Vermont is now under a "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order due to COVID19. This minimizes all non-essential activities outside the home, and music lessons are not considered essential. Although I teach in my students' homes, for now it is my responsibility to stay home and transition all lessons to virtual/online lessons to help keep us all safe and healthy.
What this means for current students
All current students wishing to continue with lessons during this time of transition are encouraged to do so! We can keep your lesson at your regularly-scheduled time, or we may be able to be more flexible since I am now home full-time. Please let me know if you'd like to change your day/time and we'll see what works.
I have copies of most teaching materials at home, but if there's a specific piece we were working on that I do not have, I may ask you to send me a picture/scan of the music so we are both looking at the same thing and I don't increase strain on shipping/delivery personnel with sheet music orders during this time.
I am happy to accommodate both budgetary and scheduling needs at the moment. If reduced lesson frequency works best for you, or you're experiencing financial hardship, please don't hesitate to reach out and I'll work with you to find a solution.
What this means for prospective students
I am accepting new online students! Please contact me if you'd like to use this time to learn a new instrument or brush up on your skills.
I usually offer a complimentary meet and greet prior to starting lessons so I can find your home, ask questions, etc. For now, we'll conduct these virtually, on whichever platform you think you'd like to use for lessons! These will still be complimentary as it'll give us the option to assess whether lessons with me are the right choice for you right now.
If the student is younger than 10 or so and has absolutely no prior musical experience, a parent may need to "sit in" with the lesson to help with hand position, note reading, etc. Students under age 8, regardless of experience level, generally need a parent to sit in/be available during the lesson, especially if we've never met in person and are still getting to know one another. Please keep this in mind when considering days/times that would work best for lessons.
If you're already working with a method book I don't currently have, I may ask you for pictures/scans so I can jump right in and also reduce my strain on shipping and delivery services at this time.
I am happy to accommodate budgetary and scheduling needs at the moment. If you'd like to learn music but are experiencing financial hardship, please note anything you share with me is 100% confidential and I would much rather help people use this time to make music than have cost prevent education. Many of us have been affected by the economic uncertainty already and I do not want finances to stand in the way of music education for anyone, especially in times of stress.
For all students
I teach using Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom. Please let me know which one works best for you!
When/if payment is due, I accept a variety of online services, including Venmo, Paypal, and Square. Please let me know what works best for you. You are also welcome to mail me a check if that's easiest!
Please remember to let me know if you can't make a virtual lesson so I'm not calling and waiting for you.
Important note: I have rural DSL internet and the weather can occasionally make the video blurry, frozen, etc. If this happens please let me know. It's generally more important that I can see and hear you, than you seeing me, but if service is particularly bad at some point, I'm happy for us to pause and pick back up another day at no additional cost.
Virtual lessons are still tailored to each student and my goal is for everyone to have fun while improving their skills. As we continue online we'll keep playing some ear training games, flash cards, etc as technology allows. If you'd like some coloring pages or worksheets I can send recommendations. Playing music should be FUN and if at any time you feel online lessons aren't working for you, please don't hesitate to let me know so we can reassess.
THANK YOU for working with me during this time, and I look forward to joining you on your (online) musical journey!