Studio Policies

Private Lesson Registration & Tuition Rates

All private lesson students must register for full-time status and pay the following monthly tuition rates to reserve a permanent weekly time slot.  In addition, all private lesson students must declare In-Person or Online Status at the time of registration.  Student status’ (full-time/part-time, in-person/online) may be changed after registration, in accordance with current Studio Policies, by contacting the Music Academy Director at 828-693-3726.  A $30.00 registration fee will also be collected at the time of registration. 

One Month Tuition For Weekly 30 Minute Lessons: $135.00
(Meets four to five times per month depending on calendar)

One Month Tuition For Weekly 45 Minute Lessons: $197.50
(Meets four to five times per month depending on calendar)

One Month Tuition For Weekly 60 Minute Lessons: $260.00
(Meets four to five times per month depending on calendar)

Family Registration Fee Discount:  Multiple family members registering for private music lessons from the same household will only be charged one $30.00 registration fee.

Single Lessons Rates For Students Not Registered For Full-Time Status:  In-Person or Online lesson times will be arranged as our full-time student schedule permits.

  • 30-Minute:  $40.00
  • 45-Minute:  $60.00
  • 60-Minute:  $80.00

Ensemble & Music Class Tuition Rates

Tuition rates for ensembles and music classes may vary depending upon the size of the ensemble or class and material costs.  Please visit our “Ensembles” page or Music Classes page for more information on current offerings, tuition rates, and semester dates.  Spring semester runs January through April, Summer semester runs June through August, and Fall semester runs September through December.  Semesters consist of twelve weeks.  Some class durations and start dates may vary depending upon the selected curriculum.

Studio Policies

PRIVATE LESSON TUITION INVOICING & PAYMENTS: 

1.  The following is the monthly tuition invoicing schedule for all students currently registered for private lessons at the Music Academy of WNC:

15th of the Month:  Monthly tuition invoices will be emailed to all students for the upcoming month.

25th of the Month:  Tuition for the upcoming month is due and must be paid in full.  Monthly tuition is collected through a recurring payment system.  Students who do not pay their tuition and applicable fees for the upcoming month, by the 25th of the month, may forfeit their registration status and lose their current lesson time.  A $25.00 late fee may be assessed to past due accounts if payment is not processed and received in full by the 25th of the month.  This $25.00 late fee, the upcoming month’s tuition, and all applicable fees must be paid in full to continue lessons for the upcoming month.

Recurring payments are automatically drafted during the early morning hours of the 25th.  We advise all of our students to have funds deposited and available in their debit/credit account by the end of the business banking day on the 24th to ensure a successful draft.

2.  An Annual Fee of $35.00 will be accessed on all private lesson accounts each year in March.  This Annual Fee is a per household fee so families with more than one student enrolled in private lessons will not be charged more than one Annual Fee.  This Annual Fee will be included on the regularly scheduled March 15th invoice and will be due on March 25th in accordance to Paragraph 1.  This fee covers the costs associated with private music lessons that are not included in the monthly tuition.  New and returning students registering during the first calendar quarter of the year will be exempt from paying their initial annual fee unless they register under a promotion that waives the current registration fee.

ENSEMBLE & MUSIC CLASS TUITION INVOICING & PAYMENTS:

3.  Ensemble registration and tuition payments are administered on our “Ensembles” page.  Registration is not complete until tuition and ensemble material payments are received in full by the Music Academy of WNC prior to the start of ensembles.

4.  Music Class registration and tuition payments are administered on our Music Classes page.  Registration is not complete until tuition and music class material payments are received in full by the Music Academy of WNC prior to the start of classes.

ONLINE PRIVATE LESSON FORMATS & USAGE:

5.  Multiple Online Lesson Formats are available for private lesson students declaring online status at the Music Academy.  All students registering for online lesson status must use one of our supported  formats, have a reliable Internet access connection at their lesson location, and all computer equipment necessary for two-way, audio/video, web-based communication.  It is recommended that new online students schedule a test lesson with their instructor prior to their first lesson.  No full or partial make-up lesson will be granted to online students due to poor Internet service, connectivity issues, equipment failures or malfunctions, or any other technical reason at the student’s lesson location that prohibits a private lesson from being conducted.  In addition, no full or partial refunds/credits will be given if an online private lesson cannot be conducted due to any technical issue originating from the student’s lesson location.

6.  Students registering for in-person lesson status must have access to one of our supported online lesson formats, have a reliable Internet access connection at their lesson location, and all computer equipment necessary for two-way, audio/video, web-based communication in case the Music Academy is closed for inclement weather, government mandates, or any other reason out of the Music Academy’s control. Students who have registered for in-person lesson status are not permitted to use our online formats for their regularly scheduled lessons unless prior authorization is given by the Music Academy Director, a registration change to full-time online student status is made, or an exemption has been given within our Studio Policies.  Please contact the Music Academy Director directly at 828-693-3726 with any questions, authorization requests, or to change current in-person/online student status.

ADMINISTRATION OF ACCOUNTS & STUDENT COMMITMENT:

7.  All private lesson invoicing, tuition collection, and student registration is administered by the Music Academy Director.  If a student wishes to change their  enrollment status, lesson-time lengths, or withdraw, then the Music Academy Director must be contacted directly at 828-693-3726 to update enrollment and invoicing status prior to 5:00 PM on the 24th of the month for the upcoming month.  Notification must be given directly to the Music Academy Director (NOT the instructor) to stop the monthly, recurring payment for private lesson tuition.

8.  Student commitment for private music lessons is on a month-to-month basis.  No full or partial tuition refunds/credits will be given if a student withdraws from private lessons before the end of a calendar month in which tuition has been paid for in full.  No full or partial refunds/credits will be given after the recurring tuition payment draft occurs on the 25th of the month for the upcoming month.  The Music Academy of WNC will assume that students are committing to the upcoming month once the tuition draft on the 25th of the month occurs.  Please contact the Music Academy Director at 828-693-3726 prior to 5:00 PM on the 24th of the month if you wish to make changes to your enrollment status, withdraw from the school, and/or cancel any future recurring payments for the upcoming month.

9.  Student commitment for Ensembles and Music Classes is on a semester (12 week) basis.  No full or partial tuition refunds/credits will be given if a student withdraws from an Ensemble or Music Class before the end of a semester in which tuition has been paid for in full.  No full or partial refunds/credits will be given after Ensemble or Music Class tuition is paid for in full.  The Music Academy of WNC will assume that students are committing to the Ensemble(s) or Music Class once the tuition is paid for in full.

10.  All private lesson, ensemble, and music class tuition, paid for by the student, will be applied toward the originally intended month, semester, or music class duration.   No full or partial tuition credits or “carry-overs” for subsequent months, semesters, or music classes will be permitted unless authorized by the Music Academy Director.

11.  All private lessons start and end promptly at the scheduled lesson time. Lesson times will not be extended for student tardiness past the scheduled lesson end time. Please be on time for each private lesson.  All Ensembles and Music Classes will begin and end promptly at the scheduled time.

12.  Students are expected to practice six days per week for the duration of their private lesson time. If a student’s lesson is 30 minutes, then he/she should practice 30 minutes per day. However, more practice time is always encouraged.

MAKE-UP LESSONS:

13.  Musical success is greatly increased when students are present for each lesson so every effort should be made to ensure attendance.  Students should contact their instructor directly if they cannot attend a regularly scheduled lesson.  Students may request ONE (1) make-up lesson per calendar quarter for lessons they cannot attend in person if a 24-hour cancellation notice is given to the instructor.  Make-up lessons may be scheduled by one of following methods:

  1. Online Lesson: Students may schedule an online lesson directly with their instructor to take place during the student’s regularly scheduled lesson time on the day they cannot attend in person.
  2. Quarterly Make-Up Lesson Day: A make-up lesson day will be scheduled each calendar quarter at the instructor’s discretion with available lesson times offered to eligible students.

Lessons cancelled by the student the day of the lesson or “no-shows” are not eligible for a make-up lesson.  Make-up lessons are the sole responsibility of the student to schedule with the instructor.  Students must request and schedule all make-up lessons directly with their instructor. The Music Academy strongly encourages all students to attend their regularly scheduled lessons to minimize or eliminate the need for make-up lesson requests.  There will be no full or partial refunds/credits given for any regularly scheduled lesson or make-up lesson the student cannot attend.  Scheduled make-up lessons that are missed by the student will not be rescheduled and are forfeited.

14.  The Music Academy of WNC faculty is comprised of active professional musicians who may periodically need to reschedule private lessons due to professional obligations.  If the instructor cancels a private lesson, immediate notification will be given to the student and a make-up lesson will be arranged by one of the following methods.

  1. In-Person Lesson: Faculty may schedule an in-person lesson directly with their students to take place at a day and time convenient for both the instructor and student during the calendar month the lesson is missed.
  2. Online Lesson: Faculty may schedule an online lesson directly with their students to take place at a day and time convenient for both the instructor and student during the calendar month the lesson is missed.
  3. Quarterly Make-Up Lesson Day: A make-up lesson day will be scheduled each calendar quarter at the instructor’s discretion with available lesson times offered to eligible students.

There will be no full or partial refunds/credits given for any lessons the instructor cannot attend.  There will be no full or partial refunds/credits given for any scheduled make-up lesson the student does not attend.  Scheduled make-up lessons that are missed by the student will not be rescheduled and are forfeited.

INCLEMENT WEATHER CLOSINGS:

15.  The Music Academy of WNC DOES NOT follow the Henderson County Public School system delay or closing schedules for inclement weather.  If the Music Academy is closed due to inclement weather then postings will be placed on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.  Website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter announcements will normally post by 10:30 AM.  Please visit these social media links at the top of the page.

16. Music Academy online lesson formats will be utilized for all in-person private lesson students during inclement weather closures.  Private lessons conducted during these days will be defined as “Virtual Days” and will be held as scheduled utilizing our online formats.  Music Academy faculty will contact their students affected by inclement weather closures to conduct an online lesson at the student’s regularly scheduled lesson time,  All “Virtual Days” follow the same Studio Polices as in-person lessons.

17.  All Ensembles and Music Classes will be cancelled for the day(s) the Music Academy is closed due to inclement weather.  No make-up Ensembles or Music Classes will be scheduled if inclement weather closures occur. No partial tuition refunds/credits for ensembles or music classes will be given if the Music Academy is closed for inclement weather.

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS & FACULTY VACATION:

18.  The Music Academy of WNC DOES NOT follow the Henderson County School system calendar schedule for holidays, teacher workdays, annual leave days, or other days the Henderson County School system is not in session.  The Music Academy will be closed the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.  Faculty members may also take one week during the year, at their discretion, for vacation.  These four weeks are NOT included in our monthly private lesson tuition rates which are based on a total of 48 lessons per calendar year or an average of four lessons per month.  The Music Academy is open for business all other days of the year with lessons, ensembles, music classes, and other events following a normal schedule.

RECITAL PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES:

19.  Our annual Spring recitals for private lesson students are held during the months of April through June and are scheduled by the Music Academy Director.  Ensemble recitals are held during the months of December and April to conclude our fall and spring semesters.  Faculty members and ensemble directors may also schedule other performance opportunities throughout the year.  All private lesson students are encouraged to perform on our recitals.  Recital participation for ensemble students is mandatory.

MUSIC ACCESSORIES, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, & INSTRUMENT RENTALS:

20.  Students are responsible for purchasing their own instruments, accessories, method books, and instructional materials.  These materials may be purchased from the Music Academy retail store.  Payment for Music Academy retail store purchases are due upon receipt.  Band and orchestral instruments may be rented or purchased through the Music Academy by clicking HERE.  Pianos and keyboards may also be rented through our partnership with Steinway of the Carolinas.  We can also supply instruments such as guitars, keyboards, and drums.  Please contact the Music Academy Director for details.  Accessories, method books, and additional instructional materials may also be purchased online through our Music Academy STORE.  Student purchases from our online STORE will be held at the Music Academy for pickup.  There may also be additional materials required from your instructor (e.g. notebooks, staff paper, etc.).  Please check with your instructor for all lesson material requirements.

Now that all of the formalities are out of the way… LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!!!