Salerno Studio Policy and Schedule Information

I am so excited for a new school year of progress and fun with these wonderful students. As all of my teaching is now fully devoted to my home studio, this will allow more time and opportunity for collaboration between the students in fun ways. In addition to their solo repertoire, I will be looking for opportunities for students to perform together in small and large groups with repertoire of all genres; group classes for the younger ones, and chamber group options for the older students. I will be in touch with more info as this develops!

COMMITMENT: Lesson commitments are for the full school year, September-May.

BILLING: In a departure from billing per week/lesson, I have moved to a monthly set tuition rate calculated for 30 lessons (out of 34 available weeks) September-May. In lieu of giving credits for missed lessons, there is leverage built into the calendar if either of us have to miss unexpectedly for illness or other unavoidable conflict, and if the stars align for being available every week some may end up with a few “bonus” lessons.

The posted calendar shows “off weeks” already factored in, so please take a careful look. The schedule closely mirrors the academic calendar for my children and we will be taking our family vacations during their school holiday periods.

Tuition will be billed and due at the start of each month via invoice from QuickBooks. *If you know in advance you will miss a normally scheduled week, PLEASE let me know at your very earliest convenience. This is how I will have occasional leverage for makeups when possible.

Monthly Tuition Rates:

60 min lessons: $250

45 min lessons: $187.50

30 min lessons: $125

Location: Lessons will be in person at my house, but if anyone in your household (or mine) is dealing with any sort of illness (even a cold) please plan for a virtual lesson instead.

PRACTICE COMMITMENT: In the spirit of students feeling momentum and success, I am asking students to commit to practice/log a minimum of 5 days per week for at least the length of their lesson slot, although I encourage advanced students beyond the Suzuki repertoire to be doing a minimum of 2 hours per day. Life chaos/travel/illness happens from time to time and I completely understand, but in general a lack of practice inevitably turns into frustration as I always prioritize quality of polished pieces in terms of technique, body mechanics, and tone over rushing to start a new song each week. Therefore without consistent practice students will likely feel stuck and it’s hard to keep the motivation going in those situations. Deficits in technique/setup lead to injury, so it’s an important “non-negotiable” for me!

PERFORMANCES: I am planning two main studio recitals, and a bonus recital for those wanting an additional performance opportunity or preparing for MusicFest Northwest. These will be on Sundays and held at Summit Northwest Ministries in Post Falls.

Each student is expected to participate in these recitals as this is our chance to share wonderful music with others and also build confidence through preparing carefully and learning how to deal the nerves that always creep up when we get in front of a group of people. Not only is this an important skill for music, but also for the future when students will be giving presentations and speeches, playing sports, etc.

Recital Dates:

December 5

March 13

May 1st (MusicFest Participants first and then whatever space is left for any other students who wish to play)

PLEASE NOTE: In most cases, your student will need a piano accompanist for each recital/masterclass/competition/event. If you have a family member or friend you would like to bring as your child’s accompanist, please just let me know ASAP. The fees for rehearsal and performance will be separate from my studio tuition and payable directly to the pianist (fees tend to vary by the person).

Additional Performance Opportunities: I also strongly advocate for students ages 10 and up (or even younger if they desire!) to participate in the annual MusicFest Northwest event. The 2022 date range will be May 9-13. There are a mixture of competition and adjudication classes (like a public lesson where students perform, receive constructive/encouraging feedback from the adjudicator, but no competitive element). I played in this festival every year from ages 11-22! Some students are even selected to play on the KPBX radio station which is so awesome.

Many have also expressed interest in joining the Spokane Youth Symphony—information about their organization, auditions, and schedule can be found:

https://www.spokaneyouthsymphony.org/

2021-2022 Schedule

August 30: Academic Term Lesson schedule begins. September 6: Labor Day—No lessons. November 22-26: Thanksgiving Week—No lessons.  December 5: Fall Recital, 2:00 pm  December 20-January 2: Winter Break January 3: Lessons Resume
March 13: Spring Recital, 2:00 pm
March 21-April 1: Spring Break.
May 1: Bonus/MusicFest Recital, 3:00 pm
May 9-13: MusicFest Northwest. No lessons this week. May 23-27: Final Week of Lessons
June 6: Summer schedule begins