Cowichan String Academy Studio Policies
Schedule and Dates: Lesson times are set at the beginning of the year and reserved for your student from September to June. The studio calendar is released at the beginning of each term and includes important dates, holidays and concerts. Please sync your online calendar with the studio!
Studio Student Concerts are held once or twice a year in addition to solo and group performance opportunities in the Cowichan Music Festival each February. Students are encouraged to perform as often as possible as part of their musical education. It is an opportunity to set goals and show off their hard work. Royal Conservatory exams are also encouraged and can be counted for grade 11/12 high school credits at the RCM grade 7 and 8 levels.
Payment: Lessons are offered from September to June and fees are invoiced in 3 terms, to be paid at the beginning of each term. The invoice provided has all lessons for the term listed and can be paid by credit card or e-transfer.
Teacher Cancellation/Concert conflicts As professional musicians there are occasionally concerts that create teaching conflicts each year. If a teacher is unable to make a lesson, either a teaching assistant will be hired, the lesson will be made up or a lesson credit will be provided to the following term.
Cancellation/Illness: If for any reason the student cancels a lesson we ask for 24 hours notice if possible. We also understand that children often become sick suddenly, but please let us know as soon as you can if you’ll be missing a lesson. If you are getting over an illness or have been exposed to someone with cold/flu symptoms, please wear a mask to your lesson out of consideration for the teachers and other students sharing the space.
Make up lessons: If a student cannot make a lesson due to illness or a scheduling conflict, the teacher (if possible) will provide ONE make-up lesson per term (3 terms total – Sept to Dec/Jan-March, April-June) depending on scheduling. Please enquire first about switching lessons with another student if a scheduling conflict arises. If you are unsure about why there is a make-up lesson policy, this article online is great for clarifying some questions you might have:
http://ottawasuzukistrings.ca/makeuplessons/
Weather: If there is extreme weather (ie. Snow, storms etc.) and the student is unable to make it to class the teacher is not required to give a make-up class for the missed lesson. Please enquire about having an online lesson if you are not able to make it for a lesson due to weather.
Lesson Termination: We ask for students to give one months’ notice if they would like to stop taking lessons completely. This is a professional courtesy as this is a busy studio and other students may have been turned away from lessons because of lack of available lesson times.