Policies and Procedures of Heather
Wilhelm Violin Studio
317 N 300 W, Cedar City, UT, 84721
(385) 399-3491
hwviolinstudio.musicteachershelper.com
hwviolinstudio.blogspot.com
facebook.com/HWViolinStudio
Fees and Payment
Lesson fees
are charged on a monthly basis in August-May, due at the first lesson of each
month. Included in the fee are least
three individual lessons per month, two recitals per year, participation in Southern
Utah String Festival, and duet coaching for interested students who can read
music fluently. Part of the fee goes
toward studio expenses, such as sheet music, printer paper and ink, Suzuki fees
and teacher training, etc.
·
15
minute individual lessons- $40/month (Only for new beginners 5 and under)
·
30
minute individual lessons- $75/month
·
45
minute individual lessons- $105/month
·
60
minute individual lessons- $135/month
Families with
more than one student in my studio are charged for the total time children have
lessons each week, and are given a discount for additional siblings. For example, two siblings taking half hour
lessons would be charged $140 per month.
If my rates increase
in the future, you will keep the rate I charged when you began taking lessons,
as long as you pay for eight full months out of each year.
I accept cash
and checks, or you can pay online through your Music Teacher’s Helper account.
Lessons will
be on a weekly basis in June-August, at $16 per 30 minutes of lesson time.
If a student
receives less than 4 lessons in a given month, he/she will be given a make up
lesson credit to be used at any time, as long as the student (or parent) gives
reasonable notice. If students receive
less than 30 total lessons from September to May, they will be given credits
for summer lessons to make up the difference.
I ask that
students who have exhibited moderate to severe symptom of illness in the 24
hours prior to their lesson, such as fever, active or productive cough, or
stomach trouble, reschedule their lesson for when they are well again. This way we can keep the families I teach
healthy, and have lessons when a student is best able to focus and learn.
As students
advance through the Suzuki books, I recommend that students take longer lessons
so we have adequate time to build technique and repertoire each week. Here are some general recommendations for
lesson length.
·
Pre-Twinklers
under five- 15-30 minute lessons (Young children must be accompanied by an
adult. See the next section for
details.)
·
Students
learning Lightly Row through the end of book three- 30 minute lessons
·
Students
learning books four and five- 45 minute lesson
·
Students
in book 6 and beyond- 60 minute lesson
Practice and Parental Involvement
Students must
practice consistently and effectively at home to progress. They should
look in their practice booklets every day to remember what we worked on during our
most recent lesson, and pay careful attention to the markings in their music.
Most students in books 1-3 need at least 20-45 minutes of focused
practice every day, increasing their practice time as we add scales and
exercises. Once students advance beyond book 4, they can expect to do an
hour or more of practice most days. Listening
to CD that accompanies the Suzuki books should also be a regular part of
practice. Students who practice less
than three days in one will will not be given new lesson assignments. We will practice the previous week’s
assignment together.
I want my
students and their families to enjoy practice time, so it is important to find
positive ways to encourage consistent and effective practice. The first
step to achieving this is to set aside the same time every day just for
practice, and to not let anything else take precedence over that time as often
as possible. Some students are very self-motivated,
but I’ve found that most could use reminder and encouragement to practice throughout
the week. I encourage parents to check
in with their child’s practice weekly, to see if they understand what they’re
working on, if they have any problems or questions, and to hear them play
something that they’re working on. I am happy
to help students and their parents/guardians think of ways to improve practice
sessions if you run into a wall. If I
notice that a student is not practicing consistently, or if I have concerns
about a student’s progress, I will communicate with the parents about this.
Beginning violinists and children
under eight must be accompanied by an adult each week to their lesson.
Ideally, this will be the adult who will practice with the child at
home. Pre-twinklers (young new
beginners) will need help putting his or her violin on the shoulder, bow in
hand, etc., while we establish good posture and technique, so it is essential
that they have an adult to help them practice at home. The parents (or other adult) becomes the
teacher at home, and establishes a safe and positive environment for the child
to learn in. I encourage parents (or
other adult) to take notes at lessons, and ask questions to clarify what we’re
learning, so you can practice with the student at home and help them establish
good habits. Parents of students of all
levels are welcome, even encouraged, to attend lessons as often as possible.
Practice Points and Prizes
Students who
practice for five days or more during the week earn ten points. Points
can be saved to earn prizes ranging from mutes and pencils to a new instrument
case to concert tickets. Ten points are also earned for string concert
attendance and for participation in an ensemble concert (orchestra or quartet),
and twenty for a solo performance at an organized event. If a student is missing any materials, I may
ask them to use their points to cover the cost of the material they need.
Materials
Each student
needs their own well-fitting instrument and bow, Suzuki book and CD for their level,
as well as supplementary material, such as a fiddle, note reading, or scale
book, determined on an individual basis, and the student’s practice
booklet. Students also need to have rosin and a soft cloth for cleaning
their instrument, and in most cases, a shoulder rest or sponge to help hold the
violin properly. It is important for
students to bring all their books and other materials every week. It
works well to keep books, sheet music, and practice booklet together in a
binder, and to have a bag set aside to take the binder and other materials to
lessons in.
Duets
Playing in an
ensemble is important to a musician’s development, and it’s a great way to add
variety to a student’s repertoire and practice.
I encourage all students who can read notes and have been playing the
violin for at least one year to participate in a duet with one of my other
students (or occasionally a student from a different studio). I’ll select music for ensembles, and coach
each group at least once a month from August-February. Duet partners are encouraged to perform at
studio recitals and String Festival.
Studio Recitals
I hold
recitals for my students twice each school year. I encourage each student to play one solo
piece memorized with accompaniment at each recital. This year’s recitals will be held on October 1
and February 22. Recitals are a great
way for students of all skill levels to learn from each other’s performances. They provide an opportunity to gain
experience and confidence in performing in front of an audience. They also provide students with a goal to
work towards in their lessons, and a chance to show their friends and families
the things they have been practicing.
Southern Utah String Festival
Festival is a
very helpful tool available in our area to for students’ progress. Students up to the age of 18 are encouraged
to participate. At Festival, students
get to play two memorized pieces with piano accompaniment for three
judges. The judges give feedback on
things that the student did well, and offer suggestions that could help a
student progress. They also give an
overall rating. The highest rating is
“Superior,” and students who receive this rating three years in a row receive a
gold cup. For more information, visit http://southernutahstringfestival.org. Festival is held the first Saturday in
March. I take care of my students’
registration fees as part of your monthly lesson fee. I expect all of my students to participate in
either Festival or Suzuki Strings, because performance and ensemble experience
are essential to their growth and happiness.
Cedar City Suzuki Strings
Attending a
group class can be very motivating to a student, as they work with other
children with similar interests and put a fun new spin on pieces they’ve
learned in lessons. It also provides
students with additional performance opportunities. I have a list of more reasons to attend a
group class on my blog. We are so
fortunate to have a Suzuki group class in Cedar City, and Sara Penny has worked
to keep it affordable for families in our area.
The cost is $80 for an individual student, plus $10 for additional
siblings. This fee includes the cost of
the November workshop hosted by Cedar City Suzuki Strings, which I highly
recommend. Students may participate in
just the workshop for $50, plus $10 for siblings. Please see SuzukiStringsCedar.blogspot.com
for more information.
Additional Educational Opportunities
In September,
students can sign up for a family affiliate membership with
SAU, Suzuki Association of Utah.
Students who have an SAU membership also can participate in Cedar City Suzuki Strings and/or
the fall workshop they sponsor at a $10 discount. You may also attend the
parent/teacher workshop in the winter, participate in any of the SAU super
activities (these are located in Northern Utah), and Southern Utah Graduation
Recital early in the fall. To join, you
add $30 to September's monthly payment, and I register your family at the same
time I turn in my teacher registration.
Other things
to consider are attending summer music camps. There are many of them to
choose from, but the ones I'd recommend checking out
are Intermountain Suzuki String Institute, Bryce
Canyon Music Camp, Castle Rock Music Camp, and
for students in books 2 and up, Jenny Oaks Baker workshops. These camps each offer different
opportunities for students, such as short daily private lessons, group class
participation, and various fun enrichment activities.
Staying Connected
Good
communication is very important for each student's progression. Please
call, text, or email me if you have any questions or concerns, need to schedule
a make-up lesson, or if you will be late to your scheduled appointment. I
check my messages several times a day, so I will receive any message you leave
for me, and respond when needed.
I have a blog
where you can access many helpful materials, including this letter, an updated
lesson calendar, an events calendar, and a list of practice prizes. If you have a Google account, you can follow
the blog and receive notifications when it is updated, or you can subscribe by
email. Visit any time at hwviolinstudio.blogspot.com. You can also and join my Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/330733744039080/. I post interesting articles I find that
relate to the violin, practicing, and music in general, and I try to put up
reminders about studio events, community concerts, and any schedule changes.
2019-2020 Studio Calendar
·
Monday,
September 2- NO LESSONS
·
Wednesday,
September 4- Suzuki Strings begins
·
Saturday,
October 12, 7:00 PM- Fall Studio Recital
·
Thursday,
October 31- NO LESSONS
·
Friday,
November 10- NO LESSONS
·
November
1-2- Suzuki Strings Fall Workshop
·
November
27-29- NO LESSONS
·
December
23- January 3- NO LESSONS
·
Saturday,
February 22, 7:00 PM- Winter Studio Recital
·
Saturday,
March 7- Southern Utah String Festival
·
April
13-17- NO LESSONS
