University of Wisconsin – Madison
Piano Pioneers Guidelines and Policies

Contacts:
Dr. Jessica Johnson, Associate Professor
of Piano and Piano Pedagogy
5418 Humanities Building
Madison, WI 53706
/ Evan Engelstad, Piano Pioneers Program Coordinator
5418 Humanities Building
Madison, WI 53706

Zijin Yao, Piano Pioneers Program Assistant

Program Policies

  • Piano Pioneers offers 13 lessons each semester, for two consecutive semesters. Students are expected to be part of theprogram for the whole year (September-May). This ensures that each student benefits fully from his/her lessons.
  • All lessons are held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Humanities Building at aconvenient time arranged by the student and his/her teacher.
  • Students can borrow music books through their teacher from the Piano Pioneers Library for a period of 4 months at a time. Music books may also be purchased from a local musicstore recommended by the teacher.
  • Students are encouraged to participate in recitals, group lessons, concerts, and otherspecial events held throughout the year.
  • Continuation in the program depends on the teacher’s end-of-the-semester evaluation of their student’s progress and commitment towards lessons. If at any point the student or parent breaks the agreement they forfeit their priority and consideration to remain in the program. If the student remains in good standing with the program, we will make every effort to ensure their continuation for the following academic year.
  • Teachers are assigned to students depending on experience level and availability. Requests for changing teachers will be considered only if there is an extenuating circumstance. Students already in the program may continue with the same teacher next year.
  • A limited number of practice instruments are available from the Steinway Piano Gallery at no cost. Families are asked to keep the pianos in their home for an entire year (i.e. August to August). If the family, for any reason, has to have the piano moved out before the end of that time period they are responsible for covering the transportation expenses.

Parent and Student Responsibilities

  • Parents are responsible for bringing students at each lesson on time and with all necessary materials, and for picking up students on time.
  • Students are asked to come to each lesson ready to cooperate and work.
  • Each teacher will give practice assignments appropriate for each individual student.

These assignments are designed to help the student progress in his/her study and make

lessons productive and enjoyable. Students and their families are responsible for establishing a practice routine. While each teacher can advise students and parents aboutappropriate amounts of practice time and how to create a positive and distraction-freepractice environment, Piano Pioneers students are expected to set aside a minimum of:

15-20 minutes a day of practice (beginning students)

20-30 minutes a day of practice (students beyond the first year of lessons)

30-45 minutes a day of practice (students beyond the third year of lessons)

  • Piano Pioneers teachers welcome the attendance of parents at private lessons and questions regarding their child’s progress. Please limit discussion of your child’s progress to telephone conversations with the teacher or to scheduled appointments.
  • The Piano Pioneers staff and teachers want to see each student enjoy and succeed inhis/her piano study and will work with each family to meet these goals. Students whoconsistently miss lessons or come unprepared, however, will be asked to discontinue lessons.

Make-up Lesson Policy

When students sign up for lessons, they reserve a place in the program and in theirteacher's schedule. Teachers make a commitment to carefully plan lessons and bethere to teach them each week during the semester. We appreciate the commitmentstudents are making to at-home practice and weekly lessons; we also understand thatunexpected events sometimes make it difficult for students (and teachers) to make it to ascheduled lesson. With all this in mind, the following make-up policy is designed toprovide a cushion for emergency situations, but also ensure continuity in students' pianostudy and fair use of scholarship funding.

1. Each student is allowed one make-up lesson per semester, provided they give theirteacher 24-hour notice of the anticipated absence.

2. Make-up lessons will be arranged if a teacher is sick or otherwise unable to teach a scheduled lesson.

3. No make-up lessons will be given for student no-shows, and the student will beresponsible for

paying the full cost of that lesson ($15.00)

  1. If a student is late for a lesson, the missed time will not be made up.
  2. No refunds will be given for missed lessons.
  3. In the event that a lesson has to be cancelled because of inclement weather, the lesson must be made up.

Payment Information

In order to fairly distribute scholarship funds, Piano Pioneers students will be eligible forone of two scholarship levels (based on family income) during the 2014-2015 programyear:

Family’s Annual Household Income Scholarship per 30-Minute Lesson

$0-$35,000 (one or more students participating) / Eligible for $10.00 scholarship
$35,000-$65,000 (one or more students participating) / Eligible for $5.00 scholarship
Over $65,000 / Ineligible for scholarship

Requests for additional scholarship funding will be considered on an individual basis.

  • A copy of the family’s 2013 income tax return is required with the registration form.
  • Tuition for the Fall semester can either be paid all at oncebySeptember 26thor paid in two equal parts: one by September 26th, 2014, and the other by October 31th, 2014.
  • Tuition for the Spring semester can either be paid all at once by February 13thor paid in two equal parts: one by February 13th, 2015, and the other by March 20th, 2015.
  • If payment is not received by the deadline, lessons will be suspended until payment is received in full. It is up to the discretion of each teacher to make up lessons missed due to late payment.
  • Checks should be made out to UW-Madison School of Music, with Piano Pioneers in the memo and mailed to:

Attn: Evan Engelstad

UW-MadisonSchool of Music,

5418 Mosse Humanities Building

455 N. Park St.

Madison, WI 53706

Academic Calendar

2014-2015

September8Lessons begin

September 26 Full of halftuition payment due

October26Recital, Morphy Hall, 3:30pm

October 31Last day to pay tuition

November 27 - 30Thanksgiving recess

December 7Recital, Morphy Hall, 3:30pm

December 12Last day of lessons

December 13 - January 25Holiday Recess

January 26Lessons begin

February 13Full of halftuition payment due

March 15Recital, Morphy Hall, 3:30pm

March 20Last day to pay tuition

March 28–April 5Spring recess

May 3Recital, Morphy Hall, 3:30pm

May 8Last day of lessons

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