A Word About Tuition
What you pay is tuition. It is not an hourly fee for services rendered (like baby-sitting) because teaching is much more than the time one spends with a student.
Here's a brief overview of what your tuition pays for:
The obvious: "contact hours" - that is, the piano lesson, private or group; preparation and evaluation of lesson plans, materials, etcetera. Bookkeeping and organizing: lesson scheduling, recital planning and scheduling, organizing and preparing students for performances and seasonal activities.
The no-so-obvious: review of new materials, software programs, audio CDs, videos, et cetera, which the students might use. In teaching, one size does not fit all; I am always looking for "the perfect piece" or whether a newly published book might be of value to a particular student. Long-term planning for my students: Where do we want to be in six months? In one year? How will we get there? What are the possible road blocks that need to be addressed before they become a problem? And so on.
Additionally, review and evaluation of my materials, such as books on teaching, professional journals (notably American Music Teacher, Clavier, Keyboard Companion, etcetera). I believe that my special interest in and search for materials with relevance to Special Education, Early Childhood Music and Movement, brain research and music therapy, benefits all my students.
I maintain memberships in
- the Kansas Music Teachers Association
- the Kansas City Music Teachers Association
- the Manhattan Area Music Teachers Association
- the Music Teachers National Association
These memberships allow my students to participate in local and state-wide auditions and competitions.
Tuition
Nocturne
Monthly tuition is due the first of the month. It is not based on the number of lessons per month, but rather on the number of lessons per semester. The tuition is broken into monthly payments for your convenience. The monthly tuition rates are as follows:
30-minute lessons: $70
45-minute lessons: $105
60-minute lessons: $140
I also offer a 10-lesson plan; ten lessons or three months, whichever ends first. The 10-lesson tuition is as follows:
Ten 30-minute lessons: $210
Ten 45-minute lessons: $315
Included in the tuition are private piano instruction and group events, as well as recital fees. Not included are materials, books, and audition fees.
There are opportunities to make up missed lessons. No refund will be given for missed lessons.
In case of catastrophic illness or a family tragedy, the Semester tuition will be prorated and refunded. A broken arm, wrist, or hand, though traumatic, is a splendid opportunity to focus on the other arm and still make beautiful progress. The criterion is: if the broken arm, wrist, or hand allows you to attend school or work, then you are well enough to attend piano lessons. Once in twenty years, I had a student who managed to break both arms. She did take a break from piano lessons, as well as many other things for a while...