Studio Policies
The following lists the policies by which I offer private lessons in my home studio and online via Zoom from September 2023 onward. Please read them carefully and let me know if you have any questions.
John’s Mission and Responsibilities
To give you or your child the most comprehensive music education possible. Students will be exposed to a whole range of music and musical styles, technology and apps to boost learning, and important concepts that bridge the gap between how to practice music and how to live a good life. All lessons are designed to suit the individual goals, desires, and loves of each student. Though my training and teaching approach at its core is “classical”, I believe strongly that 21st Century piano education requires a diverse skill set and comfortability playing in a variety of styles and genres. So I teach students to read music, because nothing opens more doors to musical exploration than the ability to read. But I also encourage my students to be curious and creative. I show students how music is constructed (music theory) and how they can make up their own (music composition). I teach students chords and ways to improvise over chord progressions that enable them to “jam” in bands with their friends. I’m here to help students learn the music they want to learn and to always remain flexible and open to different possibilities along the way. One of the greatest capacities in which I can serve is to save my students a lot of time and frustration by promoting effective practice strategies that will accelerate their progress.
Student/Parent Responsibilities
Students are responsible for arriving to lessons on time, with correct books, and having completed their practice goals. Students should practice to achieve goals, not to fill time, and it is expected that all instructions are followed week-to-week. It is the parent’s job to monitor the student, and ensure not only that the student is practicing daily, but that the student is working to complete their weekly practice goals -- not just spinning their wheels, as is often the case. In general, late arrival times cannot be made up as I often have other students or commitments immediately around lesson times. In-person lessons take place in my home, and so I ask that students never arrive any more than 5 minutes early to a lesson. If for some reason a student needs to be dropped off earlier than 5 minutes before their lesson, please clear this in advance with me.
At home, students need to practice on a quality instrument. Acoustic pianos -- whether a grand or an upright -- are the ultimate tools for success in piano lessons. Digital music instruments do not produce the infinite subtleties of live acoustic sound nor possess the same mechanical action found on acoustic instruments. I strongly encourage students and parents to take the leap and get a real piano — sooner rather than later — if they are serious about this pursuit. In the early stages of piano lessons, a digital instrument can be sufficient, but as lessons progress, having only a digital piano available for practice does not adequately serve intermediate or advanced level students, especially if they wish to explore more sophisticated music.
For those with acoustic pianos, please ensure that yours is regularly tuned and is in good condition (i.e. all the keys are functioning, the pedals work, etc.). If using a digital piano, please ensure it has a solid wooden stand (I do not suggest using a cross brace or “X” stand), and please be sure it has a music rack for holding students’ sheet music upright. The music rack should ideally attach to the keyboard. I strongly encourage an adjustable piano bench so that the student can sit comfortably and develop a healthy piano technique. For those shopping for a digital piano, seek out ones with touch sensitivity, weighted keys, and a full-size 88-key keyboard. 88-key digital pianos with touch sensitivity and weighted keys are easy to come by these days, and without these features it’s very hard for students to excel. The front-end cost of purchasing an adequate home piano makes the long-term investment in piano lessons considerably more worthwhile. I am available to help students and their families find pianos and digital pianos alike at whatever price they are willing and able to pay. Please reach out to me anytime for help and guidance in finding the right instrument for your home.
Studio Calendar
Our studio calendar is designed to reflect the vacation dates found in the Marin Countywide School Calendar. Our studio’s academic year is roughly 9 months, from September 5, 2023 through June 1, 2024. However, lessons are available during the summer. In summertime, clients are not required to commit to an agreed-upon weekly lesson slot, as is the case during the school year. And lesson scheduling can be arranged in a more piecemeal fashion. I always teach over the summer when I am available and in town, and I strongly encourage my students to continue lessons during the summer. When schools is on break, it provides an opportunity to go much deeper into piano study.
I teach Tuesday through Saturday, and Sunday-Monday is my weekend. Lessons will not be conducted on holiday breaks unless special arrangements have been made.
Payment
Please note that a yearly administration fee of $150 will be billed each September. This covers the cost of time prepping for lessons, time spent arranging the schedule, communications with students and parents outside the lesson, any lesson materials provided by me, my continued professional training and experience, professional organization memberships and dues, printing, scanning, copying, venue rental fees for student recitals, in addition to the hours spent planning and hosting any such events. If a new student is accepted mid school-year (December or later), a prorated admin fee of $100 will be charged in the first month’s bill. Students accepted during summertime would not pay the admin fee until September.
Tuition is paid in 9 fixed monthly payments. I determine the monthly price based on the following fees: $125 for 60-minute lessons, $99 for 45-minute lessons, and $73 for *30-minute lessons.
*N.B.: It should be noted that 30-minute lessons are best for rather young students (3-7 years old) and for more casual students. For most serious students and most students over 8 years of age, I encourage 45-minute and 60-minute lessons.
Tuition payments are made in 9 fixed monthly installments (I take the value of all lessons from September 5 through June 1 divided into 9 equal monthly payments from September - May). For the 2023-2024 school year, students will receive 33 lessons over this 9 month period.
I’d like to also offer the option to pay for the full semester upfront. Clients would save some money by doing this, as the semesterly price will be reduced by the value of one half-priced lesson. In other words, clients who pay by the semester effectively receive one free piano lesson each year.
Tuition will be billed to the parent’s email on or around the 1st of each month. Payment is due by the first lesson of the month (e.g. payment for January piano lessons is due by the first lesson of January). And I request that payments be made promptly. Accounts 30+ days past due may incur a $100 late fee. This policy is not intended as a means to rake in $100 late fees, but rather to provide a disincentive for clients to make late payments.
All tuition payments are non refundable, but a credit will be applied to your account when appropriate.
Electronic Payments can be made via VenMo, CashApp, ApplePay or Zelle. I do not accept PayPal payments anymore due to their fees. PayPal payments will be refunded and the sender will be asked to choose a feeless form of payment (such as *VenMo, Cash App, ApplePay, Zelle, checks, or cash). Please send VenMo payments to @johnmetzpiano, CashApp payments to $johnmetzpiano, and ApplePay payments can be sent from iOS devices via the Messages app. Please send Zelle payments to my email address johnmetzpiano@gmail.com. Checks may be delivered in person or mailed to my Lincoln Avenue address, which appears in your monthly billing statement. Cash is always s welcome form of payment.
*N.B.: Please note that VenMo appears to have finally introduced a “vendor fee” into their business model. With all payment processors, such fees are inevitable as start-ups gain enough users to look towards profiting off those users they’ve acquired. So if you wish to pay via VenMo, you may see a prompt asking if the payment is to Friends/Family or for “goods and services”. You will want to choose Friends/Family to avoid VenMo charging a vendor fee. If I am charged a fee, the payment will be refunded, and I would ask that a form of payment be made that does not require a fee. For all iPhone users (approximately 90% of my clientele based on what I can infer from our text messages), ApplePay is a great and simple solution. If you have Zelle through your bank, they also offer a great service.
Missed Lessons
Missed lessons due to forgetfulness, illness, or scheduling mishaps are non-refundable, but I don’t enjoy seeing any student miss out on a lesson they paid for and I am happy to reschedule lessons — especially when informed in advance — and to offer make-up lessons for a later date if my schedule permits. Exceptions will be made for prolonged illnesses and extenuating circumstances on an individual basis. Generally, your account will be appropriately credited in cases where we are having to cancel numerous lessons in a row or simply cannot find an available time to meet due to multiple scheduling conflicts. But these are all exceptions to the basic expectation that each student reserves a slot on my schedule and pays monthly or semesterly to maintain that slot. My time is limited, and I receive numerous requests for piano lessons each month from far more students than I have time to teach. So I simply request that each student on my roster value and utilize the time I’ve reserved for them.
There may be times when I'm not able to provide a lesson to a student. If I'm sick or otherwise unable to provide a lesson, I'll endeavor to schedule a make-up. If a make-up lesson is not possible, I’ll happily credit your account accordingly. Please provide 24 hours notice prior to any absence in order to receive a make-up lesson. When students know of a scheduling conflict in advance, they should let me know and aim to reschedule the lesson for that same week if possible.
Summer Lessons
I teach every summer, and strongly encourage students to take summer lessons. When there’s no school and no homework, there’s more time for personal growth and artistic projects like learning piano. Due to it being vacation and camp season, lessons will be arranged according to availability.
Recitals and Competitions
The Marin Branch of the Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC) hosts monthly recitals in which students can perform. I also host my own studio recitals, including an end-of-the-year recital every June. There is no fee for recital participation; payment of the annual administration fee covers any and all recitals the student chooses to participate in. Some students will be encouraged to enter competitions such as the local Margaret Bean Davis Piano Competition or the Marin Music Chest Competition, which often require their own fees.
Exams
I participate in two exam programs: Certificate of Merit through the Music Teachers Association of California and National Guild Auditions through the American College of Musicians. Students wishing to enroll in practical music exams will need to have been learning with me for at least one year before I will enter them for an exam. I need this time to ensure they are ready, that exams are the right thing for the student, and to cover areas missing in a student's prior education. Students looking to take exams should be aware that it takes a huge amount of effort, determination, and stamina, and significantly reduces the time available for other more creative pursuits. Of the two I offer, Certificate of Merit is particularly rigorous. My own interest in the CM program is waning after Certificate of Merit has moved to an online-only format. There is no live exam, no test day, no meeting your evaluator, no real-time performance, no live feedback. In my experience so far, there are a lot of rules, a lot of screens, a lot of requirements to remember, and in the end limited value for any of us. In contrast, National Guild is more flexible and focuses mostly on repertoire. I find it a better fit for most students, though it lacks the rigor of CM. Students are encouraged to learn and prepare a large quantity of works. There is no theory test requirement. And evaluations are in-person. Students interested in entering exams must take weekly lessons 45 minutes in length or longer. Extra lessons may be necessary as the exam date approaches. Students are entered for exams only when they are fully prepared. This is to avoid a situation where a student has to be pulled out of an exam due to lack of preparation which is not a pleasant experience for anyone involved.
Terminating Lessons
If a student wishes to stop taking lessons, please provide notice by email. Students will continue to receive the lessons they've paid for until the end of the monthly cycle when the termination will take effect. Refunds will not be issued.
Contacting Me
Parents and students are welcome to call or text me during daytime hours to discuss any matters associated with their lessons. Or please email me at john@johnmetzpiano.com. Texting is best if a more immediate response is required.
Media Release
From time to time I may use photos and short videos of my students on my website or social media pages. If the parent does not want their child's image(s) to be used, please let me know by email or in person. If a video or image is to be published, I will contact the parent to let them know in advance. In general, this is for the promotion of the studio and to motivate and encourage my students. Students are identified only by first name or not at all.
The commencement of lessons is deemed acceptance of these terms.