When students show up without music or their lesson book, we have a technique/musicianship lesson which includes technique of course but also ear training (intervals, rhythms, cadences, chord identification etc.) sight reading and listening to recordings of various artists performing the same pieces that they are learning. I have had students ask for “just technique today” because of a busy week at school when they’ve had extra rehearsals and haven’t been able to practice their lesson materials. They do try to bring all of their music and books, but kids are kids!

I also do not add a late fee, but don’t argue when some late payments have the late fee added.

I just want the parents and students to realize that this is not a hobby, but a business. Thanks for your input.

1. Lessons are $20 per half hour; some take half hour, some one-hour lessons.

2. Students generally pay for the month at the beginning of the month but can also pay for 4 at a time. One of the places I teach is a music store school, and the store lets me give a 10% discount card to students who pay me for the full month of lessons on the first lesson of the month.

3. There is no late fee, but I emphasize to students that I do not like to be put in the position of chasing them for money, so if they forget to pay or to bring a checkbook, I invite them to visit the ATM a few doors down and pay cash for that day’s lesson and then pay the balance the next time.

4. A day’s notice is required to avoid paying for the lesson–not strictly 24 hours, but the previous day, so that I can plan my day knowing who’s coming and who’s not. The ability to cancel using the MTH online calendar has proved very useful because I always check that calendar before teaching, and I can get such a cancellation from anywhere I go online. Having students pay for lessons cancelled less than 24 hours in advance gets a little sticky when someone was hoping and planning on coming but gets sick or their car breaks down. I have no problem charging someone who just doesn’t show up (unless there was some miscommunication), but if someone calls me the day of the lesson, it’s always a little troubling–troubling to charge them for no lesson, and also troubling not to charge them when I’ve set aside the time. Most people have no problem paying for a missed lesson. Some students are so regular and predictable that I sometimes give leeway by not charging if they have an urgent excuse, but lately, I’ve seriously considered a new policy where I charge half-price if someone contacts me the day of the lesson for an urgent reason such as illness or a car problem. This pays me something for my time, rewards them for alerting me, but gives them a break from paying full price for a lesson they didn’t get. Sometimes in such cancellations, I can be productive with the time, and other times it wastes my time, so overall a half-price policy will probably average out to be fair to everyone. I think the good will helps keep students longer and ends up paying for itself many times over. If a student does this more than a few times, though, they start to lose MY good will.

5. No notice is needed to suspend or quit. This can result in some unpleasantly sudden gaps in lesson times, but usually I’m given reasonable notice. A strict 30 day policy could saddle some students with fees due to technicalities, and could create pressure for me to make exceptions.

6. Payment can be made by cash, check, or credit card online, although the credit card option is very rarely used, which is fine because it costs me a percentage anyway.