By using our services, you agree to these
Policies & Guidelines

Calendar

The year is composed of trimesters, plus a summer break. See studio calendar for details.

• • Fall Trimester
  • Winter Trimester
  • Spring Trimester
  • Summer Break

All major holidays (and a few minor) are reserved as non-instruction days.

Instruction days may be live or virtual and include:

• • Private lessons
  • Special classes such as Honors Piano and Jitters (our adult piano class)
  • Community performances
  • Performance Workshops
  • Recitals
  • Music Festival
  • Make-up weeks

Tuition

• Our tuition is a flat rate based on lesson location and length.
• Tuition is paid by the year. Payment plans are available.
• Late payment fee is $10.
• Returned check fee is $25.
• There is a nominal registration fee for Performance Workshops and festivals.
• Music books are not included in the tuition.
• Charter school students please see your school’s listing for your payment details.

Click here if you would like to see our current tuition rates.

Due Dates and Payment Details

• If paying tuition by:
  • • Year: Due August 1 (1 payment)
    • Trimester: Due Aug. 1, Nov. 1, Mar. 1 (3 payments)
    • Month: Due the first day of each month (12 payments)
• Tuition received after the fifth will incur a $10 late fee which should be included with the payment. NOTE: If your tuition will arrive late, please contact René Hamilton.  She reserves the right to waive fees or adjust due dates, and is accommodating when possible.
• Please make checks or money orders payable to Hamilton Piano Studio or HPS.
• To pay with a credit or debit card, please visit HamiltonPianoStudio.com and click “Make a Payment”.
• Many families find it convenient to set up an automatic payment through their banking institution.

Attendance

• Music lessons are similar to college classes in that your tuition reserves a weekly appointment in your teacher’s schedule for your personal use.
• Sometimes unexpected circumstances arise in the life of the student or teacher, which result in the need for a lesson to be cancelled. When this happens, there are make-up lessons reserved for the student at the end of each trimester. These make-up lessons are scheduled on the same day and at the same time as the regular weekly appointment.
• Students may attend the end of trimester make-up lessons even if all other instruction days have been attended. Due the complexity of scheduling private lessons, our make-up days will be offered on prescheduled dates on the calendar. We have planned extra events throughout the year to account for holidays.
• Tuition is not refunded or credited for classes that are not attended.
• Please do not attend a lesson if the student has a fever or communicable illness. We kindly ask that students abide by the “24 hours fever free” rule.
• If another member of the family has been ill, please contact your teacher so that he or she may make an informed decision. Remote (virtual) lessons are an option in these circumstances.

Tardies
Please contact your teacher if you find that you are going to be more than 10 minutes late. If no contact is made and a student has not arrived within 10 minutes of the scheduled lesson time, the teacher will assume that the student is absent, and will move on to other activities. Picking a student up late or dropping off early can disrupt other lessons. Please consider this as you are planning your commute.

Termination of Service

• Hamilton Piano Studio reserves the right to terminate service to any person(s) at any time.
• If a parent/student decides to stop lessons, it is customary to give a 30 day notice. Tuition will be requested for that time.

Recital Guidelines

Hamilton Piano Studio is committed to all aspects of classical performance education including the specific mindset, skills, and etiquette needed when performing in a concert. 

• Participation in Recitals is encouraged but not required.
  
• Attendance of an entire Performance Workshop is a prerequisite for the Recital.
• Recital Attire: The universal norm for recital attire is “well-dressed.” Nice pants and dress shirt; a skirt or dress (at least knee-length), and dress shoes. Jeans and tee shirts are not acceptable due to their informal appearance.
• For students who participate: There are no regularly scheduled lessons the week of the Performance Workshop nor the week after the Recital.  These events are a valuable part of classical performance training and will be the instruction during these weeks.

Note: For students who are interested in performing in the Recital, the Performance Workshop gives the teacher and student one last opportunity to determine if the student is musically and emotionally ready to perform.  It is one of our greatest and most sincere desires that each performance be a positive experience for the student and a step forward in musical growth. For these reasons, there are occasions when postponing a performance is in the best interest of the student. Students and parents gain confidence when they know that they can trust their teacher to be honest and forthright about their performance readiness.

other Classes
Throughout the year we offer our special Honors Piano and Jitters classes. These classes are designed with the intent to introduce musicians to one another so they can encourage, motivate, and challenge each other while learning how to effectively share music even when it’s not “100%”. These popular classes are infused with educational talks, a broad range of music literature and fun activities.

Community Performance Opportunities
Hamilton Piano Studio is dedicated to providing our students with the opportunity to serve our local community. These performances allow us to teach our students how to overcome common, real-world challenges that are quite different from a private lesson or a formal recital. Most importantly, participating in community performances leaves a positive and lasting impact on the student and society.