Attendance and Make-Up Lessons

Students are expected to attend all scheduled lessons. In the event that you become ill or have to cancel due to extenuating circumstances, I should be notified as soon as possible to schedule a make-up lesson. If you fail to notify me of a cancellation within 24 hours of the scheduled lesson time, a make-up lesson will not be offered, and you will be charged the full payment amount for that lesson.

 

Lesson Accompanist

Like many voice teachers, I am not proficient in piano. So, I will be unable to accompany you in your lessons. You are more than welcome to invite an accompanist to your lesson each week, however, this is not required. Students who choose to invite an accompanist will be responsible for paying his or her rate.

 

Lesson Materials & Expectations

You are expected to bring a three-ring binder, loose-leaf paper, a pencil, and a recording device (smartphones permitted) to each lesson. You should have these materials readily available at the start of each lesson. You are expected to bring a printed copy of your music scores to every lesson. These copies should be stored in your three-ring binder. Additionally, you should provide me with a separate copy of each music score to be used during the lesson.

 

You should plan on arriving at your lesson at least five minutes early. Students arriving at their lessons late will lose the time they miss. For the first few lessons, you should not warm up on your own. However, after several lessons, you will be expected to warm up prior to each lesson from that point on.

 

In the lesson, you will work first on achieving proper vocal technique before focusing on repertoire. As you become more familiar with technical concepts, you will then begin to incorporate the learned technique into your repertoire. You should record each lesson on your recording device to be used for personal practice purposes only. These recordings should not be shared online without my permission. You are expected to mark any singing corrections in your scores during the lesson. Additionally, you should utilize your loose-leaf paper to document all vocal exercises done in each lesson so those exercises can be easily incorporated into your personal practice time.

 

Music Purchases

You are expected to work with me to choose appropriate repertoire for your lessons. As repertoire is chosen, you will need to obtain copies of the scores on your own. You are also expected to provide me with a separate copy of your repertoire. This copy can be printed and submitted in person or turned in as a PDF file via email.

 

Payment

Payment should be submitted on the first day of each month for the number of lessons that are expected to take place during that month. Lesson payment can be made in the form of cash, check, or Venmo. Any payment made by mail should be in the form of a check only. If you have not paid for a lesson prior to its scheduled time, the lesson will not be taught. If you need to request a special payment plan, please contact me.

 

Practice Expectations

You are expected to practice daily in between each lesson time. Daily practice is an integral part of your success. You should use your lesson recordings and voice exercise notes to practice. Appropriate practice activities include vocal exercises relevant to your own needs, accurately marking the pitches and rhythms in repertoire scores, and working and memorizing assigned repertoire with proper vocal technique. Memorization of repertoire should begin immediately after songs are assigned. I may ask for practice journals or recordings at any time to gauge your ability to practice effectively.

 

© Josiah Howlett 2020. Do not use without permission.