Studio Policies
Welcome to the Mozart Academy! Our goal is success, advancement, and fun for your student. Students who practice consistently will improve consistently, and students who improve consistently will have fun playing music. This important lesson can help students not only in music lessons, but in other areas as well. We have developed these studio policies with these goals in mind.
Tuition. Tuition must be paid in full by the beginning of each lesson or month. Please have checks (made out to The Mozart Academy) or cash ready for your teacher so that this does not take up any of your valuable lesson time. We offer a discount for two or more hours of lessons per week.
24-hour cancellation policy. Students need consistent, regular lessons to realize the benefit of enjoying the progress they will see themselves make. Lessons that are cancelled or rescheduled without an approved 24-hour notice must be paid in full. When notice is provided, we are glad to cancel or reschedule, depending on teacher availability.
Instructor Absence. Instructors at the highest level are in demand for performing as well as teaching. Our teachers perform with professional symphony orchestras in the Southwest Florida region about seven weeks per year. During these times, you may choose to reschedule or cancel the lesson. We will always provide advance notice in these instances. Please contact your instructor or the Academy with your questions. Thank you for your understanding.
Practicing. This is how to get the most out of your tuition! Home study is an essential part of music lessons. Since teachers typically meet with students only once a week, assignments are intended to take a week to complete, rather than a single day. Parents are expected to enforce daily practice. Students will not improve without practicing at home. Studies have shown that students who practice a little bit each day will retain more and progress faster. For beginners, I recommend 10-15 minutes of practice daily, for at least 5 days per week. For intermediate players, I recommend 30 minutes of practice each day, for at least 5 days per week. For advanced students, I recommend 60 to 90 minutes of practice daily, in sessions of 30 or 45 minutes, for at least 6 days per week. Practice quality is equally as important as practice quantity, and together these factors directly determine rate of progress. Practicing is not merely filling a time quota: It is important for students to practice with a goal, to fix errors, concentrating on the task at hand, and practicing in the way depicted in their assignment. All students have an assignment book in which the teacher will write down the homework assignment for the week, and any other special instructions about how to go about practicing the assignment, or what to focus on while practicing (ie. using a metronome, counting aloud, saying note names). I encourage parents to monitor their students' assignments to know what they should be practicing and to view their progress over time. Younger students often need to have their practice time supervised to make it worthwhile. By following these guidelines, students will be proud of the results that they will see in their performance, and as a result will find greater enjoyment in playing music. This will help me to accomplish my own goal of fostering in my students a love of performing music and an appreciation of classical music.
Progress Reports. Students in my studio may receive periodic progress reports upon request. The grades on these reports only serve to indicate progress over time, and do not represent actual grades on assignments, homework, or recital performance. Comments will be provided where applicable. These progress reports are intended to be a way for me to communicate with parents about their student. Please contact me with any questions about these, and also anytime in between reports that you may have a question for me.
Naples, FL ♪ Stacy Kastner, Director
(239) 598-5050
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