Trial Lessons
Every new student starts with a free, 1-hour trial lesson. This is an opportunity for us to get to know one another! If you or your child is a beginner, we will spend most of this hour away from the instrument. For students with some experience, please come prepared with some polished pieces, some works in progress, and some thoughts on where you would like help in improving your playing.
Pricing
Lessons are $50 for 30 minutes or $100 for one hour. Payment is due at the beginning of the month for that month’s lessons. Invoices are sent via email and payment is handled via credit card. Refunds are not available for partial months of lessons, unless I as the teacher am not able to complete the lessons. I will accomodate rescheduling of lessons as best I can, but availability is not guaranteed. To be eligible for a make-up lesson, I require notice 24 hours in advance of the lesson that the student will not be able to make it.
Monthly Pricing for 30 minute lessons
- 1 lesson per week - $200
- 2 lessons per week - $400 (usually only for the first month of instruction on the instrument)
Monthly Pricing for 1-hour lessons
- 1 lesson per week - $400
Lesson Lengths
30-minute lessons are for beginners with less than one year’s experience and children who are not yet old enough to maintain focus for the full hour. I recommend that beginners have two lessons per week for the first month to get started off on the right foot. Early cello technique can be challenging!
Schedule and Lesson Policies
Lessons start and end on time. All lessons are held on weekdays in the late afternoon, Pacific Time. I hold space for one make-up lesson per week on Saturdays most weeks of the month should a student need to reschedule.
Location
I have a preference for teaching in-person in my home where possible, but I also offer video lessons for students who live too far away to meet in person. If anyone involved in the lesson has a mild illness and still wants a lesson, we can change a lesson to video as well. There is no price difference between video lessons and in-person lessons. I believe that the best, highest-quality instruction happens in person, and center my teaching around these in-person interactions. My home is in Daly City between US 101 and 280. There is ample parking, but it is not convenient to public transit. I’ll share the exact address in advance of our trial lesson!
Practice Policy
Practice is required between lessons on most days of the week. I do not set or enforce specific expectations around how long students should practice. Instead, I assign specific practice tasks to be accomplished before the next lessons. Students are responsible for dedicating enough time to meet their goals and complete their assignments.
Parental Attendance
Parents, I wouild love for you to sit in on your child’s lessons! My father attended most of my lessons with my first teacher, and it brought us closer together. As I am unable to provide childcare before and after lessons and there are no businesses around my home, I require parents to attend lessons until your child is old enough to be on the street without supervision. We have a comfortable couch for you to rest on during lessons and hot water for tea. If you would like to bring a book to read or a notebook to write in during lessons, that would be welcome, but please no laptops, smartphones, or tablets. Cello lessons are a technology-free zone. Any questions you have or feedback you’d like to provide on the lessons is welcome - let’s chat at the end of the session!