Tuition and fees

Tuition rates. Fees depend on the duration of the lesson. Current fees are: $75 for 60 min lesson, $65 for 45 min lesson, and $50 for 30 min lesson.
30 min lessons are offered only to young students whose attention span is short. Upper level students (Syllabus level 7 to 10) are required to take 60 mins lessons. Fees are assessed on a monthly basis and are calculated based on the number of lessons in the coming month.

Studio fee. $40 studio fee is assessed each 12 month period and is due in September.

Deposits or initiation fees. None.

Audition and trial lesson. I accept new students based on an audition (contingent on availability of openings). The audition, which also doubles as a trial lesson, is free and does not include any commitment. During the trial lesson, I assess the background and level of the student and answer any questions which the parent(s) or the student may have.

Cost of participation in exams and tests. The fees for exams or competitions are determined by the OMTA or event organizers. In many cases the OMTA requires that teachers collects payment from every student and combines them in one check to OMTA. Some competitions, such as the U.S. Open Music Competition, have systems in place for parents to register their own children and pay fees themselves, directly. The typical cost of participation in a Syllabus exam or in a music competition is between $40 and $80 per event. While I encourage every student to participate in as many competitions as they want, it is up to them and their parents to make the final decisions.

Cost of sheet music. Original books are required for all Syllabus exams and competitions. I do not lend books from my personal library for home use, but I allow students to use them at competitions (especially when several books are required), to minimize the amount of necessary purchases.

Other costs. Students are expected to own or rent an acoustic piano. Acceptable quality upright pianos start from several thousands dollars. In order to help students to prepare for competitive events, I teach on a Steinway & Sons model B grand piano, which has similar response and touch to the Steinway instruments used in concert halls.