Private lesson policies

Lesson Location

All in-person lessons take place at Bella Music Center. Virtual lessons are available if preferred.

Lesson Fees

Private lesson rates vary by instrument. Upon registration, the assigned rate will remain in effect unless otherwise communicated in advance. Lessons are charged monthly at the beginning of each month.

Rates are averaged over the year and divided by 12 to create a consistent monthly payment, regardless of the number of weeks in a given month. For one-hour lessons, the rate is doubled.

The preferred payment method is a credit card on file, automatically processed at the start of each month. Bella Music Center can also accept Venmo, cash, or check at the discretion of the customer, also at the start of each month.

Default or Late Payment

Your account will be in default if unpaid 15 days after the due date, or if your check does not clear. Upon default, lessons will be suspended, and the student risks losing their timeslot if the account is not current within 48 hours.

Withdrawal from Enrollment

A two-week notice is required for withdrawal from enrollment.

Missed Lesson Policy

• Rescheduling: Limit 1 per month. You may reschedule 1 lesson per month with a minimum 24-hour notice. Bella Music Center will bank your cancelled lesson for a maximum of 60 days. It is the student's responsibility to schedule their make-up lesson, subject to teacher availability.
• Over-limit cancelled lessons are billable and will be marked as such with no make-up option. This includes vacations, sports, appointments, and other activities. For extended absences of more than one week, the lesson slot will only be held if it is paid for, with no make-up option.
• Same-day reschedule or cancellation: If you cannot make your lesson at the usual time, Bella Music Center will see if your teacher has another lesson time available that day, or later in the week, that works for you. If you must cancel entirely, a same-day cancellation will be treated as a billable absence with no make-up option.
• Instructor unavailable: If your instructor is unavailable to teach a lesson, the student will be given the option to make the lesson up, or miss the lesson with no make-up obligation, at which point tuition will be adjusted the following month.

Contact Methods

Store Closings

Bella Music Center is closed on New Year's, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Weather Closings

Students will be notified in advance directly by text, as well as through a post on the Bella Music Center Facebook page. Bella Music Center does not use third-party criteria, such as public school closings, to decide whether or not to close for inclement weather.

This is due in part to differing schedules. Public school sessions take place in the mornings, while private lessons are generally in the afternoons, which can present very different weather situations. Bella Music Center also does not close for other public school events such as school vacations or holiday breaks unless notified otherwise.

Performance

Bella Music Center holds an annual recital for students of all levels at no cost to families. Recitals are typically held on a Sunday in October at one of the local function halls. Due to high participation, they are typically broken into two 2-hour sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Instructors work with their students well in advance to prepare for the recitals. Participation is encouraged, but not mandatory.