Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Your first visit is a complimentary consultation with a mini lesson, in person or online. We'll talk about your goals, make sure we're the right fit for each other, and your student will spend a few minutes at the piano with me. Limited additional options, such as in-home instruction, may be available — please inquire for details.

Practice Music School runs on a 45-week academic year with seven break weeks. The full studio calendar is shared at enrollment and at the start of each year. Students choose 30-, 45-, or 60-minute weekly lessons at a consistent reserved day and time, and every student has the option to perform in two studio recitals each year, included in the annual enrollment fee.

Tuition is the annual amount divided into 12 equal monthly payments, so your monthly total stays the same all year regardless of how many lessons fall in a given month. Your rate depends on lesson length and is shared at your complimentary consultation and mini lesson. Tuition is charged automatically on the 1st of each month. ACH bank transfer is preferred, and credit and debit cards are accepted. A late fee applies after the 5th, and an annual enrollment fee per family is due at enrollment and renews each year on your enrollment date. The enrollment fee covers enrollment, one lesson book, the welcome packet, and two recitals. Families who prepay a full year of tuition receive professional photos at every recital, and the annual enrollment fee is waived.

Every enrolled family is guaranteed a minimum of 45 lessons per academic year. If the instructor ever needs to cancel a lesson, a makeup lesson, a trained substitute instructor, or a tuition credit will always be provided, so your family receives the full value of what you pay for.

For families with travel-heavy seasons, tryout months, or schedules that don’t allow a weekly commitment, we offer a 4-Lesson Flex Pack. Flex Pack lessons are scheduled in available openings around our enrolled students, who keep priority for weekly times. Packs are paid in full at purchase, are non-refundable, and are valid for 8 weeks from the date of purchase, and lessons may be rescheduled with at least 24 hours’ notice.

We appreciate at least 48 hours’ notice whenever possible if you need to cancel or reschedule. Lessons cancelled with at least 24 hours’ notice are eligible for a makeup — up to two per year, used within 30 days. Makeups may be in person, online, or with a trained substitute instructor, depending on availability. Lessons cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice are not eligible for a makeup lesson.

Absolutely — parents are always welcome to wait in the studio during lessons. So every student gets the most from their time at the piano, we simply ask that parents allow the teacher to lead the lesson and step outside the lesson room for phone calls or conversations. Every lesson ends with a brief parent review, so you’ll always know exactly what your student is working on and why.

Enrollment runs month to month — just let us know in writing by the 15th to make a change for the coming month. If we hear from you after the 15th, your enrollment simply continues through the next month (your lessons remain yours to use) and the change begins the month after. Families who need a lighter season can also hold their exact lesson time for up to two months for 40% of tuition per month. Full details are in our Tuition & Policies document, and when life happens, we do our best to work with each family individually.

In bad weather, lessons move online at their regular time, so your student doesn’t miss a week.

If your child is sick, they can switch to an online lesson at their regular time. Just let us know before the lesson starts.