Lessons

Fees 2026-2027

Private lessons:

Fees remain the same as in recent years -

$32.00 per 30 min. ($48 for 45 min., $64 for an hour) based on a 34-week teaching year. Lesson books or exam fees are extra.

The annual 34-week total is divided by ten monthly payments and prepaid, either by

recurring pre-authorized bank debits
year's payment in full

If you stop lessons during the year, the exact number you have had will be calculated, and the balance refunded or invoiced to you.

Year's total fees, for 34 teaching weeks:

for 30 minute per week lesson: $1088 (or $108.80 per month for ten months)

for 45 minute per week lesson: $1632 (or $163.20 per month for ten months)

for 60 minute per week lesson: $2176 (or $217.60 per month for ten months)

5-week lesson cards; 30 min $160, 45 min $240, 60 min $320.

To set up recurring direct payments, go to your banking app, choose 'make an e-transfer' and scroll down to the 'how often?' button, where you can select monthly payments and the date, first of the month.

and more info.....

Teaching calendar 2026-2027

Term 1 (14 weeks) ...begins Saturday Sept 12,

Tuesday 15, Wednesday 16, Thursday 17

theory/practical exams: online any time
in-person theory Nov 3 for Dec 11/12
midterm break tba
Christmas recital tba

......ends Thursday Dec 17

Term 2 (10 weeks) .... begins Tuesday Jan 5

online exams any time.
practical exams tba - around Jan 20
Cowichan Music Festival: Feb 16 strings; Feb 22-25 piano.
entries close Tues March 2 for June in-person practical and May theory exams. Online exams any time.

......ends Saturday March 13

III

Term 3 (10 weeks) .....begins Tuesday March 30

theory exams online any time, or in person, Friday May 14
practical exams, Cowichan/Sylvan early June, or online any time EXCEPT June
year-end recital, early June tba
Make up lesson as needed - week of June 8

.......ends Saturday June 5

Supplies you need every week;

3-ring binder (1/2" or 1 ")
music books
carry-bag to keep then together - and dry!

I run a flexible year, so if I offer you extra lessons before a performance, or if I have to cancel, there's no extra cost or refund at that time. If you are away, I don't offer a make-up lesson. At year-end, I'll tally up the lessons you've had this year, and then adjust remaining lessons as needed to make sure you've had 34 lessons.

Practice

Probably the single most important factor in a music student's success and enjoyment is the regularity and quality of practice. All the talent in the world won't help if you don't put in the time and repetitions to get your fingers used to the repeated muscle movements that musicians make. If you're involved in sports or dance, you'll already know that. When you're competent, it's fun - and when you're not - "it's boring!" You can help by -

setting aside a regular time for practising, just like brushing teeth or doing homework. After or before dinner, or school, might work, depending on your family's schedule and your child's temperament. Like any physical skill, it's all about regular repetition.
Listing music practice in the agenda will help school teachers be aware of this extra time commitment, and it might help your child remember to get it done as part of their homework routine.
noticing successes at least as frequently as mistakes. You might want to start a keepsake video file of polished pieces so you can all admire progress - and so can Grandma in Ontario!