Private Lessons Program

General Guidelines for Music Lessons Students

Pat Kennedy, Coordinator

Austin Arts Center 226

Telephone: 297-5122

Email: pkennedy@trincoll.edu

GENERAL

The Music Department makes arrangements with instructors to teach Trinity students on campus. Ask the Coordinator for biographical information on instructors. Students may study with individuals other than those who have officially established an on-campus teaching arrangement with the Music Department with the approval of the Coordinator, who must also be advised of lessons that are scheduled off-campus.

CREDIT FOR LESSONS

Students may elect to receive credit for lessons. The prerequisite is Music 101, which may be taken concurrently, in which case students must receive a passing grade to earn lessons credit.

Lessons are to be given once a week and are to be one hour in length. Students will receive 1/2 course credit per semester for a minimum of eleven (11) hours of study and attendance at an end-of-semester Performance Class (see below for details). Completing eleven (11) hours of study represents the fundamental requirement for receiving a passing grade for lessons. Students who do not complete this basic requirement will automatically receive a letter grade of F, regardless of their performance in their lessons. Lessons for credit, like any other course, may be "dropped" up to a special deadline that is set each semester.

Students who wish to take lessons for credit are required to schedule lessons with a qualified instructor at a regularly scheduled weekly time. At the time of their first meeting, they may have their instructor sign a card provided by the Coordinator that indicates written verification of study for credit (yellow 3x5 card). Upon receipt of this signed card, the Coordinator will authorize the student's Registration form or Add/Drop slip to sign up for Music Lessons for credit (the lessons instructor’s signature is not accepted by the Registrar's Office on the Registration or Add/Drop form). If necessary, due to time constraints, the instructor may also call the Music Lessons Coordinator to verify that lessons have been arranged with a given student. After receipt of this notification directly from the instructor, the Coordinator will sign the student's Registration form.

Please note that the advisor's signature is also necessary, on both the Add/Drop and Registration forms.

NOTE: Students must make the decision to receive credit for their lessons no later than the last day of Music Lessons registration set for each semester. To add credit after that date, students must petition and receive permission from the Academic Affairs Committee in addition to obtaining the signature of the Coordinator on their Registration for Music Lessons. As stated earlier, Lessons may be dropped, but note that Lessons dropped after the final registration deadline will appear on the student's permanent academic record as a "W" ("withdrawal").

STUDY NOT FOR CREDIT

The structure of study for students who do not choose to obtain college credit may take other forms as agreed upon by the instructor and the student.

PAYMENT FOR LESSONS

Students make arrangements for payment for their lessons directly with their instructors whether they receive credit for the lessons or not. Fees will not exceed $45.00 per hour.

Instructors are entitled to payment for lessons that are missed without prior student notification, as well as for lessons canceled by students less than 24 hours prior to a scheduled time. Students are advised that unexcused absences from lessons may adversely affect their grades.

Instructors are entitled to require advance payment for the expected number of lessons. Students are advised that additional payment will be expected for lessons that are either missed without notification or canceled without 24 hours advance notice. Students who discontinue lessons for which advance payment has been made will forfeit the payment made for the lessons that will not be taken.

A student’s non-payment for lessons taken may result in the withholding of grades.

FINANCIAL AID ASSISTANCE

Financial aid is available to students who are music majors enrolled in Private Lessons for credit and whom the College deems eligible for financial aid. A "Financial Aid Verification Form for Music Lessons," which is available from the Coordinator, must be signed by both student and instructor and submitted back to the Coordinator for processing.

STUDENT STATUS

The Coordinator must be kept advised of the status of all students who are taking private lessons, even those students who are not studying for credit. Students must notify the Coordinator of commencement of lessons, termination of lessons, dropped or added credit, or a change of instructor.

CONTACTING INSTRUCTORS

The list of approved instructors which will be provided to students includes home phone numbers (and e-mail addresses for some instructors). Although some individuals have campus extensions where they maybe reached during the day, most do not. Most instructors, however, do have voicemail. Messages are not to be left with the Coordinator or with Music and Media Services. Students should avoid last-minute contact with their instructors. Messages left with the Coordinator will not be forwarded to the instructors.

As mentioned above, instructors are entitled to payment for lessons missed without notification and for lessons that are canceled with less than 24hours notification. Students should be thoughtful of their instructors' time and should consider the inconvenient situations that are created by delayed contact or absenteeism.

MAKE-UP LESSONS

Those enrolled in the Private Lessons Program are expected to keep their weekly appointments with their instructors. Instructors may reserve the right to limit the number of make-up lessons given during the course of the semester. Normally, instructors will set the limit to one or two make-up lessons for excused absences. Instructors are not obligated to give make-up lessons for unexcused absences. Furthermore, should instructors agree to make up lessons in cases of unexcused absences, they may also reserve the right to require payment for the lessons missed as well as for the make-up lessons.

PROVISIONS FOR ACCOMPANYING

The Music Department Staff Accompanist, Ms. Christine Melson, is an important resource for private lessons students. The Accompanist's duties include approximately six studio "office hours" per week, during which private lessons students may sign up for tutorial accompanying sessions. There are also hours allocated for students involved in various other performance and curricular activities. Depending on other scheduling constraints within the department curriculum, the accompanist may be available to come to some lessons, or to a group lesson scheduled by mutual agreement. The accompanist is a great resource for all the department's programs of instruction and performance.

PRACTICE ROOM USE

Students may use practice rooms on a first-come, first-served basis. Rooms with grand pianos have restricted access. Because of the high level of demand for these rooms for other teaching purposes, access to rooms with grand pianos is limited to advanced piano students who are studying for academic credit.

The following is a summary of the details of access to practice rooms for this academic year:

Rooms 118, 121, & 123 (all with upright pianos) are now unlocked during the academic year. These rooms are for use by Music 101 and 201students, as well as private lessons students. They are used on a first-come, first-served basis.

Rooms 101 & 104 (the large and small general instruction rooms with grand pianos) remain on keyed locks. Keys for these rooms are lent out at the Music and Media Services Circulation Desk (AAC 110), once a permission slip is on file there for a student. The form for this, called "Restricted Room Permission Slip (Key Access)", is available at the Music and Media Services Circulation Desk (AAC 110). After the Department Chair has signed that form it goes on file at the Circulation Desk.

Rooms 117 (the large studio with a grand piano) & 119 (the small studio with a grand piano) are now on Locknetics code locks. When appropriate, student access can be granted to these rooms. The form for this, called "Request Form for Locknetics Access to Restricted Rooms," is available at the Music and Media Services Circulation Desk (AAC 110). This form is to be signed by the Department Chair, who forwards the request for your access code to be put into the lock to the Studio Coordinator.

MUSIC DEPARTMENT LOCKERS AND INSTRUMENT STORAGE

Arrangements for the use of the department lockers (along the wall by the water fountain) may be made at the Music and Media Services Circulation Desk (AAC 110). A $20.00 refundable deposit is required to receive a locker key for the semester.

The large instrument storage room, AAC 120, has restricted access with a Locknetics coded door. To obtain approval to store large instruments there, students should use the form called "Request Form for Locknetics Access to Restricted Rooms" available at the Music and Media Services Circulation Desk (AAC 110). This form is to be signed by the Department Chair, who forwards the request for your access code to be put into the lock to the Studio Coordinator.

PERFORMANCE CLASSES

A Performance Class provides both an informal performance opportunity for all students enrolled in the Lessons Program and a forum for discussion of performance-related issues. Performance in a Performance Class also serves as the audition for students who wish to participate in the formal Student Recital (see below for further information).

Attendance at a Performance Class each semester is required of all students enrolled in the program for credit. Students who do not attend a Performance Class will have their grades lowered two full grades. Performance participation for all students is required except for the first semester of lessons instruction. (Performance is optional for those taking lessons for the first time. Thereafter, performance at a Performance Class is required of all students enrolled for credit.) Failure to perform as stipulated above will result in the lowering of the grade by two full grades.

Three Performance Classes are scheduled, usually on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons or evenings before the Recital date. Watch for signs notifying students of Performance Class locations and coaches.

RECITALS

The Music Department schedules two formal student recitals per academic year, one in the Fall semester, and one in the Spring. Participation must be approved by the instructor and is restricted to students who perform successfully in the Performance Class. Students must sign up for participation in the Recital during their Performance Class. The absolute deadline for signing up for the Student Recital is the last Performance Class.

Performance need not be limited to solo endeavors. Cooperative efforts are also welcome. Students are encouraged to explore the possibilities with their instructors.

Note: Simple courtesy requires, and it is the Music Department's policy, that students who perform in the Recital be in attendance for the entire Recital. Exemption from this policy must be approved by the Chairman.

INSTRUCTOR EVALUATIONS

Students are strongly urged to submit written evaluations of their instructors at the end of each semester. This is most important to the Music Department, which, to a large extent, must rely on students' assessments of their instructors' effectiveness to ensure the integrity of the lessons program. Forms will be made available by the Coordinator and should be returned to her. Student comments on these evaluations are anonymous. Any direct discussion that may take place between a student and the Coordinator or a student and a Music faculty member about instructors in the Lessons Program will be held in the strictest confidence.