Questions about lessons

I teach in my home. I have a designated music room at the front of the house, right by the front door. Parents who choose to wait in their cars can see in through the windows at the front. I also teach students online, I've had students do online full-time or just occasionally take their lessons on vacation with them and continue lessons from the beach or the Swiss Alps!

I usually recommend 30 minute lessons for most people. More advanced students will often need 45 mins or an hour as well as very motivated adult and teenager beginners.

You can use the Student Portal to manage your account and payments. I also accept check, cash, Venmo or PayPal. You can pay weekly or for a block of lessons.

See lesson prices.

• Yourself!
• All your music, even books that you don't have a piece from this week as I might want to assign one!
• If you're a wind player remember - your instrument, reeds (with spares), neck strap/seat strap if you use one
• A pencil
• A NOTEBOOK

If you can't make your usual lesson time please reach out to me as I can probably rearrange it to another day or time.
There is no obligation to have a lesson every week. Most people do because it helps keep them accountable. But you can have lessons every 2 weeks, every month or on an ad hoc basis too.
If you do need to cancel please give me as much notice as possible: I organize childcare etc. around my teaching schedule.
If you no show a booked lesson or a weekly recurring lesson without letting me know I will unfortunately still need to charge you for the lesson.

Practice

• Little and often. It's better to practice four times a week for 15 minutes than once for an hour.
• Try to practice everyday if you can!
• Don't always play the whole piece. Practice just the tricky bits
• Practice slowly and accurately. Practice makes ..... PERMANENT
• Don't forget scales and exercises

Yes! We have recitals at the end of each school year.

Students usually take lessons for at least a few years! Experts think that it takes 8 - 10 years to become fully proficient in playing an instrument! That being said, I have had students go on to major in music after taking up an instrument in middle or high school. Many students enjoy having lessons until they have the basics down and then happily stop lessons and play for their own pleasure at that level. You don't need to reach expert level to have fun playing music.

I have experience teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Tourette's and Global Delay.
If you or your child has any special needs or requires any special accommodations, please let me know and I will do my best to help in any way that I can.

You will need an instrument, some music, a notebook and a pencil.
Please see the resources tab or have a chat with me in person/over text/email anytime

AlleyCat came from my husband's name - Alex and mine - Cat (Catherine). Alex isn't teaching at the moment but you can find him at his youtube page and at selfhosted.show