ZOE COPPOLA

Zoe's Music Studio

2141 Wisconsin Ave NW, Apt. 401, Washington, DC 20007

607-760-0268     zoe@zoecoppola.com    www.zoecoppola.com

 

Studio Policies

 

Eligibility  

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• If you have fingers and a brain, you can learn to play an instrument! I accept students:

  • as young as 4 years old if the student is particularly focused, very interested, and knows their numbers and letters. 

  • ages 7 and up with or without prior musical experience

  • adults with or without prior musical experience                                                                                                                                                 

 

     (Some piano background is certainly helpful for the study of the harp, but not required.)

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Lessons and Payment

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• Weekly lessons are preferred, but biweekly scheduling may be an option for daytime slots.

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• Lessons for all students are structured as follows:

     - thirty-minute lesson (this option available only to students ages 4-7)

     - forty-five minute lesson (appropriate for any student)

     - one-hour lesson (appropriate for especially engaged and/or biweekly students)

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• Inquire for current rates

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• I will bill students at the end of each month for the lessons held during that month. Remit payment within 10 calendar days after receipt of bill.

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• Online payment through My Music Staff is preferred. You may set up a card for Auto Pay to set it and forget it! 

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Attendance and Scheduling 

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• With at least 24 hours notice, you may reschedule your lesson to a different day/time.

  • On your MMS portal, go to the calendar and click "everything" and "show full events". Available slots will appear in green.

  • Contact me and let me know which available time you'd like, and I'll edit our lesson.

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• If you need a lesson removed from the schedule (like if you're going on vacation and can't take your instrument), you may "cancel" your lesson and not be charged by contacting me with at least one week's notice.

  • A maximum of two cancelled lessons per semester are allowed.

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• In the event of a student no-show or same-day cancellation, you will still be charged full payment for the scheduled lesson and will not be able to reschedule.

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• If you don't feel well, please let me know and do not come to the studio - if you're up for it, we can still hold our lesson virtually. 

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• I intend to hold all lessons as scheduled, but in the case that I need to reschedule or cancel a lesson due to performances, rehearsals etc., I will notify you well in advance. ​

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Yearly Calendar 

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• Lessons will be offered throughout the year, with the year being divided into "Fall Semester" (Labor Day through December 31), "Spring Semester" (January 1 through late June), and "Summer" (late June through Labor Day). 

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• The two-maximum lesson cancellation policy applies to Fall semester and Spring semester, with Summer lessons being scheduled "a la carte". 

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• The studio will close for some holidays and seasonal breaks, which will be marked on the MMS calendar well in advance.  ​​

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• If a student needs to take a break from lessons, I cannot guarantee that the lesson time slot will be reserved.

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Lesson Etiquette and Expectations 

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• Plan to arrive a few minutes before your lesson, and understand that if you are late, it may not be possible for me to extend your lesson time. 

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• The student is responsible for bringing his own books to every lesson.

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• Please wash your hands in the restroom or use hand sanitizer (provided) before sitting down at the instrument. 

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Virtual Option 

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• If the student is sick or may have something contagious, please do not come to the lesson in-person. In the case of student or teacher illness, grab your pajamas and a cup of tea and we can hold our lesson virtually over Zoom. Online lessons will also be offered in the case of inclement weather or other emergency situations. 

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Practice Expectations 

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• At-home practice throughout the week is an integral part of taking private lessons. The student will need an instrument, bench/chair at the correct height, and a music stand or other tuning supplies as appropriate. It’s important to have your music things set up conveniently in your home so that it’s easy to sit down and practice. Removing cases, locating misplaced books, fussing with incorrect seating, a setup in the basement far away from other family, etc. can become barriers to regular practice. 

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• Very young students can spend a few (~15) minutes at a time practicing their assignments. Students moving into late beginner and intermediate levels should be dedicating (at least) a few hours per week.  Practice time can include not only the assignments for the week but also reviewing old pieces, composing, general fiddling around/improvising, etc.! 

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Books & Materials

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• Piano: Most students will use the Faber Piano Adventures series of books. There are many options for individualization within the series, and we can find which options are best based on the needs of the student. Purchase the requested books from a music store or online.

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• Harp: Most students will use Zoe’s Happy Harps curriculum. You may purchase a hard or digital copy of the appropriate level directly from me.

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• These series will be the basis for learning but can be supplemented with additional materials and pieces as appropriate. Both piano and harp students also need a staff/lined paper notebook, which can be purchased from me or obtained on your own. 

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Performance Opportunities 

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• Pending sufficient student interest, we will hold studio recitals. All students are encouraged to participate! Other opportunities, like outreach or community concerts, may be available. 

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Termination Policy 

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• I reserve the right to terminate lessons if a student is not progressing well and shows little effort or desire to improve. If I believe the problem is the student-teacher relationship, this student might benefit from studying with a different teacher and I will provide recommended colleagues.

 

Covid-19 addendum (updated 5/19/22):  I am fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, so I’m comfortable welcoming students in-person into the studio. I am also happy to accommodate virtual lessons, with all above policies remaining in place. Lessons should be held virtually if either student or teacher have been exposed to Covid or have any symptoms of a contagious illness. Face masks are now optional during lessons. Please wash your hands before sitting down for your lesson. Instrument keys and strings are cleaned regularly.