STUDIO POLICY

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

We help students on their journey by putting their goals first! We focus on overall musicianship with repertoire (solos), theory, technique, improvisation, sight reading, and ear training; students may also learn to compose, transpose, or score read. Piano becomes easier as students find patterns in music for note-reading/memorization and learn how they move to get the sound they want--more efficient than simply clicking up the metronome speed. We enable students to practice effectively on their own and find their own confidence by helping them find the answers to their questions; encouraging with specific feedback; and helping students see how advanced they're becoming.

LESSON CONTENT

All lessons include:

Repertoire
Sight reading
Technique
Music theory
Improvisation

Most students also have one of the following method books:

Czerny Op.599
Faber Piano Adventures

Students may also choose to develop as a musician in the following areas, based on their goals:

Transposition
Composition
Arranging
Score reading

Additional resources recommended for older students:

What Every Pianist Needs to Know About the Body by Thomas Mark

PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS

At least some practice is required, and is the student's responsibility. Effective practice will be discussed to facilitate improvement, as will ways to find and expand practice time. Goals are determined with each student.

PARTICIPATION

For students ages four through six, Michelle highly encourages parent attendance during the entirety of each lesson so the parent can help the child practice. Parents with students ages seven and up are welcome but not required to attend.

Participation in masterclass, when asked to play, and recitals is MANDATORY. You have all necessary dates to plan in advance.

Participation in weekly group classes is optional.

COMMUNICATION

Michelle encourages an open student-teacher relationship. Please text or email with any questions up to once or twice a week.

If the student is a child, an open student-teacher-parent relationship is encouraged. Please text or email with any questions from parent or student (up to once or twice a week). Michelle may want to periodically discuss progress with the parent.

Parent-teacher conferences are held in the third month of each semester.

Studio-wide communication happens via a group text.

REQUIRED MATERIALS *Materials are the parent’s responsibility to buy.

Access to a Google Meet-able device for lessons, when needed

Access to a piano that the student can use daily

Access to a computer or smartphone for music theory

Dependent on the student, one of the following method books: Faber Piano Adventures, Czerny

Sheet music, determined on an individual basis

TUITION

Tuition is per-semester, calculated as follows:

Lesson prices are $35 an hour, $30 for 45 minutes, $25 for 30 minutes.
Number of lessons each semester are calculated for teaching days on the calendar.
You are NOT charged for three of these lessons: this is for illness, vacation, or general business–life happens!
If Michelle misses a lesson and can’t make it up, you will be refunded for the lesson via Venmo that week.
You may opt to pay in full at the beginning of the semester, or have an equal monthly payment. You commit to attend the full month or semester, respectively, and will not be reimbursed for stopping lessons mid-month or mid-semester. Please plan your payment method accordingly.
Summer semester will be calculated as 5 lessons.

Payment is accepted via Venmo (@michellehyltonpiano), cash, or check.

MISSED LESSONS

You are NOT charged for three lessons each semester: this is for illness, vacation, or general business–life happens! If the student attends all scheduled lessons in a semester, this means they get three of these free! On the other hand, if more than three lessons are missed by the student, they will not be reimbursed, made up, or credited. This includes stopping lessons altogether. If Michelle misses a lesson and can’t make it up, you will be refunded for the lesson via Venmo that week.

LESSON VALUE

Students can get the most out of their lessons by:

Provided lesson sheets. Written explanations of each assignment in student's binder. This needs to be printed out immediately after each lesson.
Provided lesson synopsis videos, for those who will watch them. Taken in the last few minutes of the lesson so the student has a last chance for clarification on assignments. Makes shorter in-lesson explanations and more effective practice because student has something visual to refer to for things hard to explain on the lesson sheet, such as technique.
Recording the lesson. This will need to be done on the student's own device. This is recommended for students who will watch the recording.
In-between lesson 15 minute check-ins via Google Meet. This is great for passing off a method piece, questions on solos, theory issues, etc.

STUDIO ACTIVITIES

Each Fall and Spring semester, we have an optional weekly studio class, a guest masterclass, and a recital to keep practice happening and help students realize what they're capable of, as frequent performance opportunities are believed to increase self-efficacy.

Studio class: Live Google Meet meeting, held weekly, where students get to know and play for each other, creating a community so piano isn’t such a solitary instrument. If only one student attends, he/she gets a free mini lesson.
Guest masterclass: Live Google Meet or Zoom where a guest teacher gives a mini lesson to three students while we watch for what we can apply to our own practice.
Recital: Held three times a year in-person. All students in Utah participate.
Festival: a privilege for prepared students, to hear feedback from adjudicators. Competitions are also available.
Performance attendance: for students in Utah, to listen to music from real pianists!

These provide performance opportunities, give different perspectives, and reinforce concepts learned in lessons.