Lesson Policies

Accent Music Studios Lesson Policies

COMMUNICATION:

All written communication between students and Accent Music Studios must be sent to accentmusicstudios@gmail.com. Email is preferred however calling or texting 604.351.7727 is also an option.
Accent Music Studios administrates on behalf of the instructors therefore all questions relating to fees and policies should be directed to the office only.

The instructor’s contact information will be shared once the initial lesson has been scheduled and lesson fees arranged. Instructors should only be contacted for matters relating to scheduling.

N.B. It is understood that a teacher’s personal contact information cannot be shared with anyone for any purpose other than scheduling lessons.

LESSON DEFINITION & SCHEDULING:

A lesson is defined as ‘time spent receiving tuition’. This accounts for individual instruction, ensemble coaching and assistance with an accompanist.

Trial Lesson
Trial lessons are limited to one lesson, per instructor, per student with no obligation to commit to lessons thereafter. The lesson must be paid for in advance (e-transfer) and lesson cancellation policies apply – see below. The office will arrange your lesson time with an instructor. No refunds will be issued on trial lessons.

Regular Weekly Lessons
The current academic school year runs from September 8th, 2022 to June 29th, 2023. Once a start date has been selected, and time agreed upon, it is expected that lessons be ongoing from week to week. A student’s lesson quota will be completed within the academic year. Lessons are not accounted for during Winter and Spring break.

Lessons are paid for on a monthly basis by preauthorized e-transfer or post-dated cheques.

Once your first month has been paid for, your contact information will be sent to the instructor who will then arrange a lesson time with you.

Lesson Packs
Lesson packs can be purchased as 4 Lessons, 8 Lessons or 12 lessons. Each lesson pack has an expiration date and all Lesson Packs must be used before the end of the 2020/2021 academic school year.

4 Pack expires after 3 months (or by June 29th 2023 if purchased on or after March 29th 2023)

8 Pack expires after 6 months (or by June 29th 2023 if purchased on or after January 29th 2023)

12 Pack expires on June 29th, 2023

There are no refunds on Lesson Packs and cancellation policies apply – see below.

All lesson packs must be pre-paid in full (e-transfer or cheque) and scheduling lessons is the responsibility of the student. A minimum of 7 days’ notice must be given to your instructor and lessons will be arranged around their regular schedule. Lessons must be arranged directly with the instructor. A reminder will be emailed to you 4 weeks before your lesson pack is due to expire.

General Schedule Policies:

All of our instructors are freelance musicians and must occasionally adjust or change their schedule to accommodate workshops, rehearsals and/or performances. Your instructor will give you as much notice as possible and will reschedule all missed lessons.

A comprehensive attendance record is kept detailing how much tuition time each student has been given and for which purpose.

If a student has enrolled in additional chamber music classes (currently suspended – September 2020), tuition time is not taken from their private lesson time unless agreed upon in writing.

IMPORTANT: Lessons will not be given if payment has not been received in advance – no exceptions. A student’s preferred time can only be guaranteed when monthly payments for the full academic year, are arranged/supplied

LESSON FEES

Fees are charged at the following rates: 30 minutes $37.00, 45 minutes $55.50 and 60 minutes $74.00 if lessons are paid for in advance and are ongoing from week to week within the academic year. 35 lessons are scheduled per academic year between September and June.
Drop-in lessons and lesson packs are priced differently - see below.
A one-time registration fee of $15 is charged per family.

For the 2022 – 2023 academic year (September – June) lessons must be paid in advance by means of post-dated cheques or pre-authorized monthly e-transfers.

Lesson packs

Lesson Packs are ideal for students who are unable to schedule regular weekly lessons. Lesson Packs are priced differently. The fees are: The rates are: 30 minutes $40, 45 minutes $60 and 60 minutes $80.00. No registration fee is charged.

Please refer to Lesson Fees and Payment Options for fee amounts and schedules

All cheques and e-transfers made payable to Accent Music Studios, a subsidiary of JAG Media Group Inc. Payments must be made in advance of all lessons. For pre-authorized e-transfers, banking information and instructions will be sent via email.

MISSED AND MAKE-UP LESSONS

If for any reason a lesson is missed by the student, no refund or make up lesson will be offered.

This includes, but is not limited to, last minute conflicts with other activities, delays due to appointments and/or traffic, and unexpected changes of plan.

If a student is sick on the day of their lesson, please notify your instructor before noon, by email and by phone/text message, or the lesson will be deemed ‘missed’. If a student does not show up, either in studio or for an online lesson, and the instructor is unaware of their condition, the lesson will be charged. Please be cognoscente that our instructors have set aside their time and have accounted for each lesson.

If a student has a minor ailment rendering them physically unable to play (ex. mouth infection, cut finger, dental work), their regular lesson will remain scheduled with ear training and theory, important elements of music education, as the focus. For students who are sick and completely incapacitated as a result and unable to attend a lesson without giving sufficient notice, each instructor will offer a maximum of two make-up lesson per year either in-person or online.

Any lessons missed by your instructor will be made up at a mutually convenient time.

If a student’s lesson quota has not been met within the academic year by their instructor, make-up times will be offered during school vacations (winter, spring and summer breaks). Your instructor will email suggestions for lessons times at the beginning of the holiday period and give notice when these lessons terminate. It is the responsibility of the student and/or parent to book a time for any missed lessons which your instructor has agreed to make up during holiday periods.

LESSON CANCELLATION

To cancel lessons permanently, four weeks’ notice must be given in writing to the office (email). For students under the age of 19 notification must be given by a parent/guardian. Upon receiving notice, all remaining postdated cheques will be returned, adjustments made, and refunds issued if necessary.

IN STUDIO RULES

If the building is locked upon your arrival, please call your instructor first and if you fail to reach them call the office at 604.351.7727. An emergency caretaker is usually on hand to help with students who are locked out of the building.
When possible, students should arrive at least 5 minutes early. This time should be spent setting up their instrument and preparing music. Time lost due to student tardiness will not be made up.
On the off chance that your instructor is not in the practice room at the commencement time of your lesson please set up and wait for them to arrive. Unless notification was sent informing you of their absence, your lesson will go ahead, as planned. Any missed lesson time due to unavoidable detainment on your instructor’s part will be made up.
Cell phones: Each student should either silence or switch off their mobile devices while in a lesson out of respect for their instructor and to prevent unnecessary distractions. If a student persists in using their mobile device the instructor is entitled to confiscate it, returning it at the end of the lesson.
Please be respectful of your instructor’s breaks. It is asked that students do not stay late or arrive early.

HEALTH & SAFETY

If you are experiencing any signs of sickness, please do not, under any circumstance, attend your lesson. Online tuition is available and can be arranged with your instructor.

Accent Music Studios reserves the right to adapt and change policies at any given time.