STUDIO POLICY 2023-2024

Admission

Francesca Hurst Piano Studio welcomes motivated students who want to learn to play piano, and more importantly, to make music!

Trial lessons are available before enrolling, either in-person or virtual.

Tuition

Annual tuition includes the following:

34 in-person or virtual lessons during the academic year (17 lessons in the fall semester and 17 lessons in the spring semester)
Group performance classes, scheduled periodically on Saturday mornings, some in-person and some virtual
2 studio recitals (there is no additional recital fee)
Piano studio maintenance (regular tunings, etc)
Registration, scheduling, studio administration
Time spent judging/monitoring on day of competition/festival due to entering students, usually a minimum of 3 hours per event

Not included in tuition: book fees and event fees (i.e. entrance fees for festivals/competitions).

2023-2024 RATES

Lesson Length: 45 min.

Annual: $2680, Monthly: $268

Lesson Length: 60 min.

Annual: $3570, Monthly: $357

Lesson Length: 75 min.

Annual: $4460, Monthly: $446

Payment Schedule

Payment during the academic year for the fall and spring semesters is on a tuition plan with 10 equal monthly payments. Regardless of the number of lessons each month, monthly payments are all the same. Each semester has five months (Sep-Jan, Feb-Jun).

Monthly payments are due on the 1st of each month, September 2023 through June 2024.

The following payment types are accepted:

Venmo – free app – no-fee transfers
Zelle – free app – no-fee transfers between bank accounts
Check – please make checks payable to Francesca Hurst

Enrolling after the Semester Starts

Students who enroll after the beginning of the semester and start lessons after the first lesson of the semester will make an initial prorated monthly payment based on how many lessons they will receive for the entire semester. (Each semester covers 17 lessons.) This first payment must be received to secure a regular lesson time and only then will lessons be scheduled. All subsequent tuition payments follow the regular remaining monthly payment schedule in the Tuition section above.

Lesson Termination

It is understood that a student is committed to study for a full semester. This commitment includes financial responsibility for the full semester's tuition. The fall semester runs from September 5, 2023 to January 19, 2024, and the spring semester runs from January 29, 2024 to June 7, 2024.

Please give 30 days’ written notice to the studio if you plan to discontinue lessons (by Jan 1st for the spring semester, or by Aug 1st for the fall semester).

Lessons may be discontinued by the teacher at any time for any reason.

Holidays/Breaks

Please consult the studio calendar for important dates.

Additional fees

Late fee: A $20 fee will be added to the account for payments received after the 10th of the month.
Returned/canceled check fee: $35

All tuition payments are non-refundable unless the teacher terminates the lessons.

Enrollment Form

All students must complete the enrollment form. After the form is completed, you will receive an email with a link to the lesson scheduling survey.

Teacher Absences

If the teacher misses a lesson, a makeup lesson will be offered.

Missed Lessons

Your tuition reserves a spot for you in the teacher’s weekly schedule. One missed lesson per semester may be rescheduled, at a time during the semester agreed upon by both teacher and student, or at the end of each semester during the “makeup week”, provided that 24 hours’ advance notice is given of the original absence. Makeup lessons may be in-person or virtual. A swap list will be made available for those families who agree to be listed. If you know in advance that you cannot make your lesson, you can contact a parent/student on the swap list directly and request they switch times with you for that week. The teacher must be notified in advance by text or email of any changes to the schedule.

There will be no refunds or credits for missed lessons.

Missed makeup lessons will not be rescheduled.

Please be assured that even if you miss a lesson, your tuition is always working for your child, as I spend time outside of lessons choosing repertoire, planning, strategizing, pursuing professional development opportunities, attending competitions, etc.

Inclement Weather/Illness

In the case of inclement weather, when it could be dangerous to drive to the lesson, a zoom lesson can be offered instead. Please let the teacher know as early as possible if you would like a zoom lesson instead of your regular in-person lesson that day.

In the case of illness: If your child is under the weather, but is well enough to do a lesson, please let the teacher know in advance that you would like a zoom lesson that day. If they have a fever, please do not bring them to their lesson.

Masking

Masking is no longer required during lessons and group classes. This is subject to change based on CDC recommendations. If the student is ill, please request a zoom lesson or a makeup lesson. Please do not bring a sick student to the studio.

Materials

The teacher will email you throughout the year with materials (books, flashcards) to be purchased for the student. Please purchase them promptly. Materials can be ordered online or at a local music store like Music & Arts or Middle C Music.
Students must have a piano at home for practicing. Acoustic pianos are ideal – either upright or grand – but good digital pianos with 88 weighted keys are also acceptable. Acoustic pianos should be tuned twice a year. If you would like guidance on purchasing a piano, please contact the teacher. A great local resource is Rick Jones Pianos in Maryland.
A metronome is an essential tool for the music student. You can buy physical ones (again, online or local music store) or use one of many free metronome apps on your smartphone. If you would like advice on which metronome to purchase, please contact the teacher.

Studio Behavior

Please arrive on time. Lessons will end at the scheduled time even if the student arrives late.
Please remove your shoes after you come in the front door.
No gum chewing is allowed.
Students are requested to wash their hands in the studio restroom before each lesson.
Please respect the studio space and help keep it clean, including the seating area, the restroom, and the pianos.
Please be on time to pick up your child.

Parking, etc.

Please park in space #17.
If dropping off your child, please wait until you see the child come into the studio before leaving.
Please be on time to pick up your child.

Accessibility

The studio is currently not wheelchair accessible. There are 6 steps up to the front door, and then one flight of stairs inside to the studio.

Additional and Summer Lessons

If you would like additional lessons during the year or lessons during the summer, these can be scheduled on an individual basis.

45-min lessons $75
60-min lessons $100
75-min lessons $125

Parent Observation of Lessons

Parents are always welcome to sit in and observe a lesson. For children ages 8 and under, parents are strongly encouraged to attend lessons so they may help children practice during the week.

Practicing

Regular practice is essential for students’ success! A daily practice commitment is expected and required of all students. Please help your child create a daily practice schedule and stick to it. Make sure there are as few distractions as possible – TV, music, phones, etc.

Required Minimum Daily Practice

Ages 7-9 40 min.

Ages 10-11 45-60 min.

Ages 12-13 60-75 min.

Ages 14-18 75-90 min.

Remember! You can always split the practice time into 2 or 3 shorter sessions. Sometimes setting a timer can be helpful for certain students.

Group Performance Classes

Group studio classes are an added benefit included with your tuition. They will be scheduled periodically throughout the year on Saturday mornings. These will be a mix of in-person and virtual classes. In these classes, students play for each other and receive feedback from their peers. The benefits are many: students practice performing in front of others, they learn how to listen more thoroughly and how to give constructive criticism, they get social interaction with other piano students, and musical and theoretical topics may be introduced and/or reinforced. These classes are for students only, parents and others may not attend.

Group classes can be very helpful, especially before recital, festival, or competition performances. Attendance at group classes is not mandatory but strongly encouraged. There is no reduction in tuition if the student chooses not to attend the group classes.

Recitals

There will be two recitals during the academic year, one at the end of each semester. Typically, at least one of our recitals is held in Ward Recital Hall at Catholic University in Washington, DC, which features a 9-foot Steinway concert grand piano.

Festivals and Competitions

There are many musical events in the Northern VA/DC area every year that students can take part in. Your child may be encouraged to participate in various events during the year. Participation is not mandatory, but they can often be fun, and a great motivator to practice. Examples of these events include Judged Recitals, Fall Festival, Bach/Baroque Festival, Concerto Festival and Competition, Sonata Festival, Piano Achievement Awards, etc. Entry fees for these events are not included with tuition, and will be billed separately. Check the studio calendar for event dates.

Scholarship

Some scholarship assistance may be available for serious students with financial need. Please contact me directly to inquire about tuition assistance.

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