STUDIO POLICY
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Mission and Goals
At Dr. Chen Piano Studio, our goal is simple: we want to make learning the piano a fun, rewarding, and truly happy experience. We are here to help every student discover a real love for music, explore their creativity, and build real confidence that lasts a lifetime.
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Our team is deeply dedicated to giving your child the best possible music education. We don't just teach notes—we help our students become confident musicians who can express themselves freely and enjoy all kinds of musical styles. When you join our studio family, you can count on professional, high-quality lessons in a warm and supportive environment where your child can truly thrive and find their own musical voice.
Lesson Structure
We tailor our lesson lengths to fit each student’s age and level, ensuring they stay engaged and excited about learning. For beginners working through their very first lesson book, we recommend a 30-minute weekly lesson. This is the perfect amount of time to build solid foundational habits without overwhelming them. Once a student expands their repertoire and completes their first book, we recommend moving up to a 45-minute lesson. This gives us the extra time needed to dive deeper into advanced technique, musical expression, and music theory.
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A Note on Parent Involvement: For our younger pianists, we highly encourage parents to sit in on the lessons and take notes. Learning the piano is a team effort! Your presence in the lesson not only supports your child but also gives you the tools to help them practice at home throughout the week.
Lesson Prep & Home Practice
Learning the piano is a wonderful team effort, and consistent home practice is where the magic happens! To set your child up for success, they will need an acoustic piano or at least an 88-key weighted digital piano at home. For home practice, we recommend practicing daily (15–30 minutes for beginners, and 30–45+ minutes as they advance). Before the lesson, please help your child arrive on time with all their music books ready to go.
A Note on Parent Involvement: For our early-level pianists, we highly encourage parents to sit in on the lessons and take notes. Your cheering presence during the lesson not only supports your child but also gives you the exact tools you need to help them practice confidently at home.
Tuition & Billing
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We want our billing to be as fair and transparent as possible. Instead of a flat monthly fee, we bill you at the end of each month based on the exact number of lessons your child actually attended. Payment is due by the 3rd of the following month. To keep things running smoothly, a $25 late fee will be applied if payment isn't received by the due date.
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When You Enroll: When you sign up and register for classes, we collect an initial deposit equivalent to 4 lessons. This deposit is safely held separate from your regular monthly tuition.
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Discontinuing Lessons: While many of our students stay with us for years, we completely understand that schedules and priorities change. If you ever need to stop lessons, a 30-day notice is required. Your initial deposit will be applied to your final month of lessons, and any remaining balance will be promptly refunded or adjusted on your final bill.
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Easy Online Payments: You can pay quickly and securely via Zelle (our favorite!), or use a Credit/Debit card and Bank Transfer right through your student portal (processing fee will apply).
Referrals & Share the Music
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We love watching our studio family grow, and the best compliment you can give us is referring a friend! As a huge thank you, whenever you refer a new student who signs up for lessons, we’ll happily gift you one 30-minute lesson credit. We will credit it directly to your student account on your next month's bill.
Cancellations & Makeup Lessons
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We know life with kids gets unpredictable, and our goal is to support your family while respecting our teachers’ tight schedules. To keep things fair and simple, we use a 24-hour window for cancellations:
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24+ Hours' Notice: Let us know at least 24 hours ahead, and there’s no charge! We’ll issue a makeup credit and find a time to catch up based on your teacher's availability.
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Late Cancellations (<24 Hours): If something pops up last minute, the lesson is still billed, but we will still give you a makeup credit so your child doesn't lose the lesson. Just keep in mind these makeups are scheduled in addition to your regular weekly time.
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Last-Minute (<3 Hours) or No-Shows: If you cancel with less than 3 hours' notice, or simply don't show up, the lesson is billed and cannot be made up.
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Emergency Waive: We understand life happens! To support you during true emergencies, up to two late cancellations will be waived every six months (Jan–Jun / Jul–Dec) as a warm courtesy.
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Teacher Cancellations: If your teacher ever needs to cancel, the lesson will always be rescheduled at a mutually convenient time.
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Long-Term Leave: Planning an extended break for summer vacation or travel? Just let us know your exact start and end dates so we can safely hold your spot. Without clear dates, we won't be able to guarantee your specific lesson slot, as we often have a waiting list of eager new students.
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No Makeups for Makeups: Please keep in mind that makeup lessons cannot be rescheduled. If your child misses a scheduled makeup session for any reason, that credit is considered used and a further makeup will not be provided.
Still Have Questions?
Feel free to contact us anytime — we’re happy to help!
Contact
Dr. Chen Piano Studio
1013 Brookside Rd, Suite #100
Allentown, PA, 18106
835-222-1586