Studio Policy
Tuition
Your tuition payments ensure my responsibility for your child’s musical education for the entire year. This includes not only the weekly lesson time, but many other studio benefits and events. Please consider all the extra time your teacher provides for class preparation, performances, event registrations, book-keeping, professional development, continuing education, and countless hours spent searching for “just the right piece at the right time” to keep your child motivated. See Tuition Policy below for details.
Lessons
Although no make-up lessons are offered, an occasional Face Time lesson can be arranged during the regular lesson time, provided notice is given to the teacher before noon on the day of the lesson. Other events, (Family Nights, piano parties, outside performances, extra rehearsals, etc.), held many times each year, are offered as free bonus lessons.
Practicing
Students will need to practice at home to make musical progress. In my studio I stress quality, goal-motivated practicing rather than practicing a certain number of minutes. To help students progress and make the most of their practice time, I provide recordings and accompaniments which they are required to listen to and practice with at home.
Your piano
Be certain your piano is kept tuned and in good condition. If your child is using a keyboard it must be touch sensitive, have a pedal, and have 61 keys or more.
After a year or two you will need to invest in either an acoustic piano or a good digital piano with weighted keys to get the full benefit of piano lessons.
Contacting your Teacher
For conferences, discussions, or progress reports, weekday mornings are the best time to contact me on my cell phone, 813-988-1414, or email me at [email protected]
For quick messages or to cancel a lesson, please text my cell phone, 813-988-1414.
While I do not answer the phone during lessons, I periodically check for messages between lessons.
Your tuition payments ensure my responsibility for your child’s musical education for the entire year. This includes not only the weekly lesson time, but many other studio benefits and events. Please consider all the extra time your teacher provides for class preparation, performances, event registrations, book-keeping, professional development, continuing education, and countless hours spent searching for “just the right piece at the right time” to keep your child motivated. See Tuition Policy below for details.
Lessons
- Please be on time for lessons. Tardiness to a lesson cannot be made up. Please do not enter the studio more than 3-4 minutes ahead of time.
- Quick parent conferences can be held the last few minutes of the student's lesson, but cannot extend into the next student's lesson time.
- To protect the instruments, electronic equipment and music in the studio, no food or drinks are allowed in the studio.
- While the restroom is available when necessary, please plan to use the restroom before you arrive for your lesson so I will not have to use teaching time walking students to the restroom and back.
- When picking students up, please make sure all music and materials are in their music bag. Please arrange to pick up any items left in the studio within a day or two of the lesson so that practice and progress can take place at home.
Although no make-up lessons are offered, an occasional Face Time lesson can be arranged during the regular lesson time, provided notice is given to the teacher before noon on the day of the lesson. Other events, (Family Nights, piano parties, outside performances, extra rehearsals, etc.), held many times each year, are offered as free bonus lessons.
Practicing
Students will need to practice at home to make musical progress. In my studio I stress quality, goal-motivated practicing rather than practicing a certain number of minutes. To help students progress and make the most of their practice time, I provide recordings and accompaniments which they are required to listen to and practice with at home.
Your piano
Be certain your piano is kept tuned and in good condition. If your child is using a keyboard it must be touch sensitive, have a pedal, and have 61 keys or more.
After a year or two you will need to invest in either an acoustic piano or a good digital piano with weighted keys to get the full benefit of piano lessons.
Contacting your Teacher
For conferences, discussions, or progress reports, weekday mornings are the best time to contact me on my cell phone, 813-988-1414, or email me at [email protected]
For quick messages or to cancel a lesson, please text my cell phone, 813-988-1414.
While I do not answer the phone during lessons, I periodically check for messages between lessons.
Tuition Policy
School Term: August - May
Summer Term: June - July
Additional Fees:
- Tuition pays for 34 lessons during a 42-week term and is divided into 10 monthly payments
- 45-minute lessons: $204 per month
- 60-minute lessons: $272 per month
- Group lessons may replace individual lessons 4 times during the School Term
Summer Term: June - July
- Tuition pays for 4 lessons total during the 2 month period, June & July.
- Lessons will be scheduled around vacation times.
- 45-minute piano lessons: $240 for 4 lessons total
- Additional lessons available upon request
Additional Fees:
- Studio fees: $20 per semester (due August & January); printing, loan music, studio licensed music, studio subscriptions, etc.
- Studio Recital Fee: $15 (due May)
- Fees for Events Outside the Studio: fees will be added to monthly invoice
- Music & Supplies: $60 (approximate estimate per year) Fees will be added to monthly payments as materials are provided)
- Late Payment Fee per student: $10 (if not received before 1st of each month)
- Students are expected to commit for the School Term, August - May, and the Summer Term, June & July. One month written advance notice and payment required in the event that lessons are to be discontinued.
- Holidays and other studio closings will be posted on our website, on the Studio Calendar.
- 2 teacher days off per term for professional development or sickness may also be added if needed.
- Invoices will be emailed monthly and are due by the last day of the month for the following month.
- Bank Transfers (ACH) can be paid manually each month, or can be set up to pay automatically each month. Go to your Student Portal and click "Settings" and select "My Preferences". From the "Stored Payments" section, click the green "Add Bank" button.
- Credit Card Payments can be paid online each month, or can be set to pay automatically each month. Click on “Click Here to Pay Online” at the bottom of your invoice.
- Cash
- Check made payable to Virginia Grissom
♪ Thank you for choosing Virginia’s Piano Studio!
Studio Expectations
Piano Lessons will be successful when the teacher, parent, and student work together.
As the teacher I will:
Your teacher comes to you with over 40 years of teaching experience, 2 Bachelor’s degrees and a Master’s degree in Piano Performance & Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Florida. Professional affiliations include Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), officer of Florida State Music Teachers Association (FSMTA) District 9, past president and current officer of Mid-State Music Teachers Association (MSMTA), board member and Teaching Young Children in Groups consultant for Keyband! USA, National Federation of Music Clubs, and the Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce.
Professional development is continued through attendance at FSMTA state and district conferences, MTNA National Conference, MSMTA teacher workshops, Keyboard Ensemble and Technology Seminar (KETS), 88 Creative Keys course on improvisation and creativity, publisher workshops, subscriptions to professional teaching magazines, online teacher webinars, and daily interaction among online piano teacher groups.
As the teacher I will:
- inspire and motivate each student to be the best that he or she can be
- provide quality piano instruction in a professional atmosphere with quality instruments and equipment
- provide a fun and creative learning atmosphere while maintaining high standards
- teach students not only to read music but also to have fun discovering and creating music
- encourage students to set goals and reach for the stars
- strive to teach according to each student’s individual learning style
- provide a well-rounded music curriculum while allowing students to follow their own musical interests
- provide performance opportunities for students to share their music
- teach the student the skills needed to become a life-long pianist and music lover
- encourage the student in all their musical endeavors throughout their life
- continue my education by attending workshops, seminars, and researching the latest methods and innovations in piano teaching
- drop off and pick up student on time. Parents are not to sit in on lessons
- schedule a quiet, daily practice time at home
- provide a functioning, in-tune piano or good-quality keyboard, with adequate lighting
- provide seat cushions and foot stool if needed for proper piano playing position
- use the student/parent portal to schedule events, read studio news, update your contact information, and access the student’s recorded songs and backing tracks (accompaniments) in Online Resources
- provide the necessary equipment (phone, tablet, or computer; ear buds, head phones or external speaker) for student to listen to and practice with their recorded songs and backing tracks (accompaniments) at home
- assist younger students with practicing
- read the lesson assignments each week, and make sure the student has read them
- make sure the student comes prepared
- discuss student’s practicing, progress, and goals with the teacher
- continually encourage the child
- listen to your child play on a regular basis
- read and practice your assignments at home
- use your student portal to access your recorded songs and backing tracks (accompaniments), and listen to and practice with them on a regular basis
- come to lessons prepared
- bring all music and supplies to every lesson, including your black binder, and your folder with the Assignment Sheet clipped to the front
- show respect to your teacher and classmates
- handle the delicate and expensive equipment with care
- ask for teacher’s help and approval before performing at school or anywhere outside the studio
Your teacher comes to you with over 40 years of teaching experience, 2 Bachelor’s degrees and a Master’s degree in Piano Performance & Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Florida. Professional affiliations include Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), officer of Florida State Music Teachers Association (FSMTA) District 9, past president and current officer of Mid-State Music Teachers Association (MSMTA), board member and Teaching Young Children in Groups consultant for Keyband! USA, National Federation of Music Clubs, and the Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce.
Professional development is continued through attendance at FSMTA state and district conferences, MTNA National Conference, MSMTA teacher workshops, Keyboard Ensemble and Technology Seminar (KETS), 88 Creative Keys course on improvisation and creativity, publisher workshops, subscriptions to professional teaching magazines, online teacher webinars, and daily interaction among online piano teacher groups.
Thank you for providing your child with piano lessons.
It is a gift they will always have, can never lose, and will never outgrow!
It is a gift they will always have, can never lose, and will never outgrow!