Your Voice Matters:
Semester-based lessons are available for 14 weeks during the Fall Semester and 16 weeks during the Spring Semester. Major holidays are observed, and the school calendar is taken into account. Most families find that this works well for busy calendars.
Summer Semester: Students studying for 6 lessons over the summer (July - August) can secure a spot for lessons for the school year. These lessons are held on a flex basis to allow for family vacations and continuing education for me. Group classes and workshops will also be made available, and announced in mid-April. Please see the group lesson offerings.
Monthly lessons are also available, which will commit you to a full month of lessons each month for the school year. (September - May with the option of continuing through June pending a student's finals load and other end of year activity).
Individual lessons for experienced musicians looking for an extra ear from time to time are also available on a case-by-case basis, and with a prior working relationship established or by recommendation.
Group lessons and workshops can be made available by semester or seasonally for activities like NYSSMA bootcamps or a 6-week Christmas caroling club with your friends to get ready for the holidays. Summer and other vacation opportunities will be announced mid-April.
While we all learn throughout our lifetimes, children under the age 7 learn best in a setting designed for them . One such place is Bluebird Music Together, and is run by Syracuse Opera Chorus colleague Rebbecca Oppedisano. You will be working with some of the best musicians in Central New York who specialize in musical education for the youngest members of our community!
Tuition Payments and Schedule:
For current tuition rates, please contact me via email. Tuition can be paid via cash, check or (with prior arrangements) online.
An invoice will be sent a week before the 1st of the month.
A late fee of $30 will be assessed past the 10th of every month.
Tuition payment by the semester or month reserves a regular appointment throughout the semester, and includes time for:
* lesson plans;
* the research and creation of off-the-bench and library-based activities;
* continuing education;
* professional studio memberships;
* and studio maintenance or travel to your lesson location.
Music Library:
Music purchasing is not included in the tuition price, although some studio licensed pieces are available pending a student's level. An earmarked budget of $50 for the school year will sufficiently cover method books, state and other competition music, as well as other solo repertoire for all but the most serious student.
Basic Policies:
- With the growing rate of food allergies, please wash your hands before coming to the studio and no outside food will be allowed in my home studio space. FA parents, please contact me in advance so we can figure out a safe way for your child to take lessons. For those I travel to: please have your student wash their hands carefully and be sure the keyboard is clean.
- Please be ready no sooner than 5 minutes before your lesson time so I can focus on the student taking lessons.
- Lesson cancellation requires a 24-hour advanced notice in order for a makeup to be scheduled unless you are dealing with an emergency. Sports events, friends coming over, homework, rehearsals, being too busy, lack of notification about vacations, etc. are not emergencies. Lessons missed for anything but an emergency are lost.
- If a snow day should occur, please use your best judgment and I will do likewise. RockOutLoudLive, Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, are great options in bad weather. Also, a videoed lesson made during your regular lesson time and sent to you with tasks and questions to be completed by the next lesson can be arranged.
- Makeup Lessons: with 24 hours notice and true emergencies, a video lesson will be made during your lesson time with questions to be answered and tasks to be accomplished.
- If a student or anyone coming to a lesson is ill, especially if you are contagious as per school district policies (fever, vomiting, diarrhea, lice, etc) or community rates of infection warrant, please call and we will do a remote lesson via RockOutLoudLive, Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or I can create a video lesson with specific tasks and questions for the student to complete by the next lesson. If it is apparent the student or others present are contagious, I reserve the right to cancel the lesson with no makeup lesson.
- Voice students are strongly encouraged to come with a recording device (smart phone, tablet, laptop) to have an audio file of their individual vocalises. If online, a second device is strongly recommended for playback of backing tracks.
- Home-based practice goals for the week: 5 - 6 days per week, with youngest beginners practicing lesson material no longer than 20 minutes a day, which can be divided up into smaller time slots as the student needs for consistent focus. A good rule of thumb for the youngest students: practice for the number of minutes they are old, take a break, and come back to things.
- In case you find the need to discontinue lessons at any time, one month’s notice is required.
- Please note that I will only respond to phone calls, emails and texts between the hours of 9 am and 9 pm.
Practice Journal
While lesson notes will be available at the MMS login, a notebook to keep track of lesson assignments is a great tool, and students are encouraged to journal questions that might come up during practice sessions.
An 8 1/2 x 11 3-ring binder for supplemental lesson materials. Dividers will be provided by me for face-to-face lessons, along with the activities for all students.
Practice notes can also be created through your My Music Staff page.
Lesson Goals
- To build technical ability on your instrument through learning both technical exercises and by playing music that will help you grow as a musician and a creative person. If there is music a student wants to work on for fun, please bring it in, but know that lessons will focus on technical growth first.
- To develop appropriate warm-up exercises/vocalises and good habits of performing for life-long fun!
- To prepare for recitals and other public performances with growing musical and dramatic skills.
Recommended Music Stores
Music and Arts (Clay)
Hickey’s Music (Ithaca)
Classical Vocal Repertoire (online/shipped)
Classical Vocal Reprints (online/PDF)
New Musical Theatre (digital)
Piano Pronto (online/digital).