Anderson Music Academy Policies and FAQs for Private Lessons

Effective 1/1/25-12/31/25

 

How do I sign up for weekly lessons? 

• All registrations will be made from our website. www.AndersonMusicAcademy.com.

• Flat rate monthly tuition varies based on the teacher and length of lessons. The amount is listed for each service.

• If you prefer to come in and meet a teacher before signing up, please choose a free 15-minute “Meet the Teacher” appointment (beginners) or a 30-minute trial lesson at a discounted rate of $25 (intermediate-advanced).

• A $45 annual administrative fee will be charged to each family after registering for lessons.

• If your first month of lessons is a partial month, we will prorate the first tuition payment.

• You may email us at info@andersonmsuciacademy.com (recommended) or call the office at 724-299-3752 during business hours with questions. 

 

What do I need to know about tuition?

• At AMA, lessons are subscription-based, ensuring a reserved weekly time for you. We do not typically offer individual lessons (except in certain special circumstances), and our billing is not based on individual lessons. 

• The tuition is a fixed monthly rate, regardless of how many lessons you receive each month. Most months will have four lessons. However, some months may have five lessons depending on the calendar, and others may have less than four depending on school closures or teacher time off. 

• The monthly tuition is calculated based on the studio offering 46 lessons per year. (45 lessons per year for students of Scott Anderson)

• Tuition will be automatically charged on the 1st of each month via the payment method on file. No cash or check payments will be accepted.

• Any payments made after the 5th of the month will incur a $25 late fee.

• Failure to make payments by the 15th of the month will result in the termination of your subscription, and your lesson time will be released. The full month’s tuition will still be due.

 

Cancellation of lesson subscription

• To cancel your subscription, please email Sarah Anderson at Sarah@AndersonMusicAcademy.com by the 15th of the month to avoid tuition charges for the following month. If the email arrives after the 15th, you will still owe tuition for the following month. 

 

Tuition Rates

Private lesson tuition rates based on 46 lessons per year.

• 30-minute weekly $140/mth
• 45-minute weekly $210/mth
• 60-minute weekly $280/mth

Elite Guitar with Ian Arthurs rates based on 46 lesson per year:

• 45-minute weekly $220/mth
• 60-minute weekly $295/mth

Elite Lessons with Scott Anderson (Piano, Composition, Recording, Jazz, College Prep or Custom) based on 45 lessons per year:

• 45-minute weekly $235/mth
• 60-minute weekly $310/mth

 

What happens if I need to miss a lesson? 

ONLINE LESSON OPTION

• You can have a virtual session if you cannot attend the lesson in person. 
• To switch to an online lesson, please contact your teacher via COMMENTS in your account so they know to look for you online. Many teachers prefer FaceTime, please include a phone number if that platform works for you.
• To use Zoom instead, navigate to your lesson in your account and click the Join Online button, which will appear an hour before the lesson and will be usable 15 minutes before. Your teacher will find you in their Zoom waiting room at the start of the lesson. 

LESSONMATE OPTION

• If you must miss a lesson and can’t do it virtually, cancel it in your account and select the LessonMate option. 
• Your teacher will utilize the missed lesson time to prepare and share a personalized, comprehensive video lesson via email. 
• The initial LessonMate email link will prompt you to set up a free account with LessonMate. Subsequent videos can be accessed simply by clicking a link. You can log into your account anytime to view a record of all sent videos. 

What happens if my teacher needs to miss a lesson? 

• Anderson Music Academy tuition is based on 46 lessons per year. That means that the teachers may take time off for illness or vacation in addition to our scheduled closures.
• If a teacher exceeds their allotted time off and cannot attend a scheduled lesson, we will make every effort to arrange for a qualified substitute. 
• If a suitable substitute is unavailable, we will issue a makeup credit. The teacher or substitute will then provide options for scheduling makeup lessons. 
• You can request a LessonMate if you prefer not to schedule a makeup.

Please note that refunds or tuition credits will not be provided under these circumstances.

 

Do you offer any performance opportunities? 

Yes, we do! And we think they are very important to any musical education. 

We offer spring and winter recitals, which are held at Peters Creek Church in McMurray, PA. All students are encouraged to perform. 

We also offer periodic monthly mini-recitals: smaller, teacher-invited recitals held in our studio at AMA. 

We also offer students the opportunity to perform at various community events, such as the Harvest Picnic at Gilfillan Farm.

 

How will you communicate with me regarding updates, recitals, etc?

We will most often use email to reach out with any important information. You will also receive a text for any last minute updates. 

When will AMA be closed for lessons? 

Closure Dates for 2025:

• Winter Break: Wednesday, January 1 – Friday, January 3

• Spring Break: Tuesday, April 15 – Monday, April 21

• Recital Day: Saturday, May 17 (pending)

• Memorial Day: Monday, May 26 – Tuesday, May 27

• Independence Day: Friday, July 4

• Labor Day: Monday, September 1

• Thanksgiving Break: Wednesday, November 26 – Friday, November 28

• Recital Day: Saturday, December 13 (pending)

• Winter Break: Tuesday, December 23 – Wednesday, December 31

 

What happens if lessons are canceled for an emergency or bad weather?

We always strive to maintain scheduled lessons. However, in the event of an emergency or inclement weather, we plan to conduct lessons virtually. If this is not feasible, your teacher will send a LessonMate video during your missed lesson time or as soon as they’re able. Updates will be communicated through email, text messages, and posted on our Facebook page.

 

What safety measures do you have in place for your students? 

• To ensure teacher and student safety, our door requires a code to gain access to the building. All teachers undergo background checks and have child abuse clearances on record. Additionally, glass doors have been installed in all teaching rooms. Parents are always invited to sit in the room during lessons if preferred. 
• AMA Terms of Service state that photos and videos may be utilized for promotional or performance sharing. 
• We ask that parents in the waiting area kindly supervise children and maintain a low volume to prevent disruption during lessons.

 

I have a question that isn’t answered here, who can I talk to about it? 

• If you have a teacher question, such as curriculum or repertoire, please schedule a Meet the Teacher or Trial/Evaluation to discuss if you’re new to AMA.  Otherwise, just ask your teacher at the beginning of the lesson. You can also reach out to Scott Anderson via email at Scott@AndersonMusicAcademy.com
• If you have a question regarding scheduling or another matter, please reach out to Sarah anytime via email (preferred), Sarah@AndersonMusicAcademy.com, or you can call or text our number, 724-299-3572.

 

Before attending their first lesson, every family must accept these policies via the terms and conditions email.