Policies | Artwork Music Studio

GENERAL POLICIES

LESSON CURRICULUM:

Lessons include warm-ups and scales, etudes and workbook exercises, multi-genre solo repertoire, chamber music repertoire, and audition materials for competitions, auditions, and camps. We can help with school music material as well, but the emphasis is always on learning to be a soloist and explore lots of genres and styles!

ATTENDANCE:

Students are required to attend lessons for the full semester period. This includes 16 lessons in fall, and 16 lessons in spring. Students will be present for all scheduled lessons and encouraged to participate in studio recitals throughout the year. Some may be encouraged to take part in additional music festivals or competitions. Students are expected to arrive at lessons on time with all their gear and sheet music!

PRACTICE AND PREPARATION:

Students should budget an appropriate amount of practice time to their lesson material each week as determined by their teacher. We generally recommend 20 to 60 minutes daily x 4 days per week. Of course there are weeks with lots of things happening and practice has to take a time out, that's life! But regularly showing up for lessons unprepared or with no practice may result in the termination of a student’s enrollment.

END-OF-TERM EVALUATIONS:

Each term our teachers will complete an evaluation of the student's progress and musicianship. Parents and Students will also be given a short teacher evaluation to help us improve our studios and teaching methods.

LESSON TERMINATION:

Teachers reserve the right to cease lessons with a student if they have more than two unexcused absences, more than three excused absences, or more than three blatantly unprepared lessons (as determined by the teacher). Lessons may also be terminated if tuition has not been paid on time for more than one month. No refunds will be made for the remainder of the month in which the lessons are terminated.

CHANGING LESSON TIMES:

At the beginning of each term, our teachers will work with you to schedule a consistent weekly time slot for your lesson. If you need to change days or times at some point throughout the term, we will do our very best to accommodate you, but sometimes this can be challenging as we are juggling over 30 student's schedules.

PIANO AT HOME (Piano Students Only):

Having an acoustic piano in the home is much preferred to electric keyboards. Students are expected to have access to a functioning, tuned piano at home, but if that’s not possible, an adjustable weighted-action keyboard will suffice for the first 6 months. After that, investing in a piano should be seriously considered.

STRING INSTRUMENTS AT HOME (String Students Only):

After a certain level of proficiency is reached it is very difficult for students to progress if they are not practicing on a quality instrument. Purchasing a quality violin can often be confusing, as price does not always mean it is of a certain standard. I generally recommend between $900-$1,500 for a starter full size violin. We do NOT recommend purchasing an instrument from ebay or craigslist without your teacher's assistance. It is in the best interest of your investment to purchase through an established string luthier shop.

Strings should be purchased at the beginning of each school year, and for advanced players it is recommended to change strings twice a year. Bow hairs should be replaced about once or twice every year. Please visit our Repairs page to see recommended luthiers.

TUITION AND PAYMENT:

Artwork Music Studio, LLC reserves the right to increase rates annually. Rates quoted at registration will be honored for the duration of that school year. Piano Accompaniment, Chamber Music Coaching, and other Electives are billed separately as they are offered throughout the year by-appointment. Tuition is always billed at the same rate regardless of the number of lessons per month. Tuition is due by the 7th of each month.

Tuition does not include the cost of music books and other materials. Please purchase or rent required books and materials. On occasion, the teacher may also purchase a book or provide materials and ask the parent/student for reimbursement. There will be no refunds for missed lessons as the teachers offer Studio Make-up Classes to make up absences. Artwork Music Studio and its teachers reserve the right to raise fees at the beginning of each new teaching year.

PARENT PARTICIPATION:

Parents are welcome to be present and to quietly observe their child’s lesson if they are so inclined. Teachers may kindly ask a parent to wait outside the room if their presence changes the learning environment too much. Parents are encouraged to assist in practice and preparation at home!

BUSINESS HOURS:

Lesson hours are between 2:30pm - 6:30pm Tuesday through Thursday. Calls, texts, or emails will be answered within 24 hours except on weekends and holidays.

CANCELLATION POLICIES

MAKE-UP CLASS FOR EXCUSED CANCELLATIONS:

If a student is sick, has a sports/activity schedule conflict, planned family vacation, or a family emergency arises they can make up a missed lesson by attending a Studio Make-Up Class. CLICK HERE for MAKE-UP CLASS DATES. Teachers request 24 hours notice when possible and reserve the right to send a child home if they appear too sick to attend lessons. Students also may utilize the option to take a lesson via Zoom at their regular lesson time if they don't wish to miss their lesson.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES:

Teacher has no obligation to offer a make-up lesson or refund.

No-shows
Cancellations made with less than 24 hours notice for anything other than emergency or illness.

LONG TERM ABSENCES:

If a student must miss lessons for a long period of time due to injury, monthly tuition payments may be put on hold until the student can return, or we can continue lessons and work on non-instrument topics like Music Theory, Music History, Sight Singing, Songwriting, Jazz Theory, Piano Basics and more! If student is on a semester payment plan, a prorated credit or refund will be issued to the family.

TEACHER CANCELLATION DAYS:

If your teacher cancels your lesson for any reason, there are two weeks (T,W,Th) of Teacher Cancellation days that are floating for the teacher to use if needed. These two weeks are factored into the schedule and tuition. If used, the teacher will schedule up to two additional weeks of lessons at the end of the school year. Our official last lesson date is Thursday May 9th. If your teacher cancels one week, then the last lesson date will be May 16th. If your teacher cancels two weeks, then the last lesson date will be May 23rd.

SNOW DAYS:

Artwork Music Studio bases its school cancellations on the Missoula County and Stevensville public school system; therefore, if schools close for a snow day or if the weather prevents the teachers to travel in to Missoula, Artwork Music Studio will conduct lessons that day on Zoom. Students may keep their regular time for their Zoom lesson or if they choose to cancel (ski day!) they may attend a future Studio Make-Up Class.

LESSON TERMINATION:

Teachers reserve the right to cease lessons with a student if they have more than one unexcused absence, more than three excused absences, or more than four blatantly unprepared lessons. Lessons may also be terminated if tuition has not been paid. We ask for 2 weeks notice for students to declare that they wish to permanently cancel lessons. If a student on the monthly tuition payment plan wishes to end lessons, no refund will be given for the remainder of the month, and lessons will terminate on the 1st of the new month. If a student on the semester payment plan wishes to end lessons, no refund will be given for the remainder of the month but they will be issued a prorated refund for the remaining months starting from the 1st of the new month.