August 2016 Improvements

AUGUST 2016 Policy Improvements

As a small music school, we love the flexibility we have to customize lessons to our students’ needs. Where a larger organization isn’t able to adapt and make changes as easily, we thrive by listening to what our students need. During our 2016 ‘Spring Cleaning’, our staff has made some determinations about improvements we can make to better serve members of the studio We’re excited to adjust and look forward to running a tighter ship than ever before!

Easier Lesson Scheduling

Because you need consistency to grow and improve, we’ve always worked to support a weekly lesson schedule. Beginning in August 2016, we’re proud to offer a guarantee that your lesson time will be available every week with no need to modify for a teacher conflict. Although we work with active performers in the DC music and theatre scene who sometimes need to step away for a public performance or an audition, your primary teacher pledges to be available for at least 10 out of every 12 lessons, and in the event of their absence, your recurring time will always be honored by a comparable visiting teacher. No longer will students be asked to adjust their schedule for the sake of a busy teacher.

Simplified Billing and Included Materials

Further, billing will take on a predictable, recurring structure in August 2016. We know it can be tedious to track fluctuating lesson costs based on where days fall in a month. The requirement to make adjustments for conflicts can be time-consuming and deadlines can be a nuisance. So, we’re simplifying! We’re pleased to introduce a flat rate fee plan. Now, you can plan for not only the same schedule every week, but also the same cost every month. Lesson materials, including method books, will be included, as will two yearly recital fees. Better yet, when a five-week month occurs, you get a bonus lesson for no charge!

New Master Classes Included in Membership

Private lessons cover so many topics– technique, repertoire, performance skills, and so on. You may have had the opportunity to catch a new class series in action this spring– to ensure that our instruction runs the full gamut of skills you need to succeed, we’ve been testing and tweaking a new Master Class series! Launching on a monthly basis in August 2016, Master Classes for every instrument will be offered on the third Friday of each month to help address topics in action that private lessons can only discuss. Performance skills practice with a live studio audience means so much more! Students will have the opportunity to fill in gaps in their skills with active practice, and to watch their peers grapple with similar concerns. Recognizing the universal challenges in performing can be so gratifying and, indeed, freeing.

More Performance Opportunities

From this solid, reliable foundation, students can expect to be well prepared to take advantage of our expanded Performance Opportunities! In addition to the opportunity to perform in Master Classes each month, Cardon Studios will now offer one Student Showcase per quarter– March, June, September, and December.

Students, this is only an introduction to what you can expect; Please review our full policies here. We know change can be hard, but we are confident that these adjustments will allow us to better support you in reaching your goals. Of course, as always, we welcome your input. Please feel free to contact us at info@cardonstudios.com with any questions or comments.

Here’s to a great Summer and an even better Fall!
-Katherine Lanagan, Program Director