Studio Policy

Studio Philosophy

At Sunrise Prelude Piano Studios, lessons are built on consistency, encouragement, and steady progress. Lessons are enjoyable and engaging, and steady growth requires consistent practice at home throughout the week. My goal is to teach music in a way that helps students truly understand how to play with confidence and musical understanding, not just complete assignments. Teaching brings me deep joy, and I love sharing music with each student!

 

Student & Parent Responsibilities

Students and families share responsibilities for successful lessons.

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STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:

• Arrive on time and prepared with all assigned materials

• Practice five days per week; consistent, focused practice is essential for progress

• Follow instructions, participate actively, and treat the teacher, instruments, and studio space with respect

• Keep fingernails trimmed short

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PARENT/GUARDIAN EXPECTATIONS:

• Support and supervise regular home practice

• Ensure punctual arrival and pick-up

• Read all studio communications

• Communicate questions or concerns by email during business hours

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Consistent preparation allows lessons to be productive, enjoyable, and effective. Studio policies apply equally to all families and are upheld consistently.

 

Lesson Format, Safety, & Communication

Lessons are studio-based and occur at a consistent weekly time. Lessons begin and end at the scheduled time; students who arrive late will have their lesson end at the scheduled time.

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STUDIO ENVIRONMENT & SAFETY:

• Parents and siblings should wait in vehicles during lessons to maintain a focused environment.

• Students should use the restroom before their lesson whenever possible; restroom use is limited to emergencies.

• Lessons involve piano instruction, movement at the piano, and occasional active activities. Parents and guardians understand that, despite all precautions, accidents or injuries can occur. The studio, teacher, and property owners are not responsible for injuries resulting from student behavior, misuse of equipment, or failure to follow instructions.

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COMMUNICATION:

Lesson time is reserved for instruction; extended conversations should take place by email rather than during lesson time or between lessons. Studio communication occurs Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM via email only.

 

Attendance, Make-ups, & Holidays

Tuition reserves a specific weekly lesson time for each student, whether or not the student attends. Missed lessons due to illness, travel, school events, or other conflicts are not refunded.

 

MAKE-UP LESSONS:

Each student is guaranteed three make-up lessons per academic year. Make-up lessons may be completed in one of the following ways:​

• Asynchronous Lesson: Families may complete the make-up before the student’s scheduled lesson time. This could include practicing assigned pieces while out of town or completing theory assignments.

• Pre-recorded Video from the Teacher: The teacher may provide a short video covering theory instruction and/or an example of the student’s assigned pieces. Families can watch this video at a convenient time.

• Parent-Teacher Conference: Instead of a lesson, a parent may use the scheduled lesson time for a phone call to review progress, ask questions, and discuss practice strategies.

To qualify for a make-up lesson, families must notify the teacher of an absence at least 24 hours in advance. Families are encouraged to treat their scheduled lesson time as a standing weekly commitment. Lessons may not be rescheduled outside of these defined make-up options.

 

ILLNESS:

If a student is ill (or has been in the past 24 hours), families are asked to keep the student home. For the health and safety of all students, the teacher may send a student home if they arrive showing signs of illness. Missed lessons due to illness are not refunded. When possible, alternative make-up options may be offered at the teacher’s discretion.

 

WEATHER & TEACHER CANCELLATIONS:

Families will be notified as early as possible if weather impacts the lesson schedule. Weather-related adjustments count as a completed lesson and do not require a make-up unless otherwise stated.

 

If the teacher must cancel a lesson due to illness, emergency, or unforeseen circumstances, families will be notified as early as possible. The studio includes up to four (4) teacher flex weeks per academic year, which can be used for teacher illness or other unexpected circumstances. Lessons canceled by the teacher during these weeks are already accounted for in tuition and do not require a make-up lesson. Tuition is spread evenly across the year, so payments remain consistent, even though some weeks are covered by flex weeks.

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STUDIO CLOSURES:

The studio observes the following closures:

• Labor Day

• Thanksgiving break

• Winter break (Christmas/New Year)

• Spring break

• Memorial Day week

Any teacher vacation time is already accounted for in tuition. Families will be notified of closures in advance.

 

Tuition & Fees

Invoices are sent by email prior to each due date. Semester tuition may be paid by check or credit card, while monthly tuition is credit card only. A processing fee of 3% is added to all credit card payments to cover merchant fees. A ($10) late fee will be added to any payment received after the due date.

 

Tuition is based on enrollment, not attendance, and reserves the student’s exclusive weekly lesson time. Enrollment represents a financial commitment for the full year, regardless of missed lessons.

 

Enrollment & Intro Program

A student’s place in the studio is not reserved until the enrollment fee has been received. The enrollment fee can be paid by credit card only. This fee applies to students re-enrolling for the year or families new to the studio.

 

Students who are currently enrolled in the studio and are signing up for a new program are not required to pay the enrollment fee. Instead, a deposit toward tuition may be collected to hold their spot, and this deposit will be applied to their tuition for the new program.

 

New students may enroll in the Sunrise Prelude Intro Program, a trial lesson package, to determine if the studio is a good fit. Introductory lessons are non-refundable and do not include make-up lessons. Ongoing enrollment is not guaranteed until the teacher and parent have discussed the student’s progress and experience. The introductory package includes four weekly lessons.

 

Discontinuing Lessons

The studio reserves the right to discontinue lessons if a student:

• Demonstrates an uncooperative or disruptive attitude

• Persistently misses lessons

• Does not make reasonable progress due to lack of practice

• Fails to pay tuition on time

• Violates any part of this studio policy

If lessons are discontinued by the studio, tuition is not refunded and the remaining balance is due immediately.

 

If a student withdraws before the end of the academic year for any reason, the remaining tuition balance for the year is due at the time of withdrawal. This policy is necessary because lesson spots are reserved based on year-long commitments, and the teacher plans scheduling and income accordingly.

 

Materials & Supplies

Students are expected to have:

• A full-sized (88-key) weighted digital piano or acoustic piano for home practice

• A metronome (physical or an app)

• Required method books (purchased by parents as assigned each year)

Parents are responsible for replacing lost or damaged items, including books, flashcards, and other materials provided by the studio.

 

Performance Opportunities & Media Consent

Recitals and performance opportunities are included in tuition. Students are highly encouraged to participate, as these experiences are an important part of musical growth and confidence.

By enrolling in Sunrise Prelude Piano Studios, parents and guardians grant consent for the student’s image, video, and first name to be used for all studio purposes, including:

• Studio social media (Instagram, Facebook)

• Studio website

• Promotional materials (flyers, newsletters, brochures)

• Recital or performance documentation

No personal contact information will be shared publicly. Consent is required for participation in the studio and may not be opted out.​

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Summer Lesson Policy

All policies from the regular academic-year policy apply to summer lessons except as stated below.

 

SUMMER LESSON STRUCTURE

Tuition includes six (6) flexibly scheduled lessons, one (1) make-up lesson, three (3) group classes, one (1) recital, and an end-of-summer studio celebration.

 

A summer make-up day will be offered at the end of the session for families who need to reschedule a lesson; make-up lessons will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

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TEACHER CANCELLATIONS:

The summer program includes one (1) teacher flex week. More information on teacher flex weeks can be found above in the Inclement Weather & Teacher Cancellations section.

 

TUITION & ENROLLMENT

Enrollment is a financial commitment to the summer program. Families who enroll for summer lessons are guaranteed a spot unless the studio reaches full capacity or enrollment occurs after the deadline, at which point new sign-ups are not guaranteed due to scheduling constraints. Families who do not enroll for summer lessons will not have a guaranteed spot in the academic year, while those who do enroll automatically retain their academic year lesson slot.

 

The $30 registration fee per household is required for new families and is waived for currently enrolled families as a thank-you for continued support. The registration fee covers the administrative time spent registering, scheduling, and preparing lessons, ensuring a smooth process and a guaranteed placement in the summer program.​

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Studio policies may be updated without notice. Continued enrollment indicates agreement with the current studio policies.