STUDENT HANDBOOK
Welcome to my violin studio! Please read this handbook carefully. Happy practicing!
-Angie
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Prospective students should contact me for a preliminary lesson. The preliminary lesson is an opportunity to see if there is a good fit between the student, parent, and me. The preliminary lesson is not a guarantee of enrollment. The cost of the preliminary lesson is $50 for 30 min (beginner), $75 for 45-min (intermediate), and $100 for 60-min (intermediate to advanced). I will let you know the estimated lesson duration in our communications.
Experienced students should prepare a scale and an excerpt of their current piece. Regardless of the student’s age, a parent or guardian must sit in on the preliminary lesson.
TERM DATES & TUITION
Fall 2024: September 3-December 19
No Lessons Monday Sept 2 for Labor Day; Nov 11 for Veteran’s Day, and Nov 28 for Thanksgiving**
30’: $800
45’: $1200
60’: $1600
75′: $2000
90′: $2400
Winter 2025: January 6-April 3
No Lessons: Monday, Jan 20 for MLK day*
No Lessons Feb 17-21 for Mid-Winter Break
30’: $600
45’: $900
60’: $1200
75′: $1500
90′: $1800
Spring 2025: April 14-June 17 (Tuesday), 2025
No Lessons May 26 for Memorial Day
30’: $500
45’: $750
60’: $1000
75′: $1250
90′: $1500
*Tuition will be prorated accordingly for holidays
- Students may pay by online bank transfer, check (payable to Kam Violin Studio), cash, or credit card. Credit card payments are subject to a 2.5% processing fee.
- Tuition is subject to increase each school year (based on inflation, insurance, recital rental and pianist fees, etc.).
- Lessons will not continue if full payment is not received by the end of the second week of the term. Lessons cancelled to due late payment will not be made up.
- Tuition will be pro-rated for students who join the studio after the term has started.
- Students may need to upgrade to longer lesson times during the term. Upon upgrading, students will pay the prorated difference in tuition cost.
- A late fee of $15 will be automatically added to tuition that is 14 days past due
PERFORMANCE CLASS AND RECITAL SCHEDULE
The studio schedule is listed here: www.kamviolinstudio.com/calendar
EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS: You are learning too!
I expect parents of young beginning students to attend private lessons and practice with their child every day. Parents need to be actively involved in the learning process, taking notes during lessons and following through on new skills in daily practice. It is the parent’s responsibility to establish a daily practice routine for their child.
Parents must not to interfere with the learning process by distracting students or interrupting the teacher while lessons are taking place. Resist the temptation to instruct or correct the child during the lesson.
As the student progresses and matures, I will inform the parent as less parental involvement is needed.
CONTACTING ANGIE
- Email is the best form of contact for all studio-related matters, including scheduling.
- Text only if you are running late to a lesson, or need to suddenly cancel.
- Do not text Angie past 8pm
STUDENT PREPARATION AND PRACTICE
Students must come prepared to every lesson by reviewing and practicing their current repertoire and assigned material from the previous lesson. Students who do not practice will not continue lessons.
SUMMER LESSON POLICY
Year-round study is imperative for student progress. Students who do not take summer lessons or do not attend music festivals and camps will forfeit their lesson slot for the fall term. Reserving a spot in the studio thereafter is not guaranteed.
FINGERNAILS
Being a violinist means having short fingernails. If your fingernails touch the strings when you are in proper playing position, they are too long!
ACCOMPANIST POLICY
Kam Violin Studio will pay for pianists required at group classes and studio recitals. It is the student’s responsibility to pay pianists for private lessons, rehearsals, solo recitals, and extra-curricular activities.
INSTRUMENT RENTALS
Kam Violin Studio does not provide or perform repairs on instruments. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain an instrument to use for the term.
SHEET MUSIC
Students are expected to purchase their own sheet music. Upon starting lessons, I will provide a list of projected repertoire assignments and method books. Please be prompt in purchasing your books and music.
SCHEDULING LESSONS
Weekly lessons are to be scheduled at the beginning of the term. Private lessons take place Monday-Thursday afternoons and evenings. There are no private lessons on weekends.
New students may only reserve a lesson time after they have completed a preliminary lesson, filled out an Enrolled Student Information form, and paid tuition.
CANCELLATION/RESCHEDULING LESSONS
Angie has a completely full teaching and performing schedule, making it incredibly difficult to reschedule lessons. By reserving a time for the term, you have committed to a weekly lesson time for you and nobody else. Makeup lessons are never guaranteed. Cancellation does not exempt the student from payment as contracted (no refunds)
Families may reschedule a lesson in advance by swapping with another student using the Parent and Student Portal page.
Students who cannot make their lesson in person due to transportation issues or mild illness may have a virtual lesson during their lesson time.
Students who cannot make their lesson in person or virtually may send recordings of their assigned material with the app MarcoPolo. I will use their lesson time to give feedback and new practice assignments. Download the app here: https://www.marcopolo.me/
If I cancel a lesson due to illness or scheduling conflicts, the lesson will be rescheduled at a mutually convenient time, or the lesson will be credited to next term’s tuition. If a student misses a makeup lesson, a second lesson will not be arranged.
In the case of missed lessons, I will not initiate makeup lesson scheduling. It is the student and family’s responsibility to switch lessons with other families or check for openings on the online calendar. In the case of illness, it is the family’s responsibility to initiate a MarcoPolo or virtual lesson.
TARDINESS
I will wait 15 minutes before assuming that a student will not be attending a private lesson. Lost time cannot be made up if a student is late.
If I am late for a lesson, the missed time will be made up.
ILLNESS
Do not come to a lesson sick. There are other options. We can have a virtual lesson, or an asynchronous video lesson later.
WITHDRAWALS AND REFUND POLICY
Students who wish to withdraw from the program must notify Kam Violin Studio in writing. Students who discontinue lessons and do not provide written notification of withdrawal will not receive a refund.
By signing up for lessons, students have made a commitment and reserved a time slot for the entire term. Students who withdraw from Kam Violin Studio during the term will receive a prorated tuition refund, minus 25%.
DISMISSAL
Angie reserves the right to dismiss any student due to lack of interest or progress, displays of disrespect, frequent absence or tardiness, behavior problems, delinquency in payment of fees, or failure to abide by the policy. If students are dismissed from the studio, lessons end immediately. Students who are dismissed from the studio will not receive a refund.
ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK
This handbook is a point of departure, outlining student and teacher obligations. Exceptional circumstances can be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Kam Violin Studio reserves the right to change any program, policy, or regulation in this handbook. The most recently updated handbook available on the studio website.
By enrolling in the studio, the family and student acknowledge and agree to the terms in this handbook.