MICHAELPREDDYPIANO

STUDIO POLICY STATEMENT

Billing:

I use an "Pay-Averaging" system wherby I determine for each student of a set number of lessons for the upcoming semester determined as follows: At the beginning of each term, either Fall or Spring. Using the Conejo Unified and Las Virgenes school calendars, I total up the number of lessons each student will have based on the day of the week their lesson occurs. That total number of lessons is multiplied by the amount per lesson and then divided by the number of months in the term (which is four (4) months for September through December, and six (6) months for January through June). This total will be given to you in advance and explained in detail. Payments are due at first lesson of each month.

 

Missed Lessons:

School Holidays and special MTAC sponsored Music Events such as the Contemporary Festival and Certificate of Merit are accounted for by the scheduled to be missed are made up so that the student will have the total number of lessons promised per term.  

 

Preparation:

The word PRACTICE has become a dirty word, so I try use the word PLAY to describe what we do at the piano.  Students are expected to play the piano daily the amount of time per day as the length of their lesson. For example, a forty-five minute lesson per day would mean forty-five minutes practice per day.  From experience, I know this is very possible, although a student may try to convince you otherwise. Just remember that if piano-playing were easy, it wouldn't be worth pursuing, so it does take work. However, it rewards the player in ways that must be measured with words like "increased focus," "goal orientation," "hand-eye coordination," "developed small motor skills," "cultural and societal upward mobility"  to name a  few. For little ones, the time can be divided up into two segments, morning and evening. For older ones, the important thing is that they make piano playing an important part of their life and on an equal footing, let's say, with Mortal Kombat and Wii. Get off to a good start and make piano an important part of their lives.

 

Lesson Time:

a. Students need to keep all their music and assignment books together in one place so that whether they come to my studio or I come to your home, we can get right to the lesson and not have to search for anything. Having students put music away each day can be both good and bad---it all depends. With some students, "out of sight and out of mind" applies. With others, it doesn't matter. Use your best judgment.

 

b. Have the student warm up and go through their material before the lesson so they won't be playing it cold in front of me.

 

Stay in Touch:

If you have any issues that need to be dealt with, by all means, call me during the week so that we can get them taken care of as soon as possible and get on with playing the piano. Oftentimes, I can work with a student over the phone and solve a problem. Contacts: (805) 427-2786; michaelpreddy@hotmail.com