dear new student,
The beginning of music lessons is an exciting time for the student, their families and for me as your teacher and I want to welcome you into the community of my students.
During our time together, you will learn many new things and discover how music has shaped our world. Through learning music and the cello you improve your mind, body and spirit. You will increase your co-ordination; strengthen your left-to right brain function, small muscle flexibility, dexterity and general posture. Through studying music you will learn about setting up a practice routine that suits you and fits with your life balance and you will notice an improvement in your time management, literacy, numeracy and memory. Music is proven to increase IQ, help with learning and emotional issues, soothes the soul and is a social and engaging activity. You can learn to create and write your own music, improvise and learn to play great composers works on your own, in a group, in cello duets with me or another student and play solo pieces with piano accompaniment. You will be trained in technical exercises, scales and arpeggios relevant to your level and enjoy listening and learning to a wide variety of styles from classical, jazz, folk and modern music. You can be a member of Cello Dreaming Youth or Adult Ensembles, attend regular workshops, group classes, or perform in Cello Student Recitals or Adult Student Coffee Mornings. You can develop your skills and love of music so you too can be a member of a band, a youth orchestra, a community orchestra, or if you work really hard and reach for the stars, a professional musician.
A whole world of music and its many myriad opportunities can open up for you. I look forward to sharing my passion for music and the cello with you. Your participation and involvement in the lessons will go a long way to making our lessons together fun, enjoyable and rewarding.
What you need to take cello lessons:
- Instrument, bow, rosin, dusting cloth or soft cloth to wipe strings after playing
- Rock- stop or spike holder to stop your cello slipping on the floor
- Metal music stand to read your music at home
- Straight-backed level chair – your knees should be just lower than your bottom when seated to play
- Cello lesson notebook
- Music books
- A4 folder for extra photocopies given out during lessons or ensembles
- Spare set of strings in case one breaks
- Metronome and tuner to help with your sense of rhythm and tuning up your instrument at home
It is important to develop positive practice routines. Here are a few tips:
- Daily practice of lesson material is essential and preferable for your musical and technical growth.
- Several short sessions of practice are preferable and better for your body than one long session. Fatigue and lack of concentration set in if too long particularly in young children.
- Schedule practice at different times of the day (early morning, late afternoon, evening).
- Read the cello lesson notebook and review lesson material set for homework every session.
- Keep your session fun and engaging. Challenge yourself to do better every day. If you lose focus, return at a later time after doing a different activity.
- Perform your cello material for your friends and family every week. Listeners can encourage by clapping and with lots of praise. Leave the critiques to lesson time!
- Any questions or stuck on something, write a ‘? ‘ in your music, or write in your cello lesson notebook to review next lesson.
- Create your own practice calendar and stick a sticker on every time you practice. Reward consistent and diligent practice with special treats and praise.
Cello Dreaming aims to provide the best cello lessons possible. We value your time and money and if you are buying and booking cello lessons with Cello Dreaming we request you read the following studio policies and terms & conditions.
Cello Dreaming studio policies and terms & conditions are written to encourage the dedication and commitment of all students, whilst ensuring the provision of the best quality music education for all students taught by Cello Dreaming.
Cello Dreaming operates on a ‘first booked first served’ basis and suggests booking in for private lessons, purchased lesson packages and group classes as soon as possible. Cello Dreaming cannot guarantee availability of lessons or group classes if the student does not contact Cello Dreaming and book well in advance.
Space is limited on group courses and bookings are made on a first-booked, first-served basis. If the recipient is taking private lessons, he/she will be asked to choose from the places available on the timetable. Scheduling of private lessons will depend on available time slots with the teacher Louise King. Scheduling of Term Enrolments takes place no earlier than two weeks before the start of term. Should no suitable places be available on group courses or on the private lesson timetable, the student can take his/her lessons/course at a later date. Booking of Intensive Lessons is subject to teacher availability.
Payment for your account is due by the first lesson of the school term, unless you have an agreed payment plan in place with the ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT (Louise King).
Lesson fees can be spread over weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments via EFT or cash payments. Please request this option upon enrolling in lessons and fill out, sign and return a PAYMENT PLAN agreement form with the ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT (Louise King).
Please add your SURNAME and the INVOICE NUMBER as a reference to your payment. Please do not just write CELLO .
Please request this option upon enrolling in lessons and fill out, sign and return a PAYMENT PLAN agreement form with the ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT. Cash accounts must be paid directly to the TEACHER (Louise King) at the START of every lesson / class. There is no ATM in the area so please bring correct change if possible. ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT cannot guarantee exact change if paying for your lessons by this method.
Failure to pay your account at the start of the lesson, term or class will attract an administrative charge of $25 per outstanding calendar week and will result in your account being referred to a debt collection agency if unresolved. CELLO DREAMING (Louise King) is under no obligation to provide a lesson service if accounts are outstanding and remain unpaid and outstanding.
- Bank payment rejection fees: $5
- Duplicate copies of lesson reports / exam results / duplicate music copies: $5 per copied item
- Outstanding account reminders: $25 per reminder
- Music scholarship letters: $25 per letter
- Character reference letters: $25 per letter
- Reschedule Lesson fee: $15 per lesson rescheduled
- Lesson Retainer fee: $20 per scheduled absence to reserve the enrolled student’s booked lesson time. Students who take extended leave due to holidays or personal reasons and wish to still retain their reserved lesson time will be charged a LESSON RETAINER FEE equivalent of 50% of the scheduled lessons total. If a student is booked in for weekly / fortnightly rotation school term lessons and cancels in accordance with the studio policy (48 hours notice), a lesson retainer fee will still be charged to the student’s account for the scheduled absence.
- Unexcused Absence Fee: $20 fee in addition to the usual cost of the lesson in question.
Cello Dreaming Music Studio Fees are calculated based on Music Teachers Association of Queensland and Australian String Teachers Association recommendations for a professional player / master teacher rate, 25 years experience and professional overseas qualifications. Fees are subject to an annual review and any notice to increase fees will be given in advance.
Music Levy included in the LESSON FEE structure is used to provide a wide range of learning resources, consumable items in the music studio, business and instrument insurance and to support the provision of organising student concerts, recitals, workshops, ensembles, concert trips and general office administration.
Where possible all additional fees and administrative charges have been included in the LESSON FEE structure. However there may be exceptional opportunities to take part in events that may incur additional charges and will be charged on a user pays basis and will need to be paid in full before the activity takes place.
– special community events
– student performances
– music exams
– Accounts are paid in full prior to the first class / ensemble.
– Early Bird Specials for class programs are well advertised and applied to any account when booked and paid in the online shop.
– No refunds or credits for missed classes.
– If a student wishes to withdraw from a booked class program within the first two weeks of term, a prorated credit for private lessons will be issued. No prorated credits applied after the third class.
Tuition, once commenced, will continue until notification in writing of its termination is received. If a student wishes to stop learning with CELLO DREAMING then a written note or email of four weeks notice to that effect is required to terminate lessons. This policy also applies to discontinuation of lessons at the end of a school year.
– Students / parents / guardians must contact via phone call to studio land line on 5445 917 or phone or text to 0415 128 799 (email not accepted) of a lesson cancellation a minimum of 48 hrs notice prior to assigned and scheduled lesson time.
– If at least 48 hrs notices is given, a rescheduled / make-up lesson will be given at the earliest possible date at the teacher’s convenience.
– If a convenient time is not found for either teacher or student, a credit lesson will be assigned for the following term, a rescheduling fee of $15 will be charged to your account plus the $20 lesson retainer fee.
– If less than 48 hrs notice is given, students will be charged for the scheduled lesson irrespective of reason (i.e. sudden illness) and no make-up lesson will be assigned.
– Reschedule Lesson fee: $15 per lesson rescheduled
– Lesson Retainer fee: $20 per scheduled absence to reserve a student’s booked lesson time.
– Students who take extended leave due to holidays or personal reasons and wish to still retain their reserved lesson time will be charged a LESSON RETAINER FEE equivalent of 50% of the scheduled lessons total. If a student is booked in for weekly / fortnightly rotation school term lessons and cancels in accordance with the studio policy (48 hours notice), a lesson retainer fee will be charged to the student’s account for the scheduled absence.
– Unexcused Absence Fee: $20 fee in addition to the usual cost of the lesson in question
There are no exceptions to this policy.
In order for students to receive excellent, quality teaching from a highly regarded professional teacher and performer, Cello Dreaming is not flexible with these attendance policies.
– Please understand students are paying for and reserving a specific lesson time slot.
– Lessons are scheduled and held by the student for the year unless agreed by teacher and student otherwise.
– Please check the diary and pay the account before the first lesson of the term.
– Lessons may be rescheduled with proper due notice. To reschedule your lesson, you must PHONE on 5445 9171 or 0415 128 799 a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your scheduled lesson.
– Cello Dreaming reserves the right to charge a RESCHEDULING FEE and a LESSON RETAINER FEE to a student’s account.
– Students may reschedule no more than one lesson each month otherwise students forfeit that lesson and only if the teacher has a time slot available.
– If students do not show up for a class program or lesson or fail to provide proper advance notice, students automatically forfeit that lesson scheduled.
– Students must provide two weeks notice if going on holiday and plan to miss more than two lessons. A LESSON RETAINER fee per lesson missed will be added to your account.
– Please reschedule your lesson (or work with CELLO DREAMING via skype) if you are ill. Look after yourself, eat well and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to combat colds and flu! CELLO DREAMING reserves the right to turn away ill students and not teach because students have a cold or virus. Students turned away due to illness will forfeit that lesson in question.