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MUSIC STUDIO POLICY
I provide one-on-one private personalized music lessons to students of all ages on the instruments piano, violin, and viola. Students choose the instrument they would like to learn how to play. Students learn how to read music, understand music and music theory, how to play their desired instrument and how to perform on it. Many musical genres are taught. 
 
STUDENTS: Can be of any age 4 and up. (I prefer to start at 5 years old and above)
Lessons are open to children, teens, and adults of any age. Lessons are held one student at a time and never combined unless an ensemble lesson is planned and approved by all attending.
 
MUSIC LESSON LOCATION:
The lessons are held at my music studio. The student is to come to my music studio to receive lessons, I do not travel to student’s homes.
Music Studio address: 10120 NW 71st Pl. Tamarac, FL 33321
Lessons may be done online via Facetime, Google Duo, WhatsApp Video Call, Zoom, etc.
 
TRY OUT LESSON: The first lesson that is scheduled with StudiobySarah. It is non-commitment. Fee: $20 for a 30 minute session which includes a trial music lesson and personal discussion about music lessons.
 
LESSON FEES
For one student:
$50 – 1 hour lesson (60 minutes)
$40 – 45 minute lesson
$30 – half an hour lesson (30 minutes) 
Lessons will be held once a week. Lesson may be twice a week if desired.
Music lessons are weekly, not “monthly”. For a student to progress at a steady rate it is crucial to have lessons on a regular basis.
If interested in having 2 or more of your children enrolled in music lessons the fees will be: Original price for the first student (sibling) and a $5 discount for each lesson for the additional sibling/s.
Siblings may be brought both on the same day, or on different days of the week.
 
Included in the lesson fees is 1 complimentary music recital per year where the student can perform in front of friends, family, and other students! (Additional recitals or other performance activities and opportunities may be complimentary or may include additional fees)

 

PAYMENT METHODS

Cash, check, Paypal, Cash App, Venmo, Zelle or online credit card payment via QuickBooks invoice.

Checks are to be made out to “StudiobySarah LLC”.

Zelle and Venmo have no transaction fees.

If paying through PayPal, Cash App, or credit card there is an additional fee that I charge to cover the service fees of these companies.

Paypal: An additional 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction 

Cash App: An additional 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction

QuickBooks credit card transactions: $2-3 additional fee depending on the cost of the lessons.

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PAYMENT POLICY

The first 30 minute “try out” lesson is $20. After this first lesson there will be an implemented payment plan. One of the 2 payment plans must be chosen. Weekly payments will not be accepted.

 

Option 1: Monthly Payments- Due by the 1st of the month

The full payment for the following month of lessons is due on the last lesson of every month. You may pay at any point. All payments are to be made by the 1st of the month for which you are paying. 

 

Option 2: Bimonthly Payments- Due by the 1st and the 15th of the month

Payment 1-The payment for half of the upcoming month is due on the last lesson of the month. You may pay at any point. All payments are to be made by the 1st of the month for which you are paying.

Payment 2- The payment for the remaining half of the month are due by the 15th of the month. You may pay at any point before or on the 15th.

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SCHEDULING
Each student is to be scheduled to a certain day and time. This will be his or her time every week. The student is expected to come at the same scheduled time and day each week.
 
CANCELLATIONS OR RESCHEDULING
If the student is unable to come at his or her time or day on a certain week, I need to be contacted at least 24 hours in advance. This shows consideration for me and for other students as well. The lesson is to be rescheduled if possible for another day of the same week to keep the regularity of the lessons. If unable, then the make up lesson will need to be done at some point during the same month or you will be responsible for the payment of the missed lesson.
 
Lessons will not be credited for the next month. They must all be completed within the same month. If not completed, then the amount for the lesson/s missed will not be refunded.
 
If I am contacted less than 24 hours before the lesson, and it is not an emergency or sudden sickness, you will still be responsible for the student to attend and pay for the lesson. The lesson will not be made up.
If the student does not attend the lesson and I have not been contacted, you will be responsible for payment of the missed lesson. The lesson will not be made up.
 
Important: If there is any anticipation that the student will not be able to attend or may be starting to feel sick, or unwell, I should be contacted to be made aware of the situation.
Sickness is not an excuse for a student to miss a lesson without notifying StudiobySarah. As soon as it may seem that a student is becoming sick and it may impede with the student’s lesson for the week, I should be notified. The lesson can be rescheduled after the sickness has passed.
 
If it is an emergency or important, unexpected event or situation that arises that causes the student to be unable to attend their lesson at a short notice, please notify me as soon as possible and we will discuss the situation and a make up lesson will be planned.
 
If the student misses the lesson due to minor reasons or an anticipated situation, you will be responsible for the payment of the missed lesson. The lesson will not be made up.

COMMUNICATION

Why it is so important: There are many students enrolled in music lessons at StudiobySarah. Time slots are limited, and certain time slots are desired by several students, yet only one student may occupy each time slot. In order to accommodate students as best as possible, organization and communication are key. Please consider other students. When a student misses a lesson at last minute, a student that may need a make up lesson cannot use that time slot, adding stress to try to find another time slot when they are very limited.

 If StudiobySarah is notified with ample notice, lessons can be rescheduled, schedules can be adjusted and make up lessons can be scheduled with as many time slots being filled as possible. Time slots will not be wasted or unfilled and needed make up lessons can be scheduled! Lessons will not be missed!

MAKE UPS

Are to be discussed and are to be done according to availability in my schedule.

If a make up is needed, it is to be done at some point during the same month that the lesson was missed. If not done during the same month, you will be responsible for payment for that lesson.


TARDINESS

If the student is to be tardy for the lesson, please contact me at least one hour before the student’s lesson.Punctuality is expected. This is in consideration to a student who may follow your lesson time. I will not extend time for the lesson due to tardiness.

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ATTENDANCE IN LESSONS

-Parents and family may be present during the lessons if desired. The presence of parents and or family is to help the student to feel more comfortable, but not to distract the student.
-Please refrain from talking on the phone or making any other distracting noises during the lesson that may make it difficult for the student to concentrate. A parent may step out if needed.
-If having a child present, please have him or her sit quietly throughout the lesson. If the child is unable to do so, it will be distracting to the student and the best option might be to wait outside, in the car, etc.
-Use of books, coloring books, silent cell phone or tablet applications, etc. are allowed during the lesson for those attending.

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I recommend for parents or care takers to be observant during the lessons, and that way they may help the student when practicing at home, and possibly also learn about music! I can provide parents with guidance on how to help their student practice and progress at home. Parent’s help and motivation can make a big impact in a student’s progress!

HOLIDAYS
If the lesson is to fall on a holiday, or the date of a religious observance and you wish to reschedule the lesson for the week, I need to be notified with time, a few weeks in advance. 
StudiobySarah will be open ALL holidays that fall on a weekday except: Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. (If closed on another holiday, I will notify those who have lessons on that day.

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TEACHER SCHEDULE CHANGES

I will do my best to always be available at the scheduled time and date for the student. I know the importance of regularity for my students. If I am to have a schedule change for a certain week, I will let you know with time, so that way we may reschedule the lesson to another time in the same week, or if unable, then a make up will be planned in a timely manner within the same month.

VACATIONS

If I am to take a vacation, I will make it aware to you in a timely fashion. The students are not obligated for the lessons they miss due to my vacation days. However, if make up lessons are desired, they can be planned. 
 

If the student is unable to attend a lesson due to personal vacation, please contact me with time about the dates. StudiobySarah needs to be notified prior to the 1st of the month which the vacation is planned for. That way the payment for the month will reflect the 1 week vacation off week. A student may miss 1 lesson due to vacation during the month. If the vacation is longer than 1 week, the other lesson or lessons that will be missed need to be made-up within the same month.

This is a courtesy that is given to the student and family. Please do not abuse this policy.

If a student is to be absent for several weeks or a month/s, due to prolonged vacation, the lessons for half of the month need to be paid for, even if the student will be absent. This is to maintain the student’s desired time slot. If not paid for, the time slot will be opened for any potential student to obtain. Once again, this a courtesy given to the student and family. A student cannot keep a desired time slot that is not being paid for.

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SUMMER AND WINTER BREAKS (FOR SCHOOL AGED STUDENTS)

StudiobySarah’s music lessons are continuous, weekly lessons that are held throughout the year. Lessons continue during academic breaks.

EXPECTATIONS

-The student is to prepare for each lesson, completing any assignments given, and practicing the pieces that are assigned. Amount of practice time and practice methods are discussed during the lesson and are different depending on the student’s age, and musical level

-I am not responsible for lack of preparation of the student, this will affect his or her progression. I will teach despite the preparation status of the student. I will tell parents of their child’s status in lesson. Lack of preparation or practice is not an excuse to miss/reschedule a lesson.

-During lesson, I expect that there be a learning friendly environment if a parent or guardian chooses to be present while I give the lesson.

-The parent or guardian is responsible to keep control of other children, family members, electronics, etc. present at the lesson in order to maintain a quiet environment for me to teach the student while at my music studio.

-If the surroundings are to become too distracting for the student, I will ask to please restore the surroundings. If this is not done, I will have to ask for the distraction to be moved out of my studio. If the student cannot concentrate, I will not add time to the lesson due to the distractions that are caused by family members/guardians that are attending the lesson.

INSTRUMENTS (PIANO STUDENTS)
I have an acoustic Hailun Upright piano in my music studio, and this instrument will be used during the student’s lesson.
Every student needs an instrument to practice on in order to progress musically.
Having the right instrument is key for the student’s progression and also for his or her enjoyment and motivation to continue learning.
 
You do not have to buy a costly instrument for a beginning student.
For a beginning student a keyboard of at least 60 keys is recommended. This instrument may be used for a few months.
After a few months of lessons, the student will need to upgrade to a larger or better instrument.
 A fully weighted keyboard with all 88 keys is highly recommended. It has all the keys, allowing the student to play all the notes, and it has a similar feel to an acoustic piano due to the weighted keys and it is sensitive to the touch, which is very important when playing the piano. 
A semi-weighted keyboard is not the same as a fully-weighted, or hammer action keyboard. 
It will have light keys, and not much sensitivity to the player's touch.
However, an acoustic piano is the best option for it provides the student with the real instrument that he or she is learning. The mechanisms on a piano are different to those on a keyboard, and due to this, the weight and feel of playing the instrument is only truly felt through the acoustic piano, not on a keyboard.
For that reason, those who have been studying for over a year, those already experienced in playing previously, and those who plan to study the instrument for an extended amount of time are urged that when possible, purchase an acoustic piano. This is the best that can be done for the student’s edification.
 
I am happy to provide assistance when it comes to purchasing an instrument.
Any questions or concerns about instruments, please don’t hesitate to ask!
 
INSTRUMENTS (VIOLIN OR VIOLA STUDENTS)
Any student that will be learning either two of these stringed instruments needs to either rent, rent-to-own, or purchase an instrument as soon as possible.
I do not provide students with instruments, nor do I sell instruments. 
 
Depending on the student’s height, arm length, and age, the size or quality of the instrument that is needed can change. For that reason, I recommend that the student comes to his or her first few lessons without purchasing or renting an instrument and I can offer assistance in what instrument size or brand will be best for the student. That way a student does not accidently purchase an instrument that does not fit or work for them.
I can also provide with a few locations and businesses that sell these instruments.
A beginning student will need a student quality instrument, and with time and depending on the progress of the student and also the growth of the student then an instrument "upgrade" will need to be considered.
 
Every student needs his or her own instrument in order to practice and progress musically.
I do not have stringed instruments to provide for my students because of the variation in the many sizes needed depending on the age and stature of each student.
If the student already owns an instrument, then feel free to bring it and I can assess if it will be appropriate for lessons and practicing!

Important tips, please read!:

Practice creates progress, progress in turn creates motivation!

1.       Practice is the most important thing any music student needs to do in order to learn to play music and to be motivated to continue!

2.       Parents and guardians play a large role in the musical development of their child. Please, encourage them to practice, remind them to practice, do it with them if necessary!

3.       Music isn’t always easy, and it is normal for students to become frustrated or unmotivated at times, and that is where friends and family play a big role in helping them see that they are doing something good! This is true for students of any age!

4.       The more a student practices, the more they progress, and the more they see that they are learning and that their effort is worth it!

5.       Each student is to practice at least 4 days per week, if they are practicing less than that then there isn’t enough repetition for them to learn well! If possible, a student is to practice MORE than 4 days a week. Ideally is recommended to practice 5 or more days a week for the best results!

StudiobySarah LLC has the right to provide or deny business services to any client. If a client is not abiding by the accepted rules in this policy, StudiobySarah has the right to cease services to the client.


Thank you for your business!


StudiobySarah’s contact information:

Business Owner Name: Sarah Suarez

Website: www.studiobysarah.com

Email: studiobysarah@gmail.com

Phone: (may call or text) 305-772-2099


Contact or follow me on social media!

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/studiobysarah

Instagram: @studiobysarahmusic

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Music Studio work days: Monday through Fridays (Closed Saturdays and Sundays)

 

Weekday mornings are the best time to contact me, you may contact on weekday afternoons and evenings or the weekend if needed, I will respond as soon as possible. Most lessons take place during weekday afternoons and evenings which may cause me to delay in responding during that time. I appreciate your patience!

 

My goal is for you or your child to enjoy learning an instrument and learning to make music and share it with others! I want music to be a source of joy, refuge and so much more for each of my students, just as it has been for me! I am here to answer any questions or concerns you may have and appreciate your time, effort, and business!