ebb and flow - this is totally normal. I have found the most success with my own kids when practice goals start small. And, quantity matters! Several short practice sessions over the week will be much more effective than one cram session right before a lesson. Be patient with each other as you settle into a practice routine. Your involvement at home goes such a long way! We have lots of incentives and prizes throughout the semester to help keep students engaged and excited about practicing. Thank you for supporting your children in learning an instrument and developing a love for music. I’m always open for feedback or suggestions on helping your child succeed. 

PRACTICE BUDDY VIDEO
I have two practice videos available to help students with their at-home practice. These will guide students through 15-minute or 30-minute practice sessions. These are meant to give students a starting point if they are having a hard time knowing how to practice. Give them a try HERE.

Studio families are expected to read and understand studio policies as well as email updates throughout the semester. Please reserve texting me for time-sensitive matters (running late to lessons, same-day cancellations, etc.). Please use email for other matters. I am always happy to discuss questions, concerns or ideas for your student's success. 

Each student should fill out a Student Information Form upon joining the studio. Click below to complete yours.

STUDENT INFORMATION FORM