Frequently Asked Questions

At many schools, 30-minute small group lessons are given during regular school hours (There are schools that offer classes after school hours. If classes are after school, classes are generally at the same time each week). The lesson schedule is set up on a rotating basis. This means that up to 10, 30-minute sessions are available for use in this rotation. Students will not be asked to come at any given time more than once every 8-10 weeks. Statistically, this style program has been proven to work well, as no undue impact is made on the student for anyone’s academic period.

SELF DISCIPLINE AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

This also helps build a sense of self-discipline and personal responsibility. Students are required to understand that they are responsible for getting information missed while they were at music class. In general, teachers are helpful in guiding students in keeping up, and there is no unnecessary stress placed upon the student. In a case where there is a particular session that the student is absolutely unable to be out of class, a makeup session can be scheduled for the music class missed – simply communicate with Mr. Kelly and he will be happy to accommodate these individual needs.

(Please use this link to check your school’s class options – Daytime / After school / combination)

Every effort will be made to accommodate changes for individual academic concerns – this may require a makeup session outside of school time. Possibly online, or during recess, or may require adjusting the student’s individual schedule to avoid a particular class that is difficult to miss. The overall approach will be that involvement in music education is an important part of the educational life of a child, and all efforts will be made to assist in helping a student continue as necessary.

An initial schedule will be posted on our MyMusicStaff site. Parents will have access to this as well. Schedules will also be posted in each classroom with times and instrument groupings. This will not include individual student names because this schedule is considered to cover part of the initial enrollment period. After this initial period is finished (usually 2 weeks), a new schedule will be posted on this site, in each classroom, and given to each student. This schedule will include class times, dates, and names of participants. There will be at least 10 class sessions included on this page. When this schedule is finished, a new one will be posted and issued to each student.

Small group classes for 1 student is 9 payments of $74. There is a prepayment discount $595.

In addition, a second student will receive a 25% Discount  – 9 payments of $130 or a prepayment of $995. The 3rd student will receive a 50% discount – 9 payments of $166 or a prepayment of $1200. The 4th student is free.

Online Private Classes are $30 each, per student.

Tuition at these schools does not allow for the addition of a program of this nature, so they contract with organizations such as Fundamental Music to offer classes as an optional service.

The tuition for lessons are for Teaching services only. Students will need an instrument, lesson book and in many cases, a music stand.  The lesson book and performance music is $20 (which is listed on the enrollment form – the book will be delivered to school)

Instruments are available using our Instrument Purchase Program. You will own your instrument in under a year with no finance or interest costs.

Depending on the instrument, payments range from $25 to $38. After the 4th payment, there is an option to return the instrument (should you decide to stop playing). Details are on the Policy and Agreement page when you enroll.

These instruments will be delivered to school or your home.

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You can also use any reputable service in your area.

There will be a minimum of 28 lessons offered throughout the year. Adjustments in the schedule are made to make up for school closings due to snow and teacher absence. Even though these events will come up from time to time, there will still be 28 or more lessons given at each school or Online.

In more than 40 years of music instruction and scheduling, there has never been a year where this goal has not been met or surpassed. Even during the pandemic, we offered classes to surpass our minimum goal.

There will also be at least 2 performances given each year, with the opportunity for more, which may include assembly programs, school masses, and field trips to various music festivals or special performances at larger venues.

There are 2 types of lessons so there are 2  policies:

ONLINE PRIVATE LESSONS: We ask parents to provide 24 hours notice before canceling a lesson. Students will be given a makeup credit when we receive proper notice. Makeup credits lower the next invoice or allow students to have their class another time. Without notice, lessons will not be credited because the teacher will need to be paid.

GROUP LESSONS: Please check the individual school lesson schedules which often provide makeup options either during recess or at a posted time. Makeup classes can also be scheduled online (which require a nominal fee because this makeup class will be a private class).

Tuition is based on a minimum of 30 lessons that will be available at school.

• We have never missed this mark (or prorated mark for programs beginning later than mid September / early October).
• Our tuition rate is based on small group classes covering these 30 sessions.  Should we become unable to meet our minimum lesson goal, a prorated refund will be given.
• Our lesson goal is not based on lessons attended but rather on lessons provided at school.
• The program is not funded by schools in any way and program costs come from participating families.

Tuition payments are divided equally among the year in order to keep rates low and record keeping consistent. This is not a “per class” rate rather a program rate. Discount is given for full payment in advance (please see our enrollment form to obtain the discount)

To withdraw from the program, FMI policy requires notice from a parent. This notice must be given directly to Mr. Kelly. This must come from a parent. Classes can not be canceled by a student.

Yes (and no). Refunds for the discounted single tuition payment may be given up to February 15. The amount calculated in the refund is based on the $15 weekly rate for any unused tuition. After the 4h payment – the installment Tuition plan will simply stop once Mr. Kelly has been informed of your desire to stop. Please Note: this notification must be given via email directly to Mr. Kelly and can not be given by word of mouth via the student to their teacher. Details for this are listed on the Policy and Agreement page when you enroll (Different class structures have different policies)

If you no longer wish to keep an instrument that was ordered, you simply need to return it in “Like New” condition. Repair costs will be applied if needed.

We understand life happens.  If you need any further clarification about any outstanding balances, please visit the parent portal on MyMusicStaff.com to review your account.

Yes. Private classes may be scheduled online anytime.  Instruments offered are: Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, Trombone, Percussion, Drum Set, Guitar, Bass Guitar and Piano. Tuition for individual lessons is $30 per session.

Extracurricular activities are paramount for enhancing a child’s well being.  At FMI, we understand how important it is to keep up with your responsibilities. That is why we offer online lessons to students who need a little more efficiency in their lives.  A technology fee is attached to the overall tuition payments in order to make the teacher’s time and your time more valuable.

While in many ways your online small group or private lesson will be the same as a  traditional in-person lesson, there are many unique advantages to taking music lessons online. Your teacher will prepare an exciting lesson plan that takes advantage of fun music technology and online music. Your teacher will demonstrate new techniques and help you learn new pieces.  They will also share exciting new exercises and pieces to practice for your music classes at home.

Your teacher will also be able to observe your at-home practice set-up and catch any potential problems that may be hindering your technique. This can dramatically improve your home practice and fast-track your progress! For younger children, a parent can sit in on the online music classes at home so that your teacher can demonstrate fun activities that you and your child can repeat every day. This can be especially beneficial for students under the age of 7 and is a great way to bond as a family.

The main advantage of working with a live instructor in your online lessons is that your teacher can give you feedback at the moment about what you can do to get better faster. Your lessons will be personal and tailored to you or your child’s individual learning style. Your music is also selected specifically for you!  Over the course of 40 years, we have crafted a curriculum that is unlike any other and is specifically designed to be adapted to each individual student.

We use Zoom for all of our music lessons online (Teachers may be flexible in their platform use) Once you sign up for music lessons online, you will be sent a secure Zoom link to your teacher’s virtual classroom. At the time of your lesson, you can simply click on your link and connect using the Zoom app. Your teacher will be waiting for you and ready to start your online music lesson! Our administrative staff is available to walk you through every step of the process and ensure you have the best lesson experience for online music classes at home.

Students ages 6 to adult can get hands-on experience with their instrument right away. If you do not already have an instrument at home we can work with you to arrange delivery of an instrument at a reasonable rate. Students can expect to learn about beat, rhythm,  melody, and pitch. Students will also learn how to play fun songs and games on their instruments.

For the best results, we recommend that you download the Zoom app onto your computer, tablet, or phone. The app is completely free and easy to install. If you are using a laptop or a desktop computer you can run  Zoom on your internet browser without downloading the app.

When you enroll, you will be given access to our Instrument Purchase Program. These are high quality instruments that will be delivered to your home. Instruments can be fully owned in a year or less (with return option). Details on our enrollment page or Online Store Page.

If you would like to take a class in which your teacher will demonstrate and answer questions, you are invited to do so.

https://fundamentalmusicinstruction.com/rental-instruction-page/

Yes!  Our instructors have collaborated to create a one-of-a-kind online curriculum that works for all ages and learning styles. We have had many successful online lessons with children as young as 6 years old! Online music lessons are fun, interactive, and grounded in the principles of early childhood education. And because lessons are further customized based on the individual learner, we believe we provide something valuable for every child.

We are happy to help you schedule additional lessons! We know it can be tough to keep children engaged in productive activities while stuck at home, and music-making is an excellent way to boost spirits. Additional online music lessons for adults can also be an excellent creative outlet during the quarantine. Please use our convenient online form to schedule additional sessions.

Just like with regular in-person lessons parents are always welcome to sit in on their child’s music lessons online, however, it is not necessary. For children under the age of seven, we encourage parents to be present for at least the first couple of lessons to help facilitate the lesson. Every child is unique so we encourage you to discuss the appropriate amount of parent involvement for your child with your instructor.