Newsletters

Music Academy Coronavirus Three Phase Reopening Plan

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Updated – Thursday, June 25, 2020

On April 23, 2020, North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper, announced a three phase plan to lift Coronavirus stay-at-home orders and allow businesses to reopen to the public.  The Music Academy of WNC takes the health, safety, and well-being of our faculty, staff, students, and their family members very seriously and has drafted our own three-phase reopening plan that coincides with Governor Cooper’s.  The dates proposed in the Music Academy reopening plan are tentative and subject to change based upon State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines and restrictions.  Music Academy students will be notified of any changes.  All questions and concerns should be directed to the Music Academy Director HERE.

For updates on the Coronavirus in Henderson County, please click HERE to be redirected to the Henderson County Department of Health’s COVID-19 Public Health Advisory page.  The North Carolina COVID-19 Response page is HERE.  The Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 page is HERE.  Current North Carolina cases with map can be found HERE.

Music Academy of WNC Three-Phase Coronavirus Reopening Plan

(Phase 1) – Beginning Monday, May 4, 2020

  1. All Music Academy private music lessons will continue to be conducted with our online lesson formats.  No in-person lessons will be held at the Music Academy.  The Music Academy lobby and building will be closed to all students, their family members, and the general public.  Only Music Academy faculty members and staff will be allowed in our lobby and building in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.
  2. There will be no in-person ensembles or music classes.
  3. We are monitoring the situation daily and will continue to take the recommended steps as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control, state local governments, and area health agencies and providers. Be assured that we will reach out to our faculty, staff, students, and their family members immediately if the status of our operation changes.

(Phase 2 – Updated Per Executive Order 147 on 6/24/2020)
Beginning Monday, June 1, 2020

  1. In-person lessons will resume on a normal schedule at the Music Academy of WNC in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.
  2. We will continue to offer our online lesson formats to students who wish to utilize them.
  3. There will be no in-person ensembles or music classes.
  4. We will constantly disinfect surfaces, furniture, door handles, keyboards, music stands, and common touch points within the building.
  5. We ask our faculty, staff, students, and their family members to wash their hands with soap and water as well as use hand sanitizer prior to all in-person lessons held at the Music Academy.  Our restrooms are located in the back hallway.
  6. We ask our students and their family members to refrain from attending in-person lessons if they are sick or showing any symptoms that are linked to the COVID-19 virus.
  7. All faculty members, staff, students, and their family members entering the lobby, other parts the building, or our teaching studios should practice social distances of six feet in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.
  8. Family members of students should remain in their vehicles instead of waiting in our lobby or other waiting areas of the building during their Music Academy visit unless adult supervision is needed for younger students (preschool and early elementary).  Please limit one adult to accompany younger students into the lobby or other waiting areas of the building.  Otherwise, the Music Academy lobby and other waiting areas of the building will only be opened to faculty, staff, and students in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.
  9. We encourage our faculty, staff, students, and their family members to use simple, everyday actions that protect us all from respiratory viruses, including frequent hand-washing and properly covering every cough or sneeze.
  10. Faculty, staff, students, and their family members should wear a face mask when entering the Music Academy lobby, other parts of the building, and our private lesson studios in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.  All faculty members, students, and their family members should provide their own face mask coverings.
  11. We are monitoring the situation daily and will continue to take the recommended steps as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control, state local governments, and area health agencies and providers. Be assured that we will reach out to our faculty, staff, students, and their family members immediately if the status of our operation changes.

(Phase 3) – Approximate Start Date: Monday, July 20, 2020

  1. All private music lesson students will be transitioned back to in-person lessons at the Music Academy of WNC in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.
  2. All Ensembles, Music Classes, recitals, performances, and other Music Academy activities will resume on a regular schedule in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.
  3. We will continue to disinfect surfaces, furniture, door handles, keyboards, music stands, and common touch points within the building on a regular basis.
  4. We will continue to ask our faculty, staff, students, and their family members to wash their hands with soap and water and use hand sanitizer prior to in-person lessons at the Music Academy.  Our restrooms are located in the back hallway.
  5. We ask our students and their family members to refrain from attending in-person lessons, music classes, ensembles, recitals, or performances if they are sick or showing any symptoms that are linked to the COVID-19 virus.
  6. All faculty members, staff, students, and their family members entering the lobby, other parts the building, or our teaching studios should practice social distances of six feet in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.
  7. Family members of students may enter our lobby or any other part of the building during their Music Academy visit in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.
  8. We encourage our faculty, staff, students, and their family members to use simple, everyday actions that protect us all from respiratory viruses, including frequent hand-washing and properly covering every cough or sneeze.
  9. Faculty, staff, students, and their family members are not required to wear a face mask to enter the Music Academy lobby or other parts of the building but it may be recommended when entering our private lesson studios in accordance with State, County, and Hendersonville City guidelines.  Please consult with your instructor prior to the beginning of Phase 3 to see if they recommend their students wear a face mask during private lessons.  Faculty, staff, students, and their family members should provide their own face mask coverings.
  10. We are monitoring the situation daily and will continue to take the recommended steps as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control, state local governments, and area health agencies and providers. Be assured that we will reach out to our faculty, staff, students, and their family members immediately if the status of our operation changes.

This page is constantly updated with the latest information on our operational status and Coronavirus reopening procedures at the Music Academy of WNC.  Please bookmark it so it can be frequently accessed.

Online Lesson Formats And Connectivity Procedures

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Beginning Monday, March 23, 2020, the Music Academy of WNC will move ALL private lesson students to an online lesson format during the Coronavirus outbreak.  The Music Academy will support faculty and students on three different applications:  Google Hangouts/Meet; Google Duo for Android devices; and FaceTime for IPhone devices.  Below are student connection procedures for each application.  Please contact your instructor or the Music Academy Director with any technical or connectivity questions.

Google Hangouts/Meet

  1. Make sure your computer and/or Internet device has a built-in camera and microphone.
  2. Please use the Google Chrome browser on your PC or MAC computer for maximum compatibility.  Mobile device users will need to download the Google Hangouts application for their device.
  3. Instructors will email students a meeting invitation several minutes prior to their lesson.  Please check your email inbox, as well as your spam box, for this invitation.
  4. Open the email with the online invitation.
  5. Click on the “Join Meeting” button within the email.  If your instructor only sends you a meeting link then click on the meeting link within the email.
  6. “Allow” Google Hangouts/Meet to access your camera and microphone.  Older Internet browsers without the Google Camera Plugin may also be instructed to download and install this plugin prior to their first lesson beginning.  Both of these steps in #6 will only need to be completed during the first lesson connection.  Future lessons will be allowed to skip this step after this initial setup.  Please use Google Chrome as your Internet browser for maximum compatibility.
  7. Click the “Join Now” button.
  8. You will now be connected to begin your lesson.

Google Duo for Android Devices

  1. Open the Google Duo application on your Android device prior to your first lesson and grant Google Duo access to your camera and microphone.  Agree to any terms of service and conditions if this is the first time accessing Google Duo.
  2. Your instructor will video call your cellphone number with the Google Duo application to start your lesson.
  3. Answer the Google Duo video call to begin your lesson.

Facetime for Apple IPhone Devices

  1. Open the Facetime application on your IPhone device prior to your first lesson and grant FaceTime access to your camera and microphone. Agree to any terms of service and conditions if this is the first time accessing FaceTime.
  2. Your instructor will video call your cellphone number with the FaceTime application to start your lesson.
  3. Answer the FaceTime video call to begin your lesson.

Coronavirus Response at the Music Academy of WNC

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The Music Academy of WNC takes the health, safety, and well-being of our faculty, staff, students, and their family members very seriously.  We are implementing some protective safeguards in response to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) as it spreads across our country.  For constant updates on the Coronavirus in Henderson County, please click HERE to be redirected to the Henderson County Department of Health’s COVID-19 Public Health Advisory page.  The North Carolina COVID-19 Response page is HERE.  And the Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 page is HERE.  Current North Carolina cases with map can be found HERE.

Current Status – UPDATED Friday, April 3, 2020

  1. Private Lessons:  All private lessons will be moved to an online lesson format beginning Monday, March 23, 2020 and continue through Thursday, April 30, 2020.  Reassessment to continue online lessons in May will be made by Friday May 1, 2020  Music Academy faculty will primarily use Google Hangouts, Google Duo, or FaceTime for these online lessons.  Please consult directly with your teacher to determine which format works best for you, how online lessons will be initiated and conducted, and any necessary procedures that will allow for a seamless transition.  The Music Academy of WNC will maintain current studio policies during the weeks online lessons are conducted for all students.  Please contact the Music Academy Director HERE or call 828-693-3726 with any questions.
  2. Ensembles and Music Classes:  All Spring semester ensembles and music classes have been cancelled for the remainder of the Spring semester effective Monday, March 27, 2020. These ensembles and music classes include the Brio, Sonata, and Cadenza orchestras, the Serenata Chorale, the two string quartets, and all Beginning Strings classes.  Students may request credit for the fall semester, credit on their upcoming private lesson billing cycle, or refund for the five remaining rehearsals.  Please contact the Music Academy Director HERE or call 828-693-3726 with any questions.
  3. We are constantly disinfecting surfaces, furniture, door handles, keyboards, music stands, and common touch points within the building.
  4. We ask our faculty, staff, students, and their family members to wash their hands with soap and water as well as use hand sanitizer prior to all in-person lessons, music classes, and ensembles held at the Music Academy.  Our restrooms are located in the back hallway.
  5. We ask our students and their family members to refrain from attending in-person lessons, music classes, or ensembles if they are sick or showing any symptoms that are linked to the COVID-19 virus.  Family members of students are encouraged to remain in their vehicles instead of waiting for students in our lobby or other parts of the building during their Music Academy visit.
  6. We encourage our faculty, staff, students, and their family members to use simple, everyday actions that protect us all from respiratory viruses, including frequent hand-washing and properly covering every cough or sneeze.
  7. We are monitoring the situation daily and will continue to take the recommended steps as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and our local governmental health agencies and providers. Be assured that we will reach out to our faculty, staff, students, and their family members immediately if the status of our operation changes.
  8. This page is constantly updated with the latest information on our operational status and procedures at the Music Academy of WNC.  Please bookmark it so it can be frequently accessed.