Studio Policies

Important May Birthdays!

2– Carleigh Obrochta awesome young flutist

7-Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) German romantic composer

7-Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Russian romantic composer

10– Victoria Carot awesome young flutist

17-Marcel Moyse (1889-1984) Virtuoso French flutist, composer, teacher, father of modern flute playing

17- Erik Satie (1866-1925) French composer

21– Samantha Satzger, awesome young flutist

22-Richard Wagner (1813-1883) German romantic and opera composer

23– Emma Scuglik awesome young flutist

31-Marin Marias (1656-1728) Spanish composer

**Please note that some differences may exist in the Studio Policies based on the location of instruction. Please refer to your individual contracts for specific differences.

Dear Student and Parents,

Taking private music lessons is a fabulous opportunity! My goal is that you progress as a musician and a person. We will develop skills you can take with you, wherever you go in life. I want you to be an accomplished flute player with strong musicianship and your own musical personality.

Music helps you develop yourself and express yourself. It requires many more skills than simply playing the right notes to be a great musician. Therefore, please keep me informed as things in your life change and as your musical goals progress or change. I look at each person as an individual. Some want to play for fun, others want to be a professional flutist, and some may not be sure. Everyone has unlimited potential. By developing your musical skills, you are developing life skills as well. Therefore it is always important to do your very best, because it is not just about playing a song perfectly, It is about challenging yourself to be the best you can be and having the courage to meet your goals.

Sincerely,

Shanna Gutierrez

Fun!—So the point of music is to have fun! I am seriously committed to my students and I expect lessons to be taken seriously. But we will have fun making music and learning.

All students should have:

· a working flute

· a music stand for practicing

· a quiet, area to practice, free from distractions

· a metronome, a tuner is also recommended

· somewhere to store music (a special bag or filing crate work well)

· A folder to keep issues of The Piper and any extra materials

· a desire to do their best

Commitment and Preparation

At the beginning of the year, we choose a mutually convenient weekly lesson time. We are both making a commitment to keep that time free from other appointments or activities. Students also make a commitment to be prepared for their lesson each week. Some weeks this will be more difficult than others. Private lessons offer the opportunity to learn to set goals and meet them, even when the school year gets busy. As any adult will tell you, life is always busy! It doesn’t get easier.

I will always write out your practicing assignment for the following week. By the next lesson, I expect to hear progress on those songs and exercises. I tailor lessons to each individual student and their needs. I am here to guide you and provide the tools you need, but it is up to you to roll up your sleeves and go for it. Like anything in life, you will get out of your lessons what you put into them. It is ok to have questions, or to ask for help. It is also ok to choose to perfect only a portion of the assignment if you had a large school project or were out of town. But, there is always time to improve in some area, and that is what I will be looking for.

Scheduling

I consider it a privilege to work together each week. Your development is extremely important to me. Therefore, I will not accept other jobs, or schedule other appointments during your lesson time. If I do have to miss a lesson, I will provide at least two weeks notice, and several options for a make-up time.

I expect the same courtesy in return. Please do not schedule other appointments or activities during your lesson time. If a conflict cannot be avoided, there are several options.

	Switch lessons with another student for that week and call me to tell about the switch
	With two weeks notice, I guarantee we can find a mutually convenient make-up time sometime during that month. Please note, there will be no credits given for missed lessons that I am not notified about at the beginning of the month. If you will miss the first or second lesson during a month, I still need 2 weeks notice of that absence. With less than two weeks notice, I cannot guarantee a make-up. Minimum notice to receive a make-up lesson is 24 hours.
	In case of an emergency, or illness, please call me as soon as possible and we will arrange for a make-up (or credit in the event of a serious emergency). My phone number is 847-903-4086. — Do not call A-Major or Music Starts Here! No make-ups given if you call the store.
	Please note that weather is not an emergency. I drive from Evanston, so unless the roads are too bad for me to get there, there will still be lessons.

I appreciate your understanding of this policy (imagine if your employer could change your schedule or income at the drop of a hat). I realize that all of my students are very active, and I really support and encourage that. I am happy to work together to make scheduling work.

Termination

Eventually everything comes to an end. If a student chooses to end lessons, I as much notice as possible (minimum of 2 weeks notice) so that I may re-organize my schedule, and most importantly, so that we may terminate lessons on some good notes.

Please note: a student who misses 3 or more lessons (during their tenure with me) with out informing me in advance (except in cases of emergency) can be dropped from my studio without any notice forfeiting any remaining tuition. Just as I respect your time by not canceling lessons unless absolutely necessary, I expect my time to be respected as well.

Payment

For simplicity, lessons should be paid for monthly at the beginning of the month. At this time, I must be alerted to any lessons that will be missed (keeping in mind the 2 week notice requirement). If the student will be absent for 2 or more weeks in a row, I need to know at least 1 month in advance.

Performances

Every year there are 2 recitals with full student participation. The solo recital is in January, when students perform a solo piece with piano accompaniment, and the ensemble recital is in April, when students perform in a variety of small groups of other students and a couple full flute choir pieces. There will be additional rehearsals for that recital (at no additional charges). Dates and official info will be given out separately when the time comes.

The Piper

I really believe that a student’s education should go beyond just playing the flute, but also understanding something about the bigger picture of music, music history, and other odds and ends. I also believe students should ponder and speculate about the topics; this is the purpose of the quiz. Besides it helps me understand the students better when they tell me what they think about something.

Because of this, students should have a folder or binder to keep the Pipers and any extra material I give them. This way they can refer back to them if they need to. I will be giving a CD with recordings of the biography composers at the beginning of the year. Students will receive only one copy and I expect them to listen to it as the months go by (quizzes will refer to these pieces). If these CDs are not returned at the end of the year or if they are lost, there will be a $10 fee.

Practice Contest

New this year! Students will given the opportunity to participate in the practice contest. I will give out a sheet for practice records at the beginning of the school year. The students with the most amount of practice hours total and highest average of # of hours per day will be given medals at the Winter Solo recital. The awards will be determined by age and experience levels, so everyone has a chance. (The obvious purpose of this contest is to make sure everyone is really prepared for the solo piece)

Scales Contest

New this year! Students will given the opportunity to participate in our scales contest. There are many levels to meet all experience levels. Students will be given the information at the start of the school year. If they complete a level by the week before the Spring Ensemble Recital, they will earn a medal for their achievement.

Repairs:

Should you need to make a repair on your flute, try the following stores for reliable service:

Tom Fritz: 847-546-2829 (He’s awesome!)

Website:

The website is meant as a reference for students and parents. The current master schedule of lessons is always posted on the site. A list of phone numbers has been provided on the last page if you need to switch a lesson time. Students are expected to occasionally check out the site to be up-to-date with happenings in the studio. It also contains lots of valuable info!

Please feel free to contact me anytime about any concerns you may have. Also, I am understanding of the economic situation right now, so if there is ever a concern, please contact me—I would rather work something out than see a student miss out on lessons. I love teaching and feel very passionately that all my students are bright stars.