Studio Policy — Kriewaldt Academy of Music
Kriewaldt Academy of Music is a private piano studio in Frederick County, Maryland, specializing in individualized, learner-centered instruction. These policies are designed to support a stable, respectful, and accessible learning environment where each student’s strengths, interests, goals, communication style, and learning needs are honored.
Studio Policies
Consistent study is essential to meaningful musical growth. These policies are designed to support students’ progress, protect instructional time, and create a reliable studio schedule for everyone.
Lesson Schedule
Students enroll in a regular weekly lesson time of 30, 45, or 60 minutes. That time is reserved specifically for the student throughout the term.
Regular attendance is an important part of piano study. Students are expected to attend lessons consistently and arrive on time with their music and materials.
Practice Expectations
Progress at the piano depends much more on consistent practice between lessons than on the lesson itself.
Students are expected to practice at least five days per week, with a daily practice goal approximately equal to the length of their weekly lesson:
- 30-minute lesson: approximately 30 minutes of practice per day
- 45-minute lesson: approximately 45 minutes of practice per day
- 60-minute lesson: approximately 60 minutes of practice per day
Practice does not need to look identical for every student. Individual learning needs, disability, attention, fatigue, and developmental differences will always be taken into consideration. The goal is consistent engagement with the instrument and assigned material, not perfection.
Students and families are encouraged to communicate if practice expectations are becoming difficult so that we can develop a more sustainable approach together.
Attendance and Cancellations
Your scheduled lesson time is reserved specifically for you. Because the studio operates on a limited number of weekly teaching hours, regular attendance is necessary both for students’ musical progress and for the sustainability of the studio.
Tuition reserves a recurring place in the weekly schedule rather than paying only for lessons attended. For that reason, student cancellations and missed lessons are not normally refundable.
When possible, please provide at least 24 hours’ notice if a student will be unable to attend.
Occasional illness, emergencies, family events, and unavoidable conflicts happen, and families are always encouraged to communicate. However, frequent cancellations or repeated difficulty attending the scheduled lesson time may require us to reconsider whether that time can continue to be held.
Makeup lessons may be offered when scheduling permits, but they are not guaranteed for student cancellations.
If I need to cancel a lesson, the lesson will either be rescheduled or credited.
Illness
Students should not attend an in-person lesson when they are contagious or feeling too unwell to participate comfortably. When appropriate and feasible, an online lesson may be substituted.
Punctuality
Lessons begin and end at the scheduled time. Students who arrive late will receive the remainder of their scheduled lesson, as another student may be scheduled immediately afterward.
Communication
Open communication is encouraged. If a student is struggling with practice, motivation, repertoire, sensory needs, communication, scheduling, or another aspect of lessons, please let me know. Effective music education is collaborative, and adjustments can often be made without sacrificing musical growth.
A Note About Accessibility
Kriewaldt Academy of Music is committed to accessible, individualized music education. These policies provide consistency and structure while recognizing that students are individuals.
Accommodations related to disability, neurodivergence, communication, sensory needs, or other access needs are always welcome for discussion. Accessibility does not mean lowering expectations; it means finding a workable path toward meaningful musical growth.
Continuing Enrollment
Enrollment represents a commitment to regular lessons, consistent practice, and respectful communication between the student, family, and teacher.
The goal of these policies is not rigidity. It is to create the consistency that allows students to grow while ensuring that Kriewaldt Academy of Music can maintain a sustainable, dependable teaching schedule.
