Our Studio Policy
Welcome to Hilberts Music Tuition! We’re thrilled you’ve chosen to take your musical journey with us. These policies aren’t here to be strict—they’re here to make sure your lessons run smoothly, your learning is productive, and that you enjoy every step of the process.
# Enrolment & Lesson Placement:
Your enrolment reserves a weekly lesson time just for you for the entire year. Your teacher will be ready to teach you at that time each week—prepared to make learning music enjoyable and rewarding. Unsure when lessons are on? Our current term dates are always available at: hilbertsmusic.com (on the 'Diary' tab)
# Fees & Payments:
Lesson fees are due at each lesson or in advance. Full-term payments receive a 10%+ discount—think of it as a free lesson every term for staying organized! Late payments may lose discounts and may incur an admin fee for the extra time it takes us to send out reminders.
# Lesson Length:
Please choose the lesson length that suits your current level. If you’re keen to move faster and cover more material (for example, working through two grade levels in a year), adding an extra 15 minutes each week allows us to cover everything thoroughly while keeping lessons motivating, enjoyable, and productive. Longer lessons also come with an extra discount, supporting both progress and your budget!
# Public Holidays:
Lessons usually run as scheduled on public holidays, but let us know a week ahead if you have a commitment—we’ll find an alternative time in the same week.
# Lesson Absences:
Wondering what to do if you get sick, have a commitment clash, or are going on holidays during term time? Well, your lesson time is still reserved just for you, as we promised, so all lessons must be paid for whether you attend or not.
But here are some options so you don’t necessarily have to miss out:
- Take an online or phone lesson at your usual time (great for minor illness or unexpected conflicts).
- Send recordings for feedback—your teacher will review them as if you were in the lesson and provide guidance for your practice.
- Swap your lesson with another student using our 'Swap List' or 'Vacant Lesson' list.
--> To take advantage of these options please give one week’s prior notice.
But if none of these options work, we’ll still use the time just for you, planning and prepping your music materials for future lessons.
# Teacher Absence:
Occasionally your teacher may be away for professional development, competitions, or other commitments. Lessons will either be conducted online at your normal time or rescheduled to a mutually convenient time.
# Music & Copyright:
We love to freely hand out studio-licensed and copyright-free music whenever possible. But for music which is currently within the copyright period (composed in the last 70+ years) all students must have original music—no photocopying allowed as living composers need to eat (and the copyright police are scary!) Budget around $90–$120/year so you can buy real music books when needed.
# Practice Recommendations:
Practice is the secret sauce that turns ‘oops’ into ‘wow!’ Suggested times below, will help you flourish and have fun gaining new skills!
- Beginners: 5 minutes per day to build a new positive habit
- Elementary - Preliminary–Grade 2): 10–20 minutes per day
- Intermediate - Grades 3–5): 20–40 minutes per day
- Advancing - Grades 6–8): 60–90 minutes per day
- Performance Certificate & Diplomas: 1.5 to 3 hours per day
Need help making practice more engaging & effective? Just ask—we have lots of ideas to help you get the most from your practice time at home.
# At-home Instrument:
For piano students, an in-tune piano is essential. Acoustic pianos are ideal, but a hammer-weighted digital piano is fine up to Grade 1. Spring-loaded keyboards may have cute sounds and be fun to muck around with, but they're just not suitable for making any real progress. Annual tuning is recommended for accoustic pianos. Advancing students may need to upgrade to a better piano that supports the tone, touch and technique that we teach!
# Studio Photos & Achievements:
We love celebrating achievements! Photos or videos may appear in newsletters, on the website, or in recordings—but surnames are never included. If you prefer to opt out, please let us know on your enrolment form.
# Communications:
Contact us in-person, by phone, email, or text. (No voicemail or social media messages as they are not monitored.) Questions? Call or text Anne: 0402 824 353.
# Discontinuing Lessons:
We ask for four weeks’ notice if you decide to discontinue lessons so your spot can be offered to a new student. Less notice may incur a four-lesson fee. Mid-term cancellations will void any term discounts. Refunds must be requested in writing within 14 days of the last lesson attended and incur a small admin fee to cover the teacher's extra admin time.
Final Note
Learning music is amazing for the brain and the soul (and for making metronomes important household items!). These policies keep lessons running smoothly, so teachers and students can focus on what matters most: having fun, learning music, and maybe one day playing that concerto.
Thanks for being part of Hilberts Music Tuition!