Enrollment & Tuition

Morgan Weisenburger Piano Studio is run much like a private school, with tuition rates based on enrollment—not attendance—for the entire semester. Tuition for the semester is divided into equal monthly installments (see Tuition Rates, p. 4) and is paid via automatic credit/debit card withdrawal. Monthly payments begin on the first of the month prior to each semester. Tuition does not cover the cost of books.

Accepted Payment Methods for Books: Cash | Chase QuickPay | Venmo | Apple Pay Cash

 

Enrollment in Morgan Weisenburger Piano Studio is a full-semester commitment and all payments are nonrefundable.

 

Attendance

All students are expected to attend their lessons every week, on time. The teacher is not responsible for any time lost due to tardiness. A student who does not attend a lesson will simply miss the benefit of that lesson. Your tuition reserves you a weekly time slot and benefits within the studio (see What Tuition Covers, p. 4). Please contact the teacher if you will be missing a lesson. In the rare event that the teacher should cancel, the lesson will be made up at a mutually determined time.

Parking: You may park anywhere on the driveway (preferred) or at the curb. Please let yourself in to the house when you arrive. If you are early, please wait in the car if weather permits, or wait quietly downstairs until the teacher is ready for you.

 

Drop-off/Pick-up: Parents who drop off their child for a lesson must be on time for pick-up. The lesson will end at the scheduled time, regardless of the student’s arrival time. It is recommended that you arrive five minutes before the end of the lesson to go over your child’s progress and practice assignment with the teacher.

 

Zoom Lessons: If a student is unable to attend their private lesson due to illness, weather, or any other reason, they may choose to have a lesson via Zoom.

​

Holidays: The only holidays observed are Thanksgiving and Christmas. All other holidays will follow standard attendance policy.

​

Practice & Preparation

All students must practice at least six days a week. The minimum daily practice requirements for beginners are listed below. However, everyone will have individual practice requirements—as determined by the teacher—based on skill level and capability.

​

• Ages 3-5 20 minutes

• Ages 8-9 30 minutes

• Ages 12-13 40 minutes

• Ages 6-7 25 minutes

• Ages 10-11 35 minutes

• Ages 14+ 45 minutes

 

Assignment sheets should be followed each day of practice, making sure to cover all topics equally throughout the week. All aspects of the current assignment—including theory and flashcards—qualify as practice time. However, previous assignments that have already been passed off, or any other piano playing which does not relate to your weekly assignment, do not count as practice time. Practice records and assignment sheet bubbles should be filled out daily, rather than at the end of the week.

 

Students are expected to practice with the books’ accompanying audio files, usually with the use of the Anytune app. To pass off a piece, you must be able to play it with the recording. Those who use the recordings diligently always show results far beyond those who do not use them.

 

Fingernail Maintenance: Fingernails must be clipped at least once a week to maintain proper hand position. Piano Maintenance: Pianos must be kept in tune and in working condition. Depending on the piano, it will need to be tuned once or twice annually. Repairs, if needed, should be taken care of as soon as possible.

 

Parent Participation

Parent participation is crucial to a child’s success at the piano. Parents are highly encouraged to attend lessons with their child each week. This will ensure proper practicing at home, and will also allow inexperienced parents to learn the material along with their child. Parents should sit with their children at the piano at home and help them with their practice assignments. To facilitate focused and effective practice, schedule your practice at times during which there will be minimal distractions (such as TV or radio noise, other people being in the room, etc.)

 

No phone calls shall be answered during lessons. If you absolutely must answer your phone, please go outside and around to the side of the garage.

 

Required Materials

• Books: some books are kept in stock and may be purchased directly from the teacher. Otherwise, the student/parent is responsible for obtaining the book in a timely manner. 

• Student Notebook

• Book Bag (recommended)

• iPad and apps suggested by the teacher

*Please bring all the above materials with you to every lesson.

 

Required at-home materials:

• Acoustic piano

• Footstool and/or cushion (or other means of achieving appropriate bench height), if necessary 

• Practice Aids: Sticky notes, Crayola Erasable Twistables Colored Pencils, and any other recommended materials to fit the students’ needs

​

Waiting Room

The downstairs living room is provided as a waiting area for students and siblings. Siblings are welcome to attend lessons with students so long as they can remain quiet and do not distract from the lesson. If siblings become a distraction from the lessons, they may be asked not to attend anymore. Please clean up after yourselves and leave the waiting room in good condition. Young children must be supervised. Crayons are provided for coloring. Please do not allow your children to bring any pens or markers.

 

Group Lessons

Group lessons may be held once or twice throughout the semester. Having group lessons creates a “club” experience, much like team sports. Students will look forward to seeing their group members and being part of a community.

At group lessons, students may learn about composers and music history, practice ear-training skills, and/or play music games to reinforce concepts. Students may also have the opportunity to perform for each other, discuss performance strategies, and learn how to give and receive constructive criticism. Parents do not attend group lessons.

Group lessons will take place in lieu of private lessons. There will be no private lessons during Group Weeks. Group lesson times will be determined two or three weeks prior to each Group Week. Bach Bucks Incentive Program Students will be rewarded with “Bach Bucks” each week for such things as practicing, completing assignments, achieving personal goals, etc. They can then be used to buy prizes from the

 

Bach Bucks Store

This motivates children to work on specific instructions given by the teacher and therefore enhances the learning process.

 

Recitals

Students are given the opportunity to participate in two recitals each year. Studio recitals are held semiannually, in the spring and the fall. Performers should wear their Sunday best, unless otherwise specified.

All music must be memorized and all preparation requirements must be met in order to perform in the recital.

Recital Attendance: All participants and their guests are required to stay for the entire recital.

 

Recital Preparation

All participants are required to do at least five (5) performances from memory before the recital. Each of these performances must be video recorded and evaluated, using the evaluation forms provided by the teacher.

• Practice Performances: In preparation for recitals, four (4) practice performances are required of each student. These practice performances are done on your own and may be for anybody other than household members. See Practice Performance Guidelines (located in your student notebook) for specific instructions and requirements.

• Performance Classes: Before each recital, there will be scheduled performance classes at the studio. The purpose of these classes is to gain experience performing in front of an audience, as well as giving the teacher an opportunity to preview your performance. Every student must participate in at least one (1) Performance Class in order to play in the recital. Students who are preparing for their first recital within the studio are required to participate in two (2) Performance Classes.

 

Media Release

Photos of students and video/audio recordings of lessons and/or performances may be posted online and used by the instructor for showcasing, cataloging, reference, promotion, or any other reason relating to the piano studio. Identifying information will be excluded or limited to first names only. Adult students or parents wishing to exempt themselves or their children from any published media may do so by checking the appropriate box on the Enrollment Agreement form.

YouTube Channel

 

Discontinuation of Lessons

Enrollment in lessons is a full-semester commitment. The student and/or parent for any reason may terminate lessons. However, a refund will not be given for any scheduled lessons within the semester, regardless of the reason for termination, and the student or parent will be responsible for all payments agreed to upon enrollment. The teacher may terminate lessons for any reason, in which case the tuition will be pro-rated up to the last lesson taken by the student, and any necessary refunds will be issued.

 

Students who do not wish to continue lessons for the following semester must notify the teacher in writing at least five days prior to the tuition due date, and should be sure they receive confirmation from the teacher. Because tuition is due the month before the start of the semester, this means that notification must be given by May 26 if the student does not wish to enroll in Fall Semester, or by November 25 if the student does not wish to enroll in Spring Semester.

​