What’s the Yearly Lesson Structure?

Each year at Rose + Lilac consists of 3 Sessions:

- Fall Session: 5 months starting in September

- Spring Session: 5 months starting in February

- Summer Session: 2 months starting in July.

How Do I Reserve a Weekly Lesson Time?

Before each Session begins, let Katharine know what lesson time you’d like. Provided it’s available, Katharine will hold it for you until the Session begins. Your payment will hold your spot for the duration of the Session.

How Does Payment Work?

Provide post-dated cheques by the last day of the previous Session, dated for the first day of each month.*

Example – Fall Session: provide 5 cheques dated September 1st, October 1st, November 1st, December 1st, and January 1st by August 31st.

Please provide the dates for the lessons paid for (i.e. “Sept. 4, 11, 18, & 25”) in the Memo line for each cheque.

Receipts are issued following the end of each calendar year, before February 28. If you need receipts sooner, or at monthly intervals, please let Katharine know.

*Most months will have 4 lessons, but the occasional month will have 5. Don’t forget to double-check!

What Happens if A Cheque is Returned NSF?

Unfortunately, lessons can only continue with payment. Please pay for the affected month via e-transfer or cash prior to resuming lessons. Payment must include any lessons missed due to the NSF cheque, and any such missed lessons cannot be rescheduled.

Katharine will contact you in the event of a returned cheque.

What if I Have to Miss a Lesson?

Having taught in a variety of circumstances over the past two decades, Katharine has witnessed how missing lessons can lead to seriously frustrating consequences for students: stalled progress, missed goals, and thwarted musical/ personal expectations. For this reason, Katharine encourages students to attend each and every lesson.

However, illness and emergencies unfortunately do happen. With this understanding in mind, Rose + Lilac offers one “hall pass” per Session – the opportunity to reschedule one lesson per Session due to illness or emergency.

How Does Rescheduling Work?

Please give as much notice as possible if you must use your “hall pass.” Katharine will work with you to find a time to make up the missed lesson. If the missed lesson must be made up in a subsequent month, the payment is still processed for the originally intended month.

For any rescheduled lesson, including for a term “hall pass” missed lesson, a seasonal re-schedule (i.e. for a lesson that would fall on Christmas), or a studio re-schedule (i.e. due to emergency studio closure): once a make-up lesson date has been scheduled, all normal policy rules apply. Therefore, a rescheduled lesson can be cancelled by the student, but it cannot be re-rescheduled, unless doing so will use that term's “hall pass.”

What if I Have to Miss More Than One Lesson?

Please give as much notice as possible if you know in advance you will be missing a lesson, as a courtesy to the Studio. Missed lessons beyond the “hall pass” are charged, both to promote the continued musical progress students achieve with weekly lessons, and to ensure the continued financial viability of the Studio.

How Much Do Lessons Cost?

60 Minutes - $60

45 Minutes* - $45

30 Minutes - $30

*Please note: 45-minute lessons are reserved only when you take 2 back-to-back spaces (i.e. 2 siblings each take one 45-minute spot, or one student takes a 45-minute singing lesson followed by a 45-minute theory lesson). This ensures there are enough full 30- and 60-minute spots for other students, and prevents “empty” 15-minute spots which can’t be filled.

 

What Happens if Payment is Late?

Overdue payments will be charged a $15 late fee, representing the (at minimum) 15 additional minutes of labour for the Studio that each late payment requires. The fee may be paid by e-transfer or cheque.  PLEASE NOTE: three overdue charges may constitute a termination of lessons and removal from the Studio roster. 

What Happens if the Studio Has to Cancel?

In the event that Katharine becomes very ill or experiences a sudden emergency, you will be notified with as much notice as possible. Katharine will work with you to find a convenient time to reschedule the missed lesson.

What if I Have to Drop Out of Lessons Mid-Session?

Of course, this isn’t the ideal scenario! But if financial or life circumstances do necessitate stopping lessons mid-Session, one month’s notice is required.

Students will be charged for a month of lessons following notice of a withdrawal.

If that scenario leaves a student with an over-payment, the Studio will refund the over-payment via e-transfer (i.e. if notice for a withdrawal is given April 20th, the post-dated cheque for May will be cashed on May 1st, and lessons after May 20th will be simultaneously refunded). Any “extra” post-dated cheques will be returned.

Anything Else I Should Know?

The Studio reserves the right to terminate lessons without notice at any time due to: repeated late payments; repeated missed lessons without notice; behaviour from students or their families on Studio property that is disrespectful or inappropriate to Katharine, other students, or Studio property; or inappropriate or disrespectful conduct towards Katharine via email, text, phone or any other means of communication. (Please note: this has almost never had to happen, because students and their families are generally lovely!)

What if I Have Other Questions?

Please feel free to get in touch any time!