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Policies and Procedures | Music Lesson Program

Lesson Calendar

The year is divided into two semesters consisting of 16 lessons each. The Fall semester runs from September through mid-January and the Spring semester runs from February through mid-June. Each semester includes two to three make-up weeks dependent on the school calendars. We teach lessons on early dismissal days and on teacher conference days. There are no lessons when school is not in session. If our physical spaces are unavailable for any reason, lessons will be conducted online.

Our summer session takes place in July and August. We offer flexible lesson packages (4-, 6-, or 8-lesson packages) for this session.

Payment

Registration and full payment are due before the first lesson of each semester. For scholarship students, the family portion payment is due within two weeks of notification of your award and prior to the start of your first lesson. Teachers will not start lessons until they have received confirmation from the Music Program team that tuition has been paid.

Missed Lessons, Makeup Lessons, Rescheduling Lessons

Up to two Make Up Lessons are available to enrolled students at the end of each semester during the scheduled makeup weeks. Make Up Lessons will be considered on the following basis:
  • Student absence, if the parent/guardian notified both the teacher and the Music Program Team via email a minimum of 24 hours prior to the absence.
    • If a student does not show up for a lesson and both the teacher and Music Program team were not notified within the 24 hours prior, no make-up will be offered for that missed lesson, and no refund or credit will be given for the missed lesson.
  • Lessons that are cancelled due to an unexpected school or facility closure, including weather events such as snow days.*
  • Teacher absence due to illness or emergency.*
If a regular Lesson would be missed due to a School Holiday or Planned Closure (not including School Break/Recess), the teacher and family must reschedule the lesson to take place at another day and time within one week of the Holiday/Closure. These planned closures do not count towards Make Up Lessons. (These planned dates are shared prior to the start of each semester on the Music Program page under “Semester Schedule”.)
 
Lessons and Make Up Lessons do not roll over to the next semester, nor are they credited or refunded. Make Up Lessons cannot be scheduled for Group Lessons or for 4, 6, or 8 week Class Packages.
 
*If you and your child’s teacher made your best efforts to reschedule due to an unplanned school/facility or unplanned teacher absence and were unable to do so, you may request, in writing, the missed lesson be credited towards your next semester of RiverArts within one week of the missed date. Credits will be applied towards the next semester’s billings and will not be refunded. To request this credit, emailing both your teacher and musicprogram@riverarts.org within one week of the missed date.
 

Teacher Compatibility

All of our faculty are highly qualified musicians and teachers, and we take great care to try and match each student with a faculty member who will provide them with an engaging and educational experience. The relationship between student and teacher is highly individual. If you would like to make any adjustments to your instruction, please contact the Music Program team at musicprogram@riverarts.org.

Refunds & Cancellations

A parent/guardian may cancel lessons before the third lesson takes place to receive a refund of remaining tuition save for the registration fee and first two lesson fees.
 
In order to receive the refund, the parent/guardian must notify the Music Program team by email no fewer than 2 business days prior to the third lesson taking place. Refunds may take up to 15 business days to process to the original form of payment.
 
No refunds will be given after the third lesson has been taken.
No refunds are given for missed lessons or missed make up lessons.

 

Scholarships

Through the generous support of The RiverArts Kristeen Nelson Memorial Scholarship Fund and Arts Westchester, RiverArts offers partial need-based scholarships for Fall and Spring semester lessons (16 weeks). Scholarship applications will be available prior to the start of each new semester and are reviewed and awarded according to need.

Parents’ Responsibilities

Parents are responsible for getting their children to lessons on time, ensuring their children come prepared to each lesson with their sheet music and any other curricular items, supporting practice between lessons, notifying teachers of cancellations at least 24 hours in advance, and for completing registration and payment before the first lesson.

We welcome you to the RiverArts Music Program! If you have any questions, please contact the Music Program team at: musicprogram@riverarts.org.

RiverArts reserves the right to update or change these policies at any time.