Piano2Go Student & Family Handbook
Effective: April 1, 2026
Congratulations on beginning your piano adventure with Piano2Go! We hope your piano studies add an enriching layer to your life experiences. Playing the piano is not only an emotional outlet, but it also sharpens our minds, math skills, and motor skills. Pursuing piano at any age is an excellent investment in your mental health, cerebral faculties, and simply put – it’s fun! To help you succeed with piano, please read over this handbook.
Tuition and Membership Model
Piano2Go operates on a membership-based tuition model. Monthly tuition is a membership fee that reserves your student’s place in the studio and a dedicated weekly lesson time, along with access to studio resources, instructional support, and community events.
Tuition is billed monthly and remains the same regardless of attendance, holidays, or the number of lessons in a given month. Tuition is not payment for individual lessons. Because tuition reserves your student’s place in the studio, no refunds or credits are issued for missed lessons.
Maintaining active tuition guarantees your student’s reserved weekly lesson time. If tuition is paused or discontinued, the reserved time is released.
Billing and Payment
Tuition is processed through automatic monthly billing via our secure online portal.
Auto-pay is processed on the 1st of each month unless otherwise arranged in writing.
If an automated payment fails to go through, we will notify you. If payment does not succeed after three attempts, lessons will be suspended until the account is brought current.
Rates
Rates are published on the Piano2Go rate page and may be periodically reviewed. Any rate change will be provided with one month’s written notice.
Weekly Lesson Schedule and the Student Portal
Each student is assigned a dedicated weekly lesson time. This time is reserved exclusively for your student. Families manage lesson scheduling, cancellations, rescheduling, and enrollment in studio events through the Piano2Go online portal.
Student Expectations
Daily Practice
Piano study is not a once-a-week activity. The study of a musical instrument requires daily and consistent effort in order to train the mind and body in the art of proficient music-making. We recommend aiming for at least 4–5 days per week (minimum). For younger children, consistent enforcement from parents is often needed. Establishing a daily routine is one of the best predictors of success.
The Power of Parental Influence
We are modeling to our children every day. If adults in their lives have a deep love and appreciation for music, they will want to join in the fun. Here are ways to foster a love of music and inspire diligent practice:
- Express interest in hearing their pieces. Sit down and attentively listen at least once a week.
- Praise hard work and celebrate progress.
- Listen to music together: in the car, while cooking, and at home. Attend family-friendly concerts, worship services and musicals when possible.
- If you play instruments or sing, let your children see you joyfully participating in your own musical hobbies.
- Be involved in their practice and read over assignments, assisting as you are able.
How Much Practice?
Daily practice time should generally equal the length of the student’s lesson, though beginners can fare with less time. Many families utilize a timer. Please ask if you are not sure how much time your student should be practicing.
What Should Students Be Practicing?
Lesson notes with updated assignments and instructions are provided after each lesson/class.
We recommend printing lesson notes, hole-punching them, and keeping them in a 3-ring binder.
Students are expected to practice each item listed. Generally speaking, students can expect:
- Written homework: 1–2 pages per week (about 10–20 minutes per week). Please submit theday before your online lesson, or have it completed for in-person lessons.
- Warm-up routine (about 5–10 minutes per day): exercises/scales/chords/arpeggios to build
- Technique and reinforced theory.
- Memory work: memorizing key concepts (e.g., circle of fifths, whole/half step patterns, etc.)
- New songs: typically 2–3 songs practiced daily. Use the “details” guidance to focus on problem areas.
- Memory songs: maintain a memorized repertoire (review 1–2 days per week, more often if memorization is a challenge).
- Creative assignments: composition/improvisation with specific parameters when assigned.
When practicing songs, repetition is expected, using the suggested practice techniques. Racing through a song once or twice is not enough.
Materials and Equipment
Students should obtain the following before starting instruction:
• A piano at home. A teacher-approved acoustic piano or good-quality digital piano. If unsure, email a photo with make/model/year.
• A piano bench (or seating at appropriate height). Seating too low/high can harm posture and technique.
• A music stand (built-in to many instruments; external stand may be needed for some keyboards).
• A metronome (physical metronome or app).
• A pencil jar with sharpened pencils and highlighters for marking music (no pen).
• Lighting suitable for your instrument (stand light for grands; piano lamp for uprights).
• A sturdy 1.5-inch 3-ring binder with 3 divider tabs (practice sheets, sheet music, handouts).
Acoustic pianos are ideal for building strength and tone, but quality digital pianos can be excellent and include benefits like headphones, multiple sounds, rhythm tracks, and recording/playback. Avoid cheap/inferior keyboards for long-term study.
Books
After assessing skill level and musical preferences, we will ask you to order books and materials.
Please order promptly so instruction is not compromised. Books are not included in tuition.
Preparation for Zoom Lesson/Classes/Workshops
Please prepare in advance so we can start right on time:
• Download the Zoom app to your laptop or iPad/tablet before starting lessons.
• Set up your device and charger: place a fully charged laptop/tablet to the side of your piano on a table/stand. Adjust so we can see hands and face. If needed, keep the device charging during the lesson.
• Do not use a cell phone for Zoom lessons (screen is too small). Do not place the device on the piano.
• Enable “Original Sound for Musicians” in Zoom (we will coach you through this). You must enable this at each lesson.
• If you are using an iPad, Macbook or other Apple product, please disable center stage. Consult Apple help or the internet for instructions or ask your teacher for assistance.
• Use the lesson link from your reminder email; the meeting password will be included there.
• Gather music books and sheet music before the lesson.
• Trim nails very short.• Have a sharpened pencil ready (no pen in books).
• Have your metronome ready on or near the piano.
• Choose a quiet, distraction-free room. Others in the home should help maintain a peaceful atmosphere during lessons.
Piano Maintenance
Just as a car must be maintained, the student’s piano should be tuned and checked for mechanical problems every six months. An in-tune piano is more enjoyable to play and listen to, and it inspires more practice. If a digital piano is not working, it should be repaired promptly so lessons can continue. Referrals are available upon request.
Piano Parties (Monthly)
Piano parties are offered once per month and are open to all students in good standing at no additional cost. These fun gatherings give students an opportunity to play for peers (simulating a recital environment), observe others, and build confidence. Piano parties may include games, music theory, trivia, and other musical activities. Piano parties for adults and children will be announced in advance, and registration is handled in the student portal.
Attendance, Rescheduling, and Makeup Options
Because lessons are typically once per week, consistent attendance is important. Frequent cancellations slow progress. Please prioritize lesson time, schedule other appointments at other times when possible, and consider lesson time before committing to conflicting events. Permanent time changes should be requested infrequently (no more than twice per year is ideal).
Piano2Go’s membership model is designed to reduce administrative burden while providing families with flexibility. Instead of refunds, we offer multiple ways to stay on track when conflicts arise.
Option 1: Self-Service Rescheduling (Primary)
If you cannot attend your regular lesson time, the primary option is to reschedule into anotherpublished availability block through the online portal. Rescheduling is self-serve and subject to
instructor availability.
Option 2: Asynchronous Video Lesson
If a live makeup time is not available, students may submit a video of the assigned material. The teacher will respond with a personalized video including feedback, demonstrations, and next steps. This keeps progress moving even during busy seasons.
Teacher Cancellations and Extended Studio Closure
If the teacher must cancel due to illness or other reasons, we will provide a makeup option through the portal and/or the asynchronous video lesson option. Tuition is not adjusted for individual teacher cancellations when a makeup option is provided.
In the unlikely event we must close the studio for more than two full consecutive weeks, we will make billing adjustments to your account.
Summer Lessons
Piano2Go is a year-round lesson provider and remains open through the summer. Summer often provides an optimal environment for progress and for enrichment projects such as pop music, jazz/blues, songwriting, and composing (as desired). Continuing tuition also helps maintain your reserved lesson time for fall.
We may adjust the summer schedule to consolidate lessons into fewer days. Families canrequest a new time during the summer (subject to availability).
Pausing Tuition (One Time Per Calendar Year)
A student may pause tuition one time per calendar year for any length of time. During a pause, billing stops and the student’s reserved weekly time is released. Students may re-join at any time, but the prior lesson time is not guaranteed and scheduling will be subject to instructor availability. Maintaining active tuition is what reserves a dedicated time-slot.
Communication Policy
You may call or text between 6am and 9pm Pacific time. All notifications are silenced between 9pm and 6am Pacific time. I do not respond to non-urgent matters during lesson hours, however you may email me any time. Please allow one to two business days response time for email-based requests. Urgent matters should be communicated via text or phone call. All urgent matters will be addressed the same business day.
• Call/Text: 571-439-0136
• Email: jennifer@piano2go.com
Termination of Lessons
Piano2Go is committed to providing a positive and productive learning environment for all students.
If a family chooses to discontinue lessons, please provide at least 30 days written notice prior to your next billing date. Tuition will continue during this notice period, and the student’s reserved lesson time will be released at its conclusion. Piano2Go reserves the right to discontinue lessons in situations including, but not limited to:
• failure to maintain current tuition payments
• repeated missed lessons or excessive cancellations
• lack of consistent practice or student engagement
• disruptive, disrespectful, or uncooperative behavior
• failure to follow studio policies
• inappropriate or disrespectful communication
• violence on the part of the student or parent of any kind (written, verbal or physical)
Whenever possible, we will communicate concerns and make reasonable efforts to resolve issues before discontinuing lessons.
Our goal is to maintain a positive, respectful, and productive experience for every student.
Privacy and Data Security
Piano2Go is committed to protecting the privacy and security of our students and families. Any personal information collected is used solely to provide instruction and conduct normal studio business (scheduling, communication, billing, and instructional services). Piano2Go does not sell, share, or distribute student or family information to outside parties for marketing or any other purposes.
Payment Security
All tuition payments are processed through a secure, PCI-compliant third-party payment provider. Client credit card information is never stored in Piano2Go systems.
Student Recordings, Media, and Media Release
Students may submit video recordings for instructional purposes or participate in studio events such as lessons, classes, and Piano Parties. These recordings and/or live videos are used foreducational purposes within Piano2Go.
Piano2Go may also use student photos, audio, or video recordings for studio marketing purposes (such as our website, social media, or promotional materials) only when a parent oradult student has provided explicit permission by signing the Piano2Go Media Release Form.
Authorizing a media release is optional and does not affect participation in lessons or studio activities. We will always honor the preferences indicated on each student’s Media Release Form.
Online Portal Security
The portal provides secure access to scheduling, billing, and instructional resources. Families are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their login credentials.
Our Commitment
Piano2Go is committed to providing consistent, high-quality instruction, flexible options for busy schedules, performance opportunities, ongoing educational support, and a positive and encouraging environment. We look forward to making music together!