This is a contract for weekly 30-minute piano lessons from Cathryn Matheson, given in a recurring time slot (eg. Mondays at 3:30pm). Lessons are taught in person at my home studio. Lessons are offered as a rolling, at-will contract, meaning that enrolled students will remain enrolled indefinitely until either the student or teacher withdraws. Weekly lesson time slots do not need to be reapplied for at any point unless the student or teacher wishes to discontinue.
Students are asked to give one month's courtesy notice of withdrawal when possible, as this gives me time to find a replacement student for the time slot. If for some reason I need to stop teaching lessons, I will give at least one month's notice (except in an extreme emergency) of lessons ending and will recommend alternate teachers as requested.
Students will never be "dropped" from lessons (asked by the teacher not to return) for developmentally appropriate behaviors, including lack of practice, inattentiveness, etc. Reasons for a student being dropped would include serious problems such as property damage, physical harm, or consistently dangerous behavior.
It is the piano teacher's responsibility to provide lesson activities and experiences that are fun, engaging, age- and ability-appropriate, goal-oriented, and informed by piano pedagogy best practice. It is the piano student's responsibility to do their best to participate in lesson activities with attention and respect, to ask for help and clarification, and to practice their skills at home.
Parents are required to attend lessons together with any child under age 6, and are encouraged to attend lessons together with any child under age 8. Parent involvement at these ages is a strong contributing factor to piano success and enjoyment. Parents of students of any age are always welcome to attend and observe lessons, and siblings or other family members are also always welcome as long as the student remains able to concentrate on their lesson.
If a student of any age is struggling to engage appropriately with instruction during lesson time, parents may be asked to provide more support, such as the parent participating along with the child in lesson activities. Parents who are asked to provide behavior support are strongly discouraged from bringing younger non-student siblings to lessons, as parental attention is best devoted to the student during their lesson time.
Siblings who have lessons scheduled back-to-back are welcome to attend each other's lessons, as long as they don't distract from their sibling's lesson. Ms. Cathryn has seating areas inside the piano studio, music theory practice games on an iPad, and quiet toys in an adjacent room that siblings are welcome to use. Since I am not able to supervise additional children while teaching, siblings younger than age 6 may not be dropped off (a parent must remain at the studio with them).
Learning to play the piano should be fit around your family's life, not the other way around. More practice will lead to faster skill growth, but I absolutely recognize the extensive demands on our time that busy families have. I do not have a minimum practice requirement between lessons or any penalties for missed practices.
My hope for each student is that they do their best to fit in five practice sessions each week, no matter where that falls in their week. This may look like practicing after school each weekday, or like adding in a morning and an evening practice session on a Saturday or Sunday. I have a prize pail in the studio for students to choose from each time they get at least five practices in per week! (Please let me know if your student has any dietary or latex restrictions/allergies.)
A "practice session" length at home is going to be different for each student, and will vary slightly week to week as piano "homework" assignments change. Elementary age children especially are not going to be successful with a full 30-minute daily practice expectation -- that's just too long for most young brains to stick with one task. Aiming for minutes per practice session that is double the child's age (eg. 20 minutes for a 10-year-old) is a more realistic and developmentally supported expectation.
When it comes to building skills that stick, brain science tells us that frequency of practice matters more than length. Kids and adults alike will grow faster and more effectively in their piano-playing and music-reading skills if they practice more often, not for fewer longer stretches: practicing for 5 minutes a day for 6 days straight will give you more growth than practicing once for 30 minutes.
For very young students, beginner students with executive function differences like ADHD, or any student having a particularly tired or emotional day, practicing alone may be very difficult. Parents or even older siblings can give their student a huge gift by sitting with them while they start practicing -- perhaps just sitting in the same room, or even sharing the piano bench and some words of encouragement. Having another person present while you work on a difficult task is a psychological "hack" called body doubling, which works by soothing the brain's adrenaline response and engaging the brain's reward centers more rapidly. Busy parents can even try letting their child video chat with a grandparent while they practice.
Consistent attendance at lessons is a key foundation for growing piano skills. Students who attend their lessons weekly are most likely to see measurable growth in ability, to be prepared for recitals and other performances, and to feel supported and satisfied in their piano journey. Making a good effort to attend each week is a way to show respect to your teacher and to yourself, and to honor the work you are doing to master a complex instrument.
If a student's time slot becomes consistently difficult to attend, please talk with Ms. Cathryn about what alternate arrangements or time slots may be available.
Just like soccer practice or swim lessons, I am not able to give refunds for missed piano lessons. However, students are welcome to use the online Calendly system to self-schedule a makeup lesson when one is missed.
Makeup lessons must be scheduled for within 30 days of the missed lesson, or the "credit" will be forfeited. Students may carry a maximum of two rolling "credits" for missed lessons at a time.
If you know your student will miss a lesson in advance (for travel, medical procedures, schedule conflicts, etc), please notify me as soon as possible so I can open their slot up on the Calendly schedule. This allows other students to use that time as a makeup slot. I do not need a doctor's note or any other explanation for missing -- you are the final authority on your family's schedule!
Please do not have your student attend piano lessons if they are sick. I use the same guidelines as school: If a child has a fever, a contagious rash, pink eye, has vomited within the last 24 hours, or feels too unwell to participate in lessons, please keep them home and schedule a makeup lesson at your convenience. I do encourage students to wash their hands when they arrive for their lesson and I disinfect the piano keys frequently.
If I am unable to host a lesson due to illness or emergency, I will notify students & parents as soon as possible and open up expanded slots for families to self-schedule a makeup lesson (these will likely fall on Saturdays). Teacher cancellations do not count toward a student's 2 "credit" maximum.
Students are required to purchase/provide their own leveled lesson books. These typically cost $20-30 total per level, and will need to be upgraded about once per year. Students are also encouraged to purchase solo and performance-piece sheet music as desired; these can make fun gifts or practice incentives. We will discuss your student's curriculum needs and preferences at their first lesson and you'll have the chance to choose which brand of leveled books you prefer.
All students are required to have either a piano or a full-size (88 keys) keyboard at home to practice. Taking piano lessons without a piano at home is the same as taking violin lessons without having a violin.
If your family is interested in purchasing an inexpensive piano, I am happy to help you find a great one! Dozens of good-quality pianos are always listed for free on places like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, and hiring piano movers and a first tuning should cost around $200 altogether.
If you are not yet ready to invest in a traditional piano, or would like the option for your student to practice while using headphones, a good-quality keyboard is an option. Please ensure that the bench or chair is height-adjustable for proper posture, and for students beyond their first year, that there is a sustain pedal accessory.
Intermediate and advanced students -- students beyond about level 3 or 4 -- need to be playing on either a "real" piano or a keyboard with weighted keys (which often costs more than a real piano). A student will not be able to appropriately advance otherwise. On inexpensive plastic keyboards, tension on the keys is provided by springs, like jumping on a trampoline. This is different from how true pianos play, which use levers and hinges to provide the key action, more like a see-saw. As students progress in their skills, it becomes critical for them to develop appropriate touch and intonation by playing keys that respond as levers, not as springs. On its most basic level, it comes down to volume: Inexpensive keyboards don't play louder when you press harder. Real pianos and weighted keyboards do. Mastering the touch to control volume and tone is an essential skill for pianists.
My monthly rate is $120/month, due at the first lesson of the month. As this is a monthly retainer rate rather than a per-lesson charge, no credits or refunds will be issued for weeks that the studio is closed (Cherry Creek School District's fall break, winter break, spring break, and two weeks each summer). For a month that a student begins or ends lessons, proration is charged as $25/week. Payment can be made by cash, check, Venmo, or Zelle.
Students with accounts overdue for payment will be sent home with a wristband reminding them of payment and a reminder email will be sent. After two weeks of missed payment reminders, the next lesson time will be cancelled and opened up to other students as a makeup slot. After two cancelled lessons (or four total weeks of accounts overdue), the student will be dropped from lessons and their weekly slot will be opened up to the waitlist. A dropped student who wishes to reenroll must make payment to bring their account into good standing, will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist, and will be expected to prepay two months in advance for all future enrollment.
Teaching piano is not my hobby; it is my job. Paying for your lessons on time helps ensure that I am able to meet my family's financial needs. Thank you so much for your courtesy!
Although preparing to perform is an amazing motivation for most students and we hope to celebrate their hard work, recitals are optional, not required. We typically have two recitals per year, in the fall and the spring. Recitals are free and anyone is invited to attend. Dates and times will be announced at the beginning of each semester.
In the age of social media, I take the privacy of minors very seriously. There are no cameras at my home or inside the piano studio, and I will never film a student's face or person without their (and for minors, their parents') consent. Recording the audio of a student's playing and listening to it played back can be a powerful learning tool for students, but these recordings are sound-only. I will never share photos or visual recordings of any students publicly or privately without consent.
At public events like recitals, I ask you to use the same degree of discretion for other students. Please do not film or photograph any students who are not your children without their and their parents' consent.
I am ready to start piano lessons! I know that it can be hard to learn something new, but I can do hard things.
I will do my best to practice at least 5 times every week.
I will ask for help when I feel frustrated, upset, or confused.
I will share what I'm learning each week with the people who care about me.
I am ready to grow my brain and have fun making music!
Signature _________________________________ Date _________________
I have read this contract in full and agree to abide by its terms.
I understand that lessons are given as ongoing enrollment, meaning I will be billed $120 monthly per student until I ask to stop.
I understand that credits or refunds are not given for the weeks that the studio is closed (school breaks and two summer weeks as named above). I understand that refunds are not given for student or teacher absences/cancellations, although up to two "credits" at a time for missed classes can be rescheduled.
I understand that if my student is younger than 6 or has ongoing needs for additional behavior support, I will be required to attend lessons with my child and participate together.
I understand that it's my responsibility to purchase lesson books as agreed upon, and that we are required to have a piano or full-sized keyboard available at home for practice.
I will do my best to support my student's learning. When they are frustrated, I will try to "lean in" and be present with them, listen with compassion, and be a positive force as they develop resilience. I will do my best not to use piano practice as a punishment, and to create a family culture that celebrates small successes. My expectation is for growth, not perfection.
Parent Name _______________________________ Student Name _______________________________
Parent Signature _________________________________ Date _________________