Why isn't tuition reduced for months that only have 2 or 3 lessons? 

Piano by DESign bills tuition monthly, which means tuition remains the same each month regardless of how many lessons the student receives that month. For the months that have 5 weeks of lessons, tuition will not increase, and for the months that have 2 or 3 weeks of lessons, tuition will not be reduced. This enables parents to budget consistently for piano lessons, and reduces confusion regarding fluctuating tuition payments.

How is tuition calculated?

The formula for determining tuition is as follows: Weekly lesson rate x Total number of lessons for the entire school year (September - May)/9 months (September-May) = Monthly Tuition Rate.

What happens if my child is sick and can't come to lessons?
Piano by DESign maintains a full schedule; therefore make-up lessons cannot be offered. However, illnesses and other family emergencies are unavoidable, and school activities can create unforeseeable scheduling conflicts. Piano by DESign offers multiple options for those occasions when students must miss lessons: 

  • Swap List:
    Every family has the option to participate in the swap list. Contact information for all participants will be provided within a few weeks of the beginning of the semester. If your student cannot attend their regularly scheduled lesson time, you can contact a member of the swap list to exchange lesson times. Please notify Piano by DESign if a swap is arranged so that lesson materials can be prepared appropriately. 
  • Online or Virtual Lesson:
    Students also have the option to have a virtual or online lesson rather than an in-person lesson. Piano by DESign uses a platform called Forte for virtual lessons. Every student will receive an invitation to register for Forte. Online lessons will be given at the regularly scheduled lesson time. 
  • Recorded Lesson:
    Recorded lessons work especially well for pre-planned absences due to being out of town, school activities, or medical appointments. The student will provide a video recording of their assigned repertoire using a video sharing platform such as WhatsApp, Marco Polo, or YouTube. Feedback and updated assignments will be provided within 24 hours of receipt of the videos.

What happens if the teacher cancels lessons?
If it is necessary for me to cancel lessons, I will credit your account for the amount of the missed lesson. That credit can be applied to future tuition payments, registration fees (including festival and/or recital registration fees), books, or any other outstanding balance.

How many recitals are there, and are students required to participate? 
Piano by DESign offers two studio recitals per year: a Christmas & Holiday Recital in December, and a themed Spring Recital in May. While participation is always optional, student participation is highly encouraged. At Piano by DESign, we believe that music is a gift to be shared, and that student achievement and progress should be celebrated! To that end, recitals are designed as fun, entertaining celebrations of our students and their musical talents! We strive for 100% participation in recitals, and students often comment that recitals are the highlights of their year!

In addition, Piano by DESign students are also encouraged to participate in recitals offered through two local music teacher's associations, the Plano Music Teacher's Association (PMTA) and the North Texas Music Teacher's Association (NTMTA). These organizations offer several additional recitals, often organized around a specific theme or genre of music: 

  • Halloween Recital (PMTA) - late October
  • Holiday Recital (NTMTA) - early to mid-December
  • All-Boy & All-Girl Recitals (PMTA) - mid- to late-January
  • Pop & Jazz Recital (NTMTA) - early February
  • Pop & Jazz/Duet & Ensemble Recitals(PMTA) - late March
  • Honors Recital (NTMTA) - early May

PMTA Recitals are held at Steinway Piano Gallery in Plano. Participation requires a $5 registration fee and is limited to 10 students per studio. 

NTMTA Recitals are held at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in McKinney. Participation is free and open to all interested students within a studio. 

(NOTE: for the 2023-2024 school year, NTMTA recitals will be held at Community North Baptist Church in McKinney)

What are festivals? Are students required to participate?
Festivals are adjudicated events hosted by a local music teacher's association. Piano by DESign students are eligible to participate in both the Plano Music Teacher's Association (PMTA) and North Texas Music Teacher's Association (NTMTA) festivals. Festivals are offered several times each year and allow students to explore different styles and genres of music.

NTMTA FESTIVALS
Fall Festival (late October): open to any repertoire the student chooses
Sacred & International/Folk Festivals (late February/early March): students may choose to perform either an arrangement of a sacred piece (including hymns and praise/worship songs) OR a folk melody or music from other countries and cultures
Spring Festival (late April): open to any repertoire the student chooses

PMTA FESTIVALS
American Festival (mid-November): held concurrently with the Fall Festival; students perform an original composition by an American-born composer, or a composer who became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
Fall Festival (mid-November): held concurrently with the American Festival; repertoire is selected from a specific classical era: Baroque, Classical/Rococo, Romantic, or Contemporary. No arrangements are permitted; only original compositions are accepted.
Broadway/Movie/Pop/Jazz Festival (mid- to late-January): students perform a piece from any Broadway musical, movie, or TV show, or a pop or jazz piece. Arrangements are permitted, but must be published and not a student's own composition.
Sonatina Festival (late March/early April): students perform ONE movement from any piece titled "Sonata" or "Sonatina"

Festival selections are required to be performed from memory. Students perform independently before a judge, who provides constructive feedback and a rating for the student's performance. Ratings range from Superior Plus (I+) to Fair (IV) and each rating is assigned a point value, which can be accumulated toward trophies. Trophies are awarded for each individual festival; i.e., a student may earn a trophy for the American Festival, Fall Festival, and/or Sonatina Festival. Festivals require advance registration and participants are assessed a separate registration fee.

PMTA festivals are held at Collin College, Spring Creek Campus in Plano. NTMTA Festivals are held at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in McKinney.
(NOTE: for the 2023-2024 school year, NTMTA festivals will be held at Community North Baptist Church.)

While participation is not mandatory, students are encouraged to participate in at least one festival per year.