General Info
Lessons currently cost $35 per half hour. Payments can be made remotely via Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal, or in-person by cash or check. Online lessons are available via Zoom or FaceTime. In-person lessons are currently available only at my eastside home studio. Sign up for lessons below!
Frequency of Lessons and PracticeLessons are generally once a week for a half hour, given either remotely (Zoom, FaceTime), or in-person at my eastside home studio. Regular attendance is very important in maintaining a student’s progress, as is regular practice. I recommend 20-30 minutes of daily practice for children in the early years (grades 5-8, generally) and 30-60+ minutes per day for high schoolers/more experienced players.
Lesson TimesAvailable lesson times fall into the below timeframes, for the most part. Please consider what timeframes might work best for you from among this list:
Sundays - No Lessons Mondays and Tuesdays - 1:00-7:30 Wednesdays - No Lessons Thursdays and Fridays - 1:00-7:30 Saturdays - 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. |
Payment and Missed Lessons
Payment is expected in advance or at the lesson, and students are welcome to pay either week-to-week or multiple lessons at a time. Students only pay for actual lessons given. Payment is not required for missed weeks as long as the student (or student’s guardian) informs me in advance of the need to miss that week. I will occasionally need to miss a week, and I make an effort to give plenty of advance notice (at least 24 hours) whenever possible, via text, email, or phone.
Illness and Make-Up Lessons
- Illness and Make-Up Lessons: If the student feels sick, the best practice is to call ahead to cancel/postpone the lesson. If you believe you are sick but you feel well enough for a lesson, the lesson can be done remotely, if desired. Alternatively, make-up lessons can be arranged if schedules permit.
- Face masks: During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, it was common to wear a mask and practice social distancing to prevent the spread of infection. Face masks with an adjustable flap or opening to allow for playing an instrument are available online or at local music stores, and students may choose to wear them, if desired. However, these are often inconvenient to use, have been shown to be of limited effectiveness for general viruses, and can hinder direct instruction on the embouchure and other fundamentals. Nevertheless, students are free to use masks if desired.
- Elastic Bell Covers: Elastic bell covers, meant to reduce transmission of aerosols at the bell of brass instruments, can be found online or at local music stores. Since studies have shown that the instrument itself acts as an effective aerosol filter, bell covers are not required in lessons, although students are welcome to use them if they so choose.
- Lesson Host Protocols: Paper towels or newspaper will be provided to use when emptying water from spit valves. Used papers will be disposed of at the end of each lesson. Also, the home studio is ventilated and it is closed off from the rest of the premises during lessons.
To sign up for lessons, click the button below, contact me at (520) 260-4007, or email me at [email protected].