Music Lesson FAQ

How old does my child have to be to start taking music lessons?

For younger beginner students aged 4-7, we highly recommend starting with our group piano class Keynotes. For more information on our Keynotes program, click here: https://sparkschoolofmusic.opus1.io/w/keynotes

For private lessons, we have a variety of options available for students aged 5 and above, including piano, violin, viola, and ukulele. However, for students aged 5-6, we suggest starting with a trial first to determine if private lessons are the right fit for them.

For students aged 7 and above, we offer a broader range of instruments such as guitar, bass guitar, drums, and voice lessons. If your child doesn’t have a specific instrument preference, we always recommend starting with piano first to establish a solid musical foundation.

Do you offer adult lessons?

Absolutely! We warmly welcome adult students of all skill levels to our music program! Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player, we provide customized lessons to specifically meet your individual needs and goals. 

What is the billing process? 

Your initial tuition payment and registration fee will be billed the date you enroll to hold your spot. After that, tuition is billed at the 1st of every month by automatic credit card charge. Monthly tuition is based on a 48 week year, so in the long months you will get five lessons, in the short months such as November and December, you will get three, and in most months you will get four lessons. The tuition remains the same each month; i.e we don’t charge you more when you have five lessons, and we don’t charge you less when you have three. Books and other products may be required for your lessons or class. These items are not a part of our monthly tuition therefore you may be charged additionally for products and/or books purchased through the school.

What do I need to do if I have to cancel my weekly lesson? 

If you need to cancel your lesson, you can visit the student portal here: sparkschoolofmusic.opus1.io/login

For private lessons: Cancellations that are made with a 24 hour notice or more will be issued a make up credit that you can schedule on the student portal. Each student is provided with 5 make up credits each year. If a cancellation is made with less than a 24 hour notice, it will be considered a late cancel and no make ups will be given. No refunds will be issued for any student canceled lessons. 

For group classes: No make ups are given are given for group classes

For more information about our cancellation policies, click here: click here to watch a video on how to review Terms and Conditions in Opus1

How do I pause lessons? 

If you need to take a break from lessons, we ask for a one month’s notice. All you have to do is notify the front desk staff by the 7th of the month prior to the month you’d like to take a break (i.e notify us by December 7th to be done by January 1st) so we can send you a withdrawal form. Once that form is completed we can process your withdrawal. 

What lesson books do you use?

For piano lessons, we work through the Piano Adventures books. For any of our music lessons, your instructor will recommend book(s) to purchase at the studio at your first lesson based on the student’s skill level and interests. 

Do you provide instrument rentals? 

Yes we do! We offer instrument rentals for keyboards, guitars, and ukulele.

How much practice time should we dedicate each week? 

Instructors typically recommend beginners start out with at least 30 minutes a week of practice outside of lessons, and then working your way up to practicing every day. However, every student is different and to help make practice fun, we give everyone a practice journal so they can log their practice time at home. For the time logged, students can earn tokens that they can trade in for prizes. 

What instrument(s) do you recommend?

For keyboard recommendations, click here 

For guitar recommendations, click here

For ukulele recommendations, click here

For drum recommendations, click here

Do you have recitals or performances?

Yes we do! For music students, we have two big recitals every year (typically one in the winter, and one in late spring). We also offer smaller performance opportunities throughout the year as well.

Do I need to stay for my child’s lesson? 

For children under the age of 5, we ask parents to remain in the lobby for their child’s lesson. Otherwise, you are welcome to drop off your child and return a few minutes before their lesson is done! If you would like to sit in on your child’s music class, we always have an open door policy and you are free to sit in at any time. 

What happens if our instructor is unavailable/ill for our weekly lesson? 

If your instructor is not able to teach, the school will arrange to find a substitute. If a substitute is not available, we will arrange to make up your lesson at a later date when it is convenient for you.