Studio Policy

Welcome

We at VikisPIanoStudio are a piano school devoted to combining a prestigious Eastern European school of piano playing with the fun American school of piano playing. We have been trained extensively in both piano school systems and we strive to bring them together.

Communication

Good communication is essential. During each lesson, we will discuss with the student how to make their practice at home successful. We are also available to speak with you over the phone, or communicate through email or text if you have any questions or concerns. In some cases it may be necessary to communicate in person without the student present. If this is the case, private lesson time can be used for a parent’ teacher conference.

Private lessons

Individual lessons are available in the following increments: 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and 60 minutes. The length of the lesson is determined by the teacher.

Piano Lesson Etiquette

Families should park in the driveway or on the street, and students should enter through the front door quietly.

Students are expected to arrive on time for their lesson and bring all necessary materials. If a student is more than 10 minutes late, the lesson will be considered missed, and they will be charged without a make up option. If student arrives early by more than 5 minutes they should wait outside or in the car to minimize distractions in the studio.

Students should leave their shoes on the front porch and wait quietly in the waiting area until the teacher is ready. While the goal is to start each lesson on time, delays may occur when working with children. It is still the student’s responsibility to arrive on time for their scheduled lesson.

Please respect the home and furniture. Students and parents can wait in the waiting area and use the downstairs bathroom; but should not enter other rooms without permission.

Parents are welcome to attend the trial lesson in the studio for observation. After the trial lesson, students should enter the studio on their own. Parents may drop off the student and leave or wait in the car until the lesson is over.

Tuition and Fees

There is a one-time, non refundable registration fee of $50 per family, every year, due on June 1st or the time the student starts lessons, if later than June 30th.

Tuition is due on the 1st of each month. VikisPianoStudio fees are tuition-based rather than lesson based. Twelve (12) equal tuition payments are required from July through July, year-round. Tuition includes 45 lessons from July though July. Any additional lessons beyond the 45 lessons included in the contract are billed separately. Regardless of the number of lessons per month (due to holidays, professional leave, missed lessons, etc.), the 12 tuition payments remain the same (unless additional lessons are requested outside of the 45 lessons included).

Monthly tuition rates:

- 30 minutes lessons = $170

- 45 minutes lessons = $255

- 60 minutes lessons = $340

There will be a $25 late fee for tuition received after the 15th of the month.

If a student joins VikisPianoStudio in the middle of the school year, the rates will not be prorated. All rates are monthly tuition-based rather than lesson-based. If joining in the middle of a month that first monthly rate will be prorated only, if needed.

In addition to weekly private lessons, the monthly tuition covers the following from July-July:

- Two recital (Winter Recital and End of the Year Recital)

- National Piano Guild Audition (April)

- NCMTA Piano Performance Festival (February) - for students ready to participate

- DMTA Piano Performance Festival (May) - for students ready to participate

- Time spent outside the lessons planning the student’s course of study

- Time spent communicating with parents outside lesson time

- Registering students for events

- Development of teaching materials

- Teachers training and development

- Times spent locating and purchasing music and materials

- Time spent planning studio events.

Missed Lessons

The tuition policy is designed for a year-round lesson program. Those who are enrolled year-round benefit the most from the system. If a teacher misses a lesson for any reason, it will be made up through live online lessons or in person lessons. If a student needs to miss a lesson, every effort will be made to make up to five missed lessons per year (July-July), if the lesson was canceled more than 24 hours prior to the lesson time. Missed lessons by the student will be made up in an in-person lesson, live online lesson, or asynchronous lesson, with the student providing a video to the teacher and the teacher providing a feedback video back to the student. Lessons cancelled less than 24 hours in advance will not be made up and will be charged for.

Terminating Lessons

Students or parent have the right to terminate lessons at any time and for any reason. However, tuition paid in advance is nonrefundable. If tuition remains unpaid more than two weeks after the due date we reserve the right to terminate lessons immediately without a refund. The only situation in which a refund of tuition would be issued is if we decide to terminate lessons, which we can do at any time and for any reason. In the event that we terminate lessons, we will provide a prorated reimbursement of tuition. Yearly studio registration fees are nonrefundable in all circumstances.