Fees
Lessons are $30 per 30 minute lesson and $60 per 60 minute lesson. Families/students will pay for the number of lessons in a month. Payment can be made by e-transfer or cash by the first lesson of each month.
Lesson Schedule
Summer lessons are book as you go, one month at a time.
Lessons start Tuesday, September 3, 2024 and finish Friday, May 30, 2025. For the 2024/25 school year, the lesson breakdown is:
- Monday – 31 lessons
- Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – 36 lessons
- Friday – 35 lessons
There will be no lessons on/during:
- Labour Day (September 2, 2024)
- Thanksgiving Day (October 14, 2024)
- Christmas break (December 23, 2024-January 3, 2025)
- Family Day (February 17, 2025)
- Mid-Winter break (March 10-14, 2025)
- Good Friday (April 18, 2025)
- Easter Monday (April 21, 2025)
- Victoria Day (May 19, 2025)
Scheduling happens on a first-come, first-serve basis, so try to pick a day and time for your piano lesson you can keep throughout the year. If a parent needs to change their child’s lesson time mid-year, it will be subject to availability. Lesson start times may be weird, since I book five minutes between families.
At Lessons
Parents of beginner students are asked to stay for each lesson. When parents are interested and involved in their child’s music, students are more successful (and more likely to continue lessons).
- Please park to one side of the driveway (that way, the next student can park beside you in the driveway too).
- Students and siblings may not play outside on Sue’s property due to insurance and liability issues. There is a park at Mud Street East and Third Road East.
- Keep your nails short, please.
- Students will be asked to use hand sanitizer before and after their piano lesson.
- Before leaving home, double-check you have all your music and your notebook.
- Please don’t wear any scents or perfume. Sue gets headaches.
- If your child had a rough day at school, or was up late the night before for a special occasion, etc., please let Sue know before your child’s lesson starts.
Punctuality
If a student comes late, their lesson will be shorter; their lesson will still finish at the same time.
Practice Expectations
Learning to play piano is like learning another language. Five practices per week should be the norm, and three to four practices rare. Short, daily practices are more effective than one or two lengthy practices. Research shows the most important time for students to practice is right after their piano lesson! so they can review what they just learned. Depending on their age, students should aim for ten minutes up to thirty minutes practice. The more you practice, the faster you will advance in your playing.
Help them find a time to practice. Please sit with your child for part of their daily practice, especially the days after their lesson. Ask them to show you what they are playing.
Equipment
All students must have a full-size keyboard (88 keys) with weighted keys and a damper pedal or an acoustic piano. Acoustic pianos should be tuned at least once a year. (Long & McQuade has rent-to-own programs for digital pianos with weighted keys and both new and used keyboards/digital pianos.) Read my latest post about buying used digital keyboards. If you are interested in buying a used piano, please contact my piano tuner, Dave Potter.
Lesson Cancellations
There will be no refunds or make-up lessons offered for lessons cancelled by the student. If a student can’t come in person, there is the option of an online Zoom lesson. Alternatively, the student can send a video of themself playing their pieces and they will receive comments back. If there is an Ontario Covid lockdown, lessons will transition to online Zoom lessons. If students choose not to participate in online lessons, the lesson is forfeit; no make-up lesson or refund will be offered. If Sue cancels due to illness or family emergency, lessons will either be rescheduled or credited to the next month.
Snowstorms
For snowstorm cancellations, online lessons will take place at the scheduled lesson time.
Recital
When possible, there will be an end of year recital.
Lesson Termination
One month’s notice is requested for a student to terminate lessons mid-year.