Studio Policy.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
The student’s musical education is the number one priority at Fried Music. Private lessons are upheld to the highest standards possible, requiring daily practice from all students who wish to pursue their musical studies to the fullest potential. Alongside private lessons, Fried Music has established a highly selective Pre-College Program that is offered at full scholarship. All private students of FM are eligible to apply and would be given priority if they display strong dedication and a high level of playing. All members of the FM faculty are extremely qualified pedagogues and active performers who are passionate about imparting the highest quality of education upon all their students.
LESSONS
Private Lessons are weekly in 30, 45, and 60-minute lengths. 30-minute sessions are only recommended to students 5 years of age and under; or for the first month of lessons to students learning music for the first time.
Weekly lessons should be maintained as steadily as possible in order to best benefit the student’s learning progress. In the case a faculty member cannot attend a lesson due to a performance, a makeup lesson will be provided at the earliest availability. This policy does not apply to student cancellations; please refer to the following section on cancellations.
RECITALS
Formal student recitals will be hosted at Fried Music every month. Students are not required to attend/participate in every recital but it is highly recommended to perform in at least two to three recitals a year and to listen to as many as possible as well. Please refer to the calendar on our website to keep track of upcoming concerts and events.
PRACTICE
The FM faculty reserves the right to refuse to teach a student’s lesson if they have not practiced in preparation for their class. While this should rarely happen (hopefully never!), it will be tolerated by Fried Music if the student has displayed a regular and consistent lack of practice and preparation for their lessons. Instead they will be asked to practice during the lesson time and their teacher will decide to either guide them during this practice time or to let them work on their own. The time commitment of daily practice for music lessons must be upheld to the highest respect possible. As part of the FM family, students have access to the practice rooms whenever available. We even encourage students to show up early and warm up for their lesson. We understand that students have homework and activities, but it is our duty to emphasize the seriousness of practice.
STUDENT CANCELLATIONS
In the event that the student needs to miss a lesson because of illness or a last-minute event, please contact your teacher and info@friedmusic.com as soon as possible. If notified early enough, makeup lessons may be offered, but only at the discretion of the faculty member and on a case-by-case basis. Issuing a lesson credit due to emergency or illness will be based on the situation. Credits are limited to one lesson per month, and will be granted on a case-by-case basis and/or based on teacher's discretion. Credits will also only apply to the following month. This means that credits will only be granted if a makeup lesson cannot be scheduled due to both the students' and the teachers' lack of availability, and if the student has a well-standing history of good lesson attendance. All last minute cancellations (within 24 hours) will not be made-up or credited, with the exception of an emergency.
If the student knows that they will be out of town for a week and cannot make up the lesson, they may pay the monthly fee accordingly. However, please take heed that this only applies for out-of-town situations. If the student is around and simply has a conflict one week, this can be rearranged with their teacher directly. This applies to the teacher’s schedule as well. The cancellation policy is in place to encourage regular weekly lessons for the students and to avoid last-minute changes to the teacher’s schedule.
In the event a student decides to end their lessons in the middle of the month, the student will forfeit their lesson fee for the month.
NO-SHOW/TARDINESS
No-shows are unacceptable. It is disrespectful to the faculty and creates a poor learning environment for the student. In case of tardiness, there is no guarantee that the missed time will be made up. Please plan to start the lesson on time.
TUITION
Students are invoiced about two weeks before payment is due. This is to allow time for families (and teachers) to establish their schedule in the following month and make sure they are being billed correctly. Monthly payments are expected at the first of every month. Late payment will incur a $50 fee. Payment methods via Zelle (sent to info@friedmusic.com), cash, and checks do not incur a fee and the student is only responsible for their lesson fee. The invoice details sent via Square will display the total of lessons and classes you are responsible for, with the fee. Please omit the fee when paying via cash, check, or Zelle. Payments via Zelle need to include the student’s full name and month of lessons (ie. First name and last name; January). Credit card payments will require a 3.5% processing fee. Exceptions to the timing of the payment schedule can be made in cases of need: please email info@friedmusic.com with questions and concerns.
Fried Music does not have any hidden fees; we do not charge enrollment or administration fees. We do not charge for recitals and concerts held at Fried Music. Lesson rates reflect the expertise and experience of the faculty and the expectation that all our students will reach their highest musical potential.
Rates range from $100 to $150 for an hour, $75 to $112.50 for 45 minutes, and $50-$75 for 30 minutes. Financial aid is available based on need only. Inquire for a 30-minute trial lesson to get to know our school and faculty.