Connie Nay Piano Studio

TUITION RATES:

 

Tuition is based on 33 weekly lessons over the course of the traditional school year. For the 2024-2025 year, there will be 29 private lessons and 4 Performance Classes. Students who start mid-year will have their tuition adjusted accordingly. Most students will take 30-minute lessons. 40-minute lessons are for upper intermediate and advanced students who are willing to practice at least 40 minutes a day.

 


Monthly payments (per student):

# Students Per Family
30-minute lesson
 40-minute lesson # Payments per year*
1st student in every family $90.00 $100.00 9
2nd student from the same family $85.00 $95.00 9

 

*9 equal payments will be due on the 10th of each month, from September through May. Monthly tuition remains constant regardless of the number of lessons received in any given month. A total of 33 lessons will be possible over the course of the school year.


REGISTRATION and LENDING LIBRARY FEE: $25.00 per student per year.

 This fee covers student registration fees and also allows students to borrow unlimited music from the studio throughout the year.  It is due in September with tuition.  Students are required to purchase method books and are encouraged to purchase recital music or any favorites to build up a home music library.  Lost or damaged music will be charged to the student.


LATE FEES:$25.00 if payment is not received by the 10th of each month.


MISSED LESSONS:

If you need to cancel a lesson, please notify the teacher at least one day in advance, if possible.  Remember you are paying for your lesson time whether you use it or not.  If you are sick, please call to reschedule your lesson, to avoid getting other students sick.  If the student feels up to it, we can do an online lesson. Make-up lessons will ONLY be given for lessons missed due to illness or emergencies.  In many cases, a make-up lesson will not be possible.  Refunds will not be given for any missed lessons, with exceptions given on a case-by-case basis for legitimate reasons.  If the teacher must miss a lesson and cannot schedule a make-up lesson, a refund will be given in the form of a credit towards future lessons.


PERFORMANCE CLASSES:

Performance Classes will be held 4 times throughout the school year, usually prior to a recital or festival.  Exact dates will be listed on the studio calendar that will be provided to you at the beginning of the school year.  There will be no private lessons held during the week of Performance Class.  Students will be placed in a class according to age, level, and schedule.  Topics to be covered include performance strategies, recital preparation, theory, listening skills, rhythm, music history, and games to reinforce concepts.  The Performance Classes are included in the price of tuition, therefore, tuition will not be altered in any way should a student be unable to attend. 


PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS:

All students are required to practice 30 minutes a day for 6 days a week, for a total of 3 hours per week.

Exceptions: (1)First year beginners can start out practicing 15-20 minutes a day, but as they progress they will need   to work up to 30 minutes a day by the end of the first year.

  (2)Students at Level 4/5 or beyond are encouraged to increase practice time to 45-60 minutes a day.  This will be determined on an individual basis.Students at these levels are learning harder and longer   pieces, so more time is needed to practice. Anyone taking a 45-minute lesson is required to practice a minimum of 45 minutes per day.

All students are required to practice technique (scales, arpeggios, chords, etc) and complete written theory assignments, in addition to the music they are working on. Practicing is required if you wish to stay in this studio. Hours will be tracked each week, so make it a habit of recording your practice time every day. Parents should sign the assignment sheet each week to acknowledge that the practice hours are accurate. Prizes will be given for those who practice the most. Students who consistently practice less than the required amount may be dropped for other students on the waiting list. Students and parents are encouraged to set aside a specific time each day for practicing, free from distractions or interruptions. Becoming a good pianist takes many years of consistent, quality practicing.


Students are required to have daily access to a well-tuned piano and a working metronome.

Acoustic (real) pianos are the preferred piano for students, if available. Digital pianos and keyboards can work for a short time, but students will not develop good technique or artistry on a digital piano.  If you need your piano tuned, try Tiffany Bailey at baileypiano.com. Try to tune your piano at least once a year.


RECITALS and other performance opportunities:

Recitals: Required for all students except adults. New beginners and transfer students may skip the first recital after starting lessons. Memorization is required for all recitals unless you are told otherwise. Families are invited to these recitals. Plan on three recitals this year: Halloween, Christmas, and soon after Federation in March. In May we will have a student-only Performance Class to end the school year.

Performance Class: Students are expected to perform one piece for the class. This usually does not include parents or family. Memorization is not required unless we are preparing for a recital.

Utah Federation of Music Clubs Piano Festivals; also called “Federation”:

 Ensemble:(Optional) November 16, 2024.  Students are paired into duet ensembles and perform two ensemble pieces for judges. Points are earned towards a gold cup trophy just like in the solo event. Memorization is not required for this event. Some extra rehearsal time is required in the fall. $15 Registration Fee per student.

 **Solo: (**Required of all students except new beginners**) - Saturday, February 22, 2025. Students play 2 pieces from memory for 3 judges. One piece is from a required list of American composers, and the other is a classical piece of your choice. Points are earned each year toward a gold cup trophy. $15 Registration Fee per student.

 Concerto: (Optional) April 22-23, 2025. A concerto is a solo work with orchestral accompaniment; for our purposes, the accompaniment is reduced to a piano accompaniment. This event is for intermediate and advanced students. Memorization is required for this event. Extra rehearsals may be necessary in April. $15 Registration Fee per student.

UMTA Performance Evaluations: (Optional) Fall 2024 (Date TBA) Students play one or two pieces for a judge. The top 20% of all performers are selected to play in an Honors Recital at the State UMTA Conference in November. It is highly recommended that only students who are taking summer lessons participate in this event, so there is sufficient time to prepare. Open to all levels of students. $20 Registration Fee per student.

Davis Music Competition: (Optional) Spring 2025 (date TBA) Students play one piece from memory for judges. Winners are selected in several age categories. $25 Registration Fee per student.

Weber State University Piano Festival: (Optional) Spring 2025 (Exact date TBA) There are several different divisions and categories to enter this competition. Held at the Val Browning Center at the WSU campus. $20 Registration Fee per student.


TEACHER CREDENTIALS:

·Permanent Professional Certified Teacher of Music (through MTNA), July 2016

·Bachelor of Music in Piano Pedagogy, Utah State University, December 1999

·28 years of private teaching experience

·Member of the Utah Music Teachers Association (UMTA), Davis Chapter, affiliated with the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA)

·Member of the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC or “Federation”)


WAITING LIST POLICY:

 Siblings of current students will usually have priority over other students on the waiting list. Younger siblings will be able to start lessons when there is room in the schedule and when the student is ready. If the waiting list is long, then only students in 2nd grade or older will be able to start lessons, and only if there is room in the schedule.

WEBSITE:

 The studio website is located at http://connienay.mymusicstaff.com. Parents may log in to their accounts to see invoices, balances, charges, etc. You may also see the calendar and scheduled lessons and events. Use this website often to keep up-to-date on what is going on at the studio. All invoices will be sent from this website.


STUDIO RULES

ALL STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLEASE READ!


* Please arrive no more than 5 minutes early for your lesson time, but also not late.

* If you arrive late, you will receive a lesson for the remainder of your scheduled time.  No extra time will be given.

* Upon arrival, students are encouraged to wash or sanitize their hands.  Because our family dog loves to steal shoes, students can keep their shoes on at lessons.

* Please bring ALL of your books, binder, and flashcards with you to EVERY LESSON.

 * NO GUM, CANDY, FOOD, or DRINKS during lesson times.

 * If siblings are waiting during another sibling’s lesson time, that is fine. Please bring something to do, like a book to read, or homework.  If playing a game on a device, please keep the sound off or use headphones. Please don't bring food.  If a sibling becomes disruptive, the parent will be contacted to come pick him/her up.

 * All students should keep their fingernails trimmed short for proper technique. Long fingernails make it impossible to play correctly! This applies to both girls and boys!

 * CELL PHONES should be put away in your pocket or bag, and set to silence or mute. DO NOT check your phone during lesson times!  This includes smart watches! Parents, please do not expect your child to respond to a text or phone call during their lesson. It can wait until the lesson is over. If it is a true emergency, please call my home phone (801) 825-5729 and one of my children will answer it and bring it to me, or call my cell phone (801) 628-7255. I usually have it set to silent during lessons, though.

 * If a student repeatedly brings out a cell phone during a lesson, it will be confiscated until the end of the lesson. If it becomes a regular problem, a parent will be contacted.

 * Parents should pick up their student on time, or as close as possible. If your child is walking home, please let me know as well, so they don’t sit around waiting.

* If you are going to miss a lesson, please call, text, or email so I am not just sitting there waiting.  Remember, I only give make-up lessons for illness, and only if I have time.  Any student who is sick should not come to their lesson.  If the student is up to it, an online lesson can be given, otherwise we will reschedule.  I will try to be more flexible with make-up lessons for students who are sick.  

 * Students should be respectful of the teacher, and not talk or doodle on the piano while the teacher is talking.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!