Private Lessons Policies

Terms and Conditions

2022-2023 STUDIO POLICIES

PRIVATE LESSONS

  • Our teachers reserve time on their schedules, plan for your lessons, and invest in the long-term development of each student.

  • To provide regular, quality lessons, the following policies need to be observed.

LESSON SINGLES

  • Purchasing Lesson Singles does NOT grant access to our Membership Program.

  • Lesson Singles are individual lessons that can be purchased and booked on a first come, first serve basis.

  • Lesson Singles booking is dependent on teacher availability and a regular weekly lesson time is not guaranteed.

  • Lesson Singles students are not eligible for a Trial Lesson.

  • Lessons Singles students are not eligible to participate in our events, exams and recitals.

  • Lesson Singles students are not eligible to participate in PracticeSpaceApp.

  • Lesson Singles students do not have to pay an initial registration fee.

TRIAL LESSON

  • New prospective Membership Program students are entitled to one (1) 30-minute Trial Lesson.

  • Trial Lesson is free of charge.

  • Trial Lesson day and time is not guaranteed for ongoing lessons at the time of enrollment.

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

  • Our Membership Program consists of regular weekly private lessons between the months of August-May.

  • Tuition is a flat monthly fee. There are three (3), four (4), or five (5) lessons, depending upon the month.

  • Our calendar allows for thirty six (36) lessons per school year, even with holiday closures (see our calendar).

  • Tuition is due on the 1st of each month and is billed automatically to your card on file. (“Auto-pay”).

  • A $25 late fee will be charged for payment received after the 1st of each month.

  • A $25 fee will be charged for each returned check.

  • Educational material, music books, instrument rental and other accessories are not included in your membership. Your teacher will make recommendations.

  • Siblings receive a 10% discount on Memberships of equal or lesser value.

    Included in the membership:

    • Regular weekly private lesson time with your teacher. (Except when the studio is closed for holidays. See our calendar).

    • Two (2) yearly recital performance opportunities at no additional cost (Holiday and Spring Recitals, on a first come, first serve basis. Accompaniments and professional photography are included in membership).

    • One (1) yearly Honors Recital performance opportunity at no additional cost (based upon teacher selection).

    • Educational material, music books, instrument rental and other accessories are at an additional cost.

    • Members may purchase additional exam or recital preparation lessons.

    Membership Tuition (FALL 2023):

    • $144 per Month (30-minute per week)

    • $216 per Month (45-minute per week)

    • $288 per Month (60-minute per week)

REGISTRATION FEES

  • $40 per New Membership Program Student (one-time only)

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM CANCELLATION

  • Membership may be canceled by submitting our ONLINE CANCELLATION FORM.

  • Cancellation Form must be received by the 15th of the month to take effect at the end of that month. (Example: Cancellation Form received on the 16th of Feb is billed for March and takes effect at the end of March.)

  • You may withdraw the cancellation at any time before it takes effect but your teacher and/or time slot can not be guaranteed.

  • An active membership is mandatory to participate in our events, exams and recitals.  All registration(s) will be withdrawn at the time of membership cancellation.

  • Membership is not transferable.

  • All Make-up Lesson Credit(s) on your account expire 30 days from the cancellation effective date.

  • Sounds of Carolina reserves the right to terminate membership, in which case prorated tuition will be refunded.

ATTENDANCE

  • Students are expected to be punctual to their weekly lessons.

  • Students who are late for a lesson cannot be guaranteed their lesson time.

MISSED LESSONS

  • No tuition credit or refund will be provided for missed lessons.

  • A Make-up Lesson Credit will be issued when a lesson is canceled with at least 24-hour advance notice (By email or online).

  • Cancellations made with less than 24-hour notice will not qualify for a Make-up Lesson Credit (This includes being sick the day of a scheduled lesson).

  • No more than two (2) Make-up Lesson Credits can be pending at a time per membership.

  • Make-up Lesson Credit(s) expire 30 days after the cancellation date.

  • Trial Make-up Lesson Credit expires 7 days after the cancellation date.

  • Make-up Lesson Credit(s) can be used to schedule a Make-up Lesson at any available time with your teacher or other available teacher (By email or online).

  • Make-up Lessons cannot be rescheduled.

  • Make-up Lesson Credit(s) expire 30 days after membership ends.

  • If a teacher misses a lesson a substitute will be provided. If a substitute cannot be provided then a refund will be given.

SUBSTITUTIONS

  • You may decide to change teacher or instrument with a 14-day advance notice before the 1st of the month.

  • If your teacher is unable to teach a lesson, a substitute teacher will be arranged.

  • Regular lesson cancellation policy applies to substitute teachers. No Make-up Credit is issued for last minute substitutions.

  • If your teacher becomes unavailable for regular lessons, you will be provided a new teacher with a similar teaching style, or the opportunity to choose a new teacher.

ILLNESS

  • Students who are sick are expected to stay home and attend their lesson online via Google Meets, or another suitable platform. If a student comes to their lesson ill they will be dismissed and the lesson will be forfeited.

  • Illnesses include the Common Cold, Stomach Flu, Strep Throat, Hand Foot and Mouth Disease, Pink Eye, Head Lice, Influenza, COVID-19, Chickenpox, Mononucleosis, etc.

SUMMER LESSONS (June, July)

  • We will automatically put all memberships on “Summer Hold” for the months of June and July.

  • Your Membership Program lesson schedule will resume on August 1st. Your schedule will remain the same unless a change is requested.

  • While on summer hold, members may purchase Lesson Singles à la carte.

CARE OF STUDENTS

  • Sounds of Carolina is not responsible for providing before or after class care for students.

  • Parents are always welcome to attend lessons; teachers may request that parents attend every week.

INJURIES

You assume all risk of injury or harm to the child(ren) or adult(s) associated with participation in musical activities at Sounds of Carolina and agree to release, indemnify, defend and forever discharge Sounds of Carolina and its officers and staff from all liability, claims, demands, damages, costs, and expenses in the unlikely event of injury sustained by your child(ren) or adult student during the course or as a result of their participation in Sounds of Carolina musical activities.

MEDIA RELEASE

Unless requested in writing, Sounds of Carolina is granted permission to take photographs/videos of the students to use in brochures, websites, posters, advertisements, and other promotional materials Sounds of Carolina creates.  Permission is also hereby granted for Sounds of Carolina to copyright such photographs in its name.

DISCLAIMER

We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.

Policy effective upon enrollment.  Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Policies & terms are subject to change.