Lakewood, Colorado
Notes of Grace Studio ~ Rates & Policies
Welcome to Notes of Grace Piano Studio!
I am dedicated to giving my students high-quality, individualized, and FUN piano lessons. As a lifelong music enthusiast, I love teaching music to students one-on-one and in small groups.
Please review the following important information about your weekly lessons.
TEACHING SCHEDULE
The following days and times are set aside for lessons and must be contained within the times listed, which we will examine when we discuss your time slot. At some point, it’s possible that I may need to change my teaching schedule to different days and times. If that should occur, I will give you as much notice as possible, and we will work to reschedule your lesson time slot.
Mondays: 4:30 – 8:30 pm
Tuesdays: 4:30 – 8:30 pm
Wednesdays: 4:30 – 8:30 pm
PAYMENT/TUITION*
Weekly lessons in my home studio or weekly virtual lessons:
30-minute lessons = $120.00/month ($30 per lesson)
45-minute lessons = $180.00/month ($45 per lesson)
60-minute lessons = $240.00/month ($60 per lesson)
Your first lesson/consultation is free of charge.
*There is a 10% discount for each additional family member if the lessons are taken in back-to-back time slots.
(Note: I highly recommend 45- or 60-minute lessons, as more learning can take place in those time periods. It is generally difficult to get everything covered properly within a 30-minute lesson period.)
FEES for MATERIALS and RECITALS
Bi-Annual Materials Fee = In-studio lessons: $30.00 for first student, bi-annually; $25.00 for each additional family student, bi-annually. Online lessons: $5.00 bi-annually for each student for materials. (I will send you a link to piano books/sheet music for you to order and purchase yourself.)
This fee covers materials such as piano books, sheet music, hand-outs, exercises, etc. It is due at the lesson following your first free-of-charge lesson, again 6 months after that lesson, and then on the same continuing basis.
Recital Fee= $15.00-$25.00 per student for each recital (depending on the venue fee)
PAYMENT POLICIES & LESSON LOGISTICS
Payment for Lessons:
Payment of tuition is due for the remainder of the month that follows your initial free-of-charge lesson by the time of the SECOND lesson, using the “per lesson” fee multiplied by the remainder of weeks (up to 3) in the first month of lessons. Beginning with the second month of lessons, the full monthly payment will be due by the time of the FIRST lesson of the month.
To help me better ensure a predictable business volume, students will pay a standard monthly lesson fee (tuition) that applies for each month, regardless of how many lessons you attend during that month. This fee secures a membership in my studio and reserves a specific time slot for you each week and throughout the year. (As an example, if you take 45-minute lessons on Mondays, you will pay $180.00/month for your lessons. There are four lessons (four Mondays) per month during a traditional month. However, if you have five lessons in any given month (i.e., five Mondays), you will attend the fifth lesson, but you will not be charged for it. The same applies for months where one week may have a holiday/vacation/missed lesson landing on your lesson day, plus three weeks when you do have lessons that month; you will only attend three lessons, but the full monthly fee is still valid.)
Tuition covers the one-on-one weekly lesson period, research and lesson prep time, business administration, time for creating/ordering your lesson materials, my professional development subscriptions, and phone/email/text support in-between lessons to discuss any questions or information that may occur. Many studios charge a $25+ annual registration fee; I will not charge you a registration fee.
Calendar/Scheduling/Holidays:
My studio runs 48 weeks out of the year with one week off at Thanksgiving, 9 days off from December 24th through January 1st, and 2 flex weeks to be used at my discretion (not necessarily 2 weeks consecutively). Advanced notice and detail will be given. Students will pay their standard tuition every month, no matter if the studio is closed for a holiday or a holiday period. Other than the 4 weeks mentioned above, my studio will be closed for the following holidays or holiday periods: Memorial Day weekend, Independence Day, Labor Day weekend, and Halloween. There will be no payment refunds for lessons falling during any of the above days/periods or those missed by the student.
I teach year-round lessons so, aside from the dates mentioned above, I still teach lessons on days that schools may take off, and during the summer break. Please keep this in mind when we discuss your lesson time slot.
Forms of Payment:
I will email or text invoices at the end of the month for the upcoming month using Propay. You may pay securely using your credit card through the Propay link provided in the email/text. Credit card payments will assess an additional $5.00 charge per payment. I also accept cash or a check made payable to Lori Zimmerman. It is imperative that you pay on time (by the first lesson of the month) so that I can run my business effectively and plan for the appropriate resources. Any lessons paid for after the 10th of the month will incur a $15 late fee. There will be a $20 fee for returned checks.
Family Discount:
I offer a 10% discount on my total monthly fee to families that have more than one student receiving instruction.
Cancellations Due to Illness/Missed Lessons:
With your monthly lesson fee, you are reserving a weekly lesson time slot for the entire month, such as if you have a monthly gym membership with scheduled weekly classes. If you cannot make your reserved time slot due to illness or an unforeseen issue, notice of cancellation via phone call or text to me by 10:00 a.m. on the day of the lesson is mandatory. Rescheduling is not guaranteed, but I will do my best to accommodate anyone who notifies me by 10:00 a.m. on the day of their lesson. If the missed lesson is able to be accommodated, it must be made up within that month. Having a virtual lesson is also a possibility for rescheduling normally in-studio students, if it can be accommodated during my teaching schedule.
Students will be given one "lesson rescheduling credit" per calendar year quarter (January – March / April – June / July – September / October – December), including their vacation time. The lesson rescheduling credit is not a monetary credit; it is a rescheduling credit to be used if the lesson can be accommodated during that month. If the student has used their one lesson rescheduling credit during the quarter and has any additional cancellations during said quarter, there will be no rescheduling for the additional missed lessons. If you cannot attend your lesson for any reason, please call or text me as soon as possible so that I'm not worried about you. Should I need to cancel a lesson for any reason, I will refund that lesson payment (per the break-down amount per lesson, as stated in the Payment/Tuition section).
Inclement Weather:
If school closures occur due to inclement weather, then my studio will usually be closed. Make-up lessons may be given due to weather (but are not guaranteed), and only if the public schools in your district are closed.
30-Day Notice:
Everyone’s musical journey includes change. If you need to stop taking lessons for some reason, termination with Notes of Grace Piano Studio requires a 30-day notice in writing via email or paper copy so that I can arrange to fill your time slot when you leave. If you are just taking a hiatus from lessons, this notice policy still applies, and I cannot guarantee your same time slot in the future. However, I will do my best to get you back into a lesson time slot that works mutually for everyone.
Schedule Change:
If you know that your schedule will be changing, please notify me at least two weeks in advance so that I can try to accommodate a new day and time for your lesson per your new schedule.
Student Recitals and Performances:
I encourage (but don’t require) students to perform in student recitals, as they are a great way to celebrate each other’s achievements, and recitals give a solid sense of accomplishment within each student’s learning process. We will usually have two recitals each year, one in the Fall and one in the Spring. A recital fee of $15-$25 will be charged to each student; students are required to pay the recital fee with their tuition at the beginning of each recital month.
Arrival Time:
If taking lessons in my home studio, you may arrive up to 5 minutes before your lesson time, and once inside, we will get situated at the piano and start the lesson on time. If you are late to your lesson, the lesson will still end at the regularly-scheduled time. I expect students to leave as soon as possible after the lesson ends, as I may have other lessons or appointments planned. For virtual lessons, I expect you to be ready to begin at the designated lesson time with all assignments available, and if you are late, I will still need to end the lesson at the regularly-scheduled time.
Studio Logistics:
As my studio is located in my personal residence, you will be a guest in my home, so I will appreciate you remaining only in the studio area. I do have a small, hypo-allergenic terrier who may bark when you arrive, but he is harmless.
Guests/Visitors:
Private lessons demand concentration from both me, as the instructor, and from the student. Therefore, it would be best if visitors of a new student (such as parents, friends, and other family members) plan to attend only the first one or two lessons of the new student. If guests can show that they won’t be a distraction, I will welcome them to sit in on lessons from time to time.
What to Bring to/Have Available at Your Lessons:
In-Studio Lessons: I will be giving you a file folder and large envelope to hold the music books, sheet music and assignments that you will use for your lessons. Please have your file folder, envelope, music and assignment sheet ready to be used at your lesson, whether in my studio or at your home. At your lesson, please turn your phone off; if you must have it on in emergency situations, please turn it to the vibrate mode so as to not distract us during the instruction time.
Virtual Lessons: You will need a tablet, laptop or personal computer (with a camera/webcam, as needed) to be positioned (with good lighting on you and the piano) so that I can easily see you and your piano keyboard. If one of those is not available for your lesson, a smartphone is acceptable. As electronic connections may sometimes be glitchy, we must both acknowledge that we will likely experience interruptions in the lessons from time to time. In an attempt to have the best connection, I would ask that others in your home not be streaming on the web during your lesson, if at all possible. Earbuds/headphones may be beneficial for clearer sound. Please keep distractions to a bare minimum during the lesson. After your lesson, I will be emailing you links to your weekly assignments and other documents, so it is important that you have access to a printer to print these items out for your use.
Practicing the Piano:
An essential element in learning to play the piano is practicing daily or almost every day. Students must practice in order to progress and retain concepts and techniques that have been learned at their lessons. I will work with each student to instill consistent practice habits and will reward successful practice habits with incentive charts and prizes. For children, it is very important that parents are able to help their child keep the practice routine and assist them with the assignment instructions and notes that I give them. Depending on age and skill level, students should practice at least 15 minutes each day, and we will discuss what is appropriate for the student. In order to achieve goals and their greatest potential, the student must put in the work if they expect to improve at playing the piano.
Thank you for reviewing my Rates & Policies information. If you have any questions whatsoever, please feel free to contact me at 303-807-2572 or notesofgracepiano@gmail.com
