VOICE COACH WORLD – LESSON POLICY
September 2021
(download PDF version here)
Dear Student,
I hope you understand the necessity of establishing a studio policy. If you have questions regarding the information set out below, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I look forward to getting to know you and helping you become a better musician!
This policy applies from September 2021. Learners will be notified in advance of any changes.
Kind Regards,
Emma L.M. Sweeney
—
Lessons
When you register for weekly lessons with me, your learning time is reserved for the rest of the academic year. Students should continue lessons on at least a part-time schedule through the summer to maintain skills developed during the academic year. I also teach students who come for lessons on an ad hoc basis.
I teach Mondays to Fridays, between 11:00h and 20:00h, in Wavertree (Liverpool). Lessons are 60-min in length. Younger students may take 30-min lessons. Parents/guardians are welcome to observe.
Note: Learners tend to progress better without a parent being there, but new students usually welcome their parents’ attendance during the first lesson, and it also helps reassure parents about leaving their children with me. I have a current criminal records check.
Supplies & Instruments
All instrumental students MUST have an instrument on which to practice regularly. Playing musicians must also have a music stand on which to place their books while practicing.
Piano students can invest in an acoustic piano or digital piano. If you decide to buy or lease a digital piano, please invest in a full-size keyboard (88 keys) with weighted, touch-sensitive keys and pedals. Acoustic pianos should be tuned at least once a year and kept in working order. Rimmers Music in West Derby Road (West Derby) has a great selection. Curly Music in Renshaw Street (City Centre) has a rental scheme for most instruments.
A notebook is provided at the first lesson to make a note of any homework I set and to keep a record of what was learned during the lesson. The notebook is also an effective means of keeping parents involved in what their children are learning and to help them monitor practice time at home.
Bills for music will be sent home as necessary. Please pay for the music by the next lesson.
Practice Time
Students need a daily, non-interrupted time to practice. Time will vary according to teacher assignments and student levels, but a guideline for under-8yr-olds is 10-15 minutes per day, and 30-60min per day for older students. Students should practice at least five days a week in order to see improvement, rather than trying to do one or two longer sessions at the weekend.
Payment Schedule and Cancellation Policy
Lessons are £35 per hour / £35 per forty-five minutes / £20 per half-hour.
Lessons are paid monthly in advance, first lesson of the calendar month, for hourly or 30-min lessons. Students receiving two or more hours of tuition per week will receive a discounted rate of £30 per hour.
Any student more than two weeks late with fees will lose his or her lesson slot until the account is brought up to date. If tuition fees are not received by 10th of the month, a £10 late fee will also be incurred.
If you miss a scheduled lesson, you must give me 24-hrs notice or the missed lesson will be charged for (unless there is good reason and the lesson can be made up on another day that week). If I can find an alternative time during the week to make up the lesson for you, I will happily do so at no extra charge. Another alternative if you are not very sick but just can’t get to me for your usual lesson is for us to have a Zoom/FaceTime session.
If you think you will be delayed en route to your lesson, please send me an SMS or message me on Whatsapp +44 (0)7865 216 830.
Missed Lessons
If you notify me more than 24-hrs before a scheduled lesson, the amount will be carried over to the next lesson and no charge made for the missed hour. Each student has a reserved lesson time, and is responsible for that time. Lesson time cannot be extended due to late arrival.
How To Pay
You can pay for your lessons in person, PayPal or bank transfer.
Media Release
Photos of students, and video and audio recordings of lessons may be posted online and used by the instructor for promotional use. Identifying information will be excluded or limited to first names only. Parents wishing to exempt their students from any published media may do so by providing a written exclusion request via email or snail mail.
Contacting Me
Please feel free to call me on +44 (0)7865 216 830 between the hours of 10:00 and 20:00 Monday to Saturday if you have any urgent cancellations or questions. However, I am usually with a student, so for non-urgent contact, the best way to reach me is to write me a message on Whatsapp or send an email to lessons@voicecoachworld.com and I will return your enquiry within 24-48 hours. I do not reply to non-urgent messages on Sundays.