Before You Begin…
Sahely Strings – Lesson Policies and Information
Effective August 2025
Welcome to the Sahely Strings Studio! I am excited to embark on the journey of learning an instrument with you and your student! As a teacher, I dream of every student experiencing the joy and passion that comes with expressing themselves in music and becoming a musical success in their own right. This document outlines some of the basic policies and expectations for violin and viola lessons as a member of the Sahely Studio. These studio policies exist to ensure that each member of the Sahely Studio is receiving the best possible lesson experience.
Scheduling and Attendance Policies
Please read carefully, as information regarding scheduling has changed.
The Fall 2025 semester will contain 15 lessons for students with an assigned lesson on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays. The semester will contain 14 lessons for students with an assigned lesson on Thursdays or Saturdays.
Monthly Tuition Rates: (Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday students:
• 30 minute lesson : $111
• 45 minute lesson : $166.50
• 60 minute lesson : $222
Thursday and Saturday students:
• 30 minute lesson: $103.50
• 45 minute lesson: $155.50
• 60 minute lesson: $207
Students may also elect to pay for the Fall semester in full. Students who pay in full will receive one of the semester lessons for free, resulting in a discounted tuition rate.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday students:
• 30 minute lessons: $518
• 45 minute lessons: $777
• 60 minute lessons: $1036
Thursday and Saturday students:
• 30 minute lessons: $481
• 45 minute lessons: $721.50
• 60 min lessons: $962
Studio Fee
A yearly studio registration fee of $45 is required, to be paid with August tuition or with the first month’s tuition for newly enrolled students.
Sheet Music and Materials
Students are expected to purchase their own copies of all lesson music and bring their music to each lesson. Beethoven and Company is the recommended music store in Tallahassee to order music from. Students are also responsible for acquiring their own instrument, bow, and accessories. Playground Music Center is the recommended music store in Tallahassee to rent instruments from. Please do not buy an instrument online without checking with me first. Many online instruments which seem cheap are not good quality and will cause frustration and problems for your student.
String instruments come in fractional sizes- please check with me before “sizing up” to make sure your student is ready for the next size. There are many different factors to consider when sizing up, not simply age or the amount of time that has passed since the last time the student sized up.
Attendance Policies
Scheduling Lessons: I make every effort to communicate lesson conflicts well ahead of time. Should I ever have to cancel a lesson after that month’s tuition has been paid, a makeup lesson or tuition credit will be offered.
No Show policy: Despite our best scheduling efforts, sometimes life happens and a student has to miss a lesson without advance notice. Students are allowed one no-show or “oops” lesson per semester- if something comes up on the day of your lesson and you can’t make it, I will schedule a makeup lesson at a future date. Note: the makeup lesson is not guaranteed to take place the same week as the missed lesson. In some cases, the missed lesson can be made up by extending future lessons by 15-min increments. After the one “oops” lesson is used each semester, a strict 24 hour cancellation policy will be in place. If a student no-shows or cancels within 24 hours of the scheduled lesson, the lesson will be forfeited and no tuition credit or refund will be given. “Oops” lessons do not roll over to the next semester. If there is a minor illness or transportation issue that is preventing lesson attendance, students may request a FaceTime or Zoom lesson at their regularly scheduled time in place of an in-person lesson. If a student no-shows their first scheduled lesson of the month, tuition is still due.
Late policy: If a student arrives late to a lesson, I will still need to end at the normal time. No tuition credit or makeup will be offered for missed lesson time due to tardiness.
Termination policy: While I love the violin/viola and I want everyone to love it too, I realize that these string instruments may not be a good fit for every student I teach. You are not required to finish out the year if you feel your child needs to quit lessons. However, I do ask that you let me know a month in advance of when you would like to quit so I can offer the lesson spot to a student on the waitlist. If your student wishes to quit immediately, any pre-paid lessons for that month are forfeited. The studio fee will not be refunded if a student quits mid-year.
Drop-off policy: Parents are strongly encouraged to sit in on students’ lessons or listen to the lesson from the waiting area. If you choose to drop your student off, please do not drop them off earlier than 5 minutes before their lesson start time.
Summer Lessons
Learning to play a string instrument is a skill that needs regular attention, especially in the early years. I know our summers are busy, but I strongly encourage lessons to continue during the summer, if at all possible. Summer lessons are scheduled “a la carte” and do not require a weekly commitment.
Inclement Weather
If LCS cancels school for inclement weather, please check with me to see if I am offering lessons. Students will not be penalized for inclement weather lesson cancellations. FaceTime or Zoom lessons can be an excellent alternative if driving conditions are unsafe. Safety is most important- don’t drive in a hurricane just to make it to a lesson!
Student Expectations
With regular lesson attendance and practice, most students will make excellent progress at their instrument. It is important to understand that the consistency and amount of time a student practices between lessons are a predominant factor in their musical growth. The bulk of progress is not typically made during their weekly lessons, but in the days following as the student puts into practice what they learned in lessons.
Students should practice at least 4 days per week. Ideally, students should practice both the day before and the day after a lesson in order to prepare for the upcoming lesson and then to solidify the concepts taught in the lesson. The amount of time spent practicing is not as important as the quality of the practice, but a good starting place is that the time spent practicing each should be at least as long as the student’s weekly lesson time. Again, however, the quality and focus of the practice is more important than a minimum practice time.
Parent Expectations
The final crucial part to a student’s progress is the support they have at home. It is important that parents (of non-adult students) understand that practice time should be scheduled into a student’s routine. Otherwise, it often will not happen. It is also important to present practice in a positive light, as opposed to that of a chore.
In lessons, I actively look for ways to encourage practice by working on things that inspire or motivate them. My teaching style is positive, patient, and encouraging, while maintaining an expectation of student progress. I strive to help my students find fun in learning and performing. If you know of something that I can do to help better engage and motivate your student, please let me know!
Parents can also provide support by helping their student find a good practice location and maintaining their student’s equipment. Please see Sheet Music and Materials for more information.
Recitals
Recitals will be scheduled once per semester. Recital dates will be provided at least 4 weeks in advance, and any student who wishes to participate may do so. Students are expected to play in at least one recital per year. I will provide a piano accompanist for students to play with at the recital, and students will be able to rehearse with the accompanist on the day of the recital. Students are not required to perform with the pianist. There is no additional fee to participate in the recitals- recital costs are covered by the studio fee, paid yearly.
Thank you for your attention to these policies and procedures. Let’s have a great year making music!
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By clicking the above link to register, you are agreeing that you have read, understand, and agree to the policies for Sahely Strings.
Sahely Strings | Performance & Pedagogy 