Art City Music Academy

Students are expected to come to lessons well-prepared and with all of their necessary materials. 

It is up to the parent to see that the pupil arrives on time at each lesson. If you have a conflict, check with your teacher as soon as possible to see if you can trade a lesson time with another student for that week. There will be no refunds for missed lessons and makeups are limited to one per calendar quarter and require a minimum 24 hours notice.

Each student will receive 48 lessons during the year. Monthly tuition will be the same regardless of the number of lessons during the month. Because there are 52 weeks in each year, no lessons will be given for two weeks in August and two weeks in December.

Tuition is due the first day of each month. There will be a late fee of $5 or 10% of the statement total (whichever is greater) for tuition not received by the tenth of the month. We encourage an automatic checking or savings account withdrawal for tuition payments. We are also able to set up automatically recurring credit card charges. You may pay by check, but your credit card will be charged if we haven’t received your payment by the 10th of the month. There is a $10 Administrative Fee for families without a Billing Preference Form on file. Statements are delivered by E-Mail around the 20th of the month. If we do not have your email address, we will mail your statement via standard mail, but only when the balance due is different than the regular, recurring tuition total. There is a $2 charge for mailed statements. Families without a Billing Preference Form on file will receive a statement every month. There will be a $20 service fee for returned checks. If your payment is made in cash, please obtain a receipt before you leave. You will be required to pay all collections costs and reasonable attorney’s fees should collection become necessary.

The annual registration fee follows the school calendar (beginning of fall to the end of summer) and is not pro-rated throughout the year. We do our best to keep tuition costs down, however, prices are subject to change.

We require a minimum of 30 days prior written notice if your child is dropping from our program. Please mail your notice to the Academy in Springville to the attention of the “Program Manager.” After leaving the Academy, unpaid balances will be charged at the rate of 11⁄2 % per month (18% APR). Please help us to make our program better by telling us why you are dropping and how we can improve. Informing the teacher does not constitute “notice.”

During the summer months lessons continue. Please do not plan on stopping your lessons for the summer. Summer music study offers many opportunities not available during the regular school year. Vacations are expected, and when notified in advance, like any other time, the regular makeup policy will apply. If you do feel it is necessary to take time off during the summer, please understand that you will lose your position of seniority at the Academy which could affect your teacher, lesson time and, depending on demand, even your ability to return at all. Unfortunately, we have a limited number of positions for students and we are quickly reaching our capacity.

The Art City Music Academy facility is the fulfillment of a dream and the product of many years of hard work and sacrifice. Please treat it and everything within it with the respect you would your own home or even church. We have made a tremendous investment in instruments and other equipment and materials in order to provide an inspiring environment for music teaching and learning. We are not a public school and we will not tolerate the disrespect for people and property so common in these institutions. Any deliberate act of abuse or harmful misuse of Academy property will result in immediate dismissal. Parents of the offending students will be responsible to make financial restitution for any damage done. In addition, we ask that no food or drink (including candy and especially gum!) be brought into the facility.

Please try to have your instrument in the best possible condition for your child: for example, a piano needs a bench of the proper height, a stepping stool for feet if necessary, and needs to be tuned regularly. We will be happy to refer you to a reputable technician in the area. Other instruments also require proper care, which will be taught in the lessons.

Master classes are given for the student’s benefit. This is an integral part of the program and all students are expected to come and participate. They are a prerequisite to recital participation.

Performances such as recitals, evaluations, festivals etc. take place at various intervals throughout the year. Some are more important than others but each serves a purpose. You will be notified about the dates as far in advance as possible. Once you commit yourself to a program, you are expected to be there. It is not appropriate to leave a recital or performance class before it has concluded.

The purpose of our judged events is to provide important outside feedback and an added incentive for thorough preparation. By nature, the judging of any art, including music, is extremely subjective. For this reason, the focus of the experience should be on individual performance and improvement and not on ranking relative to other students. Please do not place undue pressure on your students or make something of these events that they are not. They should be a positive experience and an opportunity for growth for all participants.

We will be giving each student the best instruction and aid that we can. Please help by providing appropriate practice conditions including a certain time every day for concentrated, uninterrupted practice. Naturally, talent and desire play a large role in musical development, but there is no substitute for disciplined practice. This cannot be emphasized enough. Habits can be formed early in study and can be refined and reshaped through the years.

Strong family support is essential. Parents especially can support the fulfillment of the student’s responsibilities and encourage progress. You are invited to come to your child’s lessons as often as you wish. We encourage, when possible, at least a monthly observation of your student’s lessons.

It is important to keep channels of communication open. Please do not hesitate to let your teacher know if you have any questions or concerns. These discussions usually work best outside of the lesson time, when the student is not present. We welcome your input as it helps us understand and meet the needs of your student.

Feel free to contact us at any time. We appreciate your cooperation and if we can be of further assistance, do not hesitate to let
us know.