New Student Registration

Bel Air Music Studios Payment and Attendance Policy

We offer two payment plans: the budget payment plan and the semester payment plan. You may also choose between cash, check, or online payment options. Please make checks out to “Bel Air Music Studios.” If you’d like to pay online, select that option when filling out your New Student Registration form.  You will receive an invoice that will allow you to pay using Visa, MasterCard or PayPal (no PayPal checks, please).

Budget Payment Plan

Lessons are paid for one month in advance before the first lesson of each month. If paying by check, at the last lesson of the previous month.  If paying online, payment is due the first day of the month. Lessons occur weekly at the same day and time, unless your teacher approves changes. Failure to adhere to these policies can result in dismissal (for more information, see “Standards and Expectations”).

As of August 1, 2023, students choosing the budget payment plan are billed at the following rates:

  • 30 minutes: $34 = $136 per month; second student or instrument: $32 = $128 per month.
  • 45 minutes: $49 = $196 per month; second student or instrument: $46 = $184 per month.
  • 60 minutes: $62 = $248 per month; second student or instrument: $59 = $234 per month.

You are not required to pay for a lesson when:

  • Your teacher cancels a lesson, and it is not made up;
  • Your lesson falls on a major holiday;
  • You are performing in a band, orchestra, or musical concert;
  • A family member passes away;
  • You notify your teacher of a non-reoccurring impending absence well before the beginning of the month. This includes summer family vacations.*

Here’s how it works: there are 48 lessons on our academic calendar. That is an average of 4 lessons per month.  We bill you for 4 lessons each month, whether there are 5 or 3 lessons scheduled in that month. That is because we know that after a year, you will have received all of the lessons that you paid for. Therefore, if you tell us in advance of a planned absence by the 21st of the previous month (using the monthly schedule notification form), and that planned absence is on a day we are open according to our calendar, we will subtract the cost of that lesson from your bill. As we are closed during Christmas break and Easter break, those dates are not included in the 48 total lessons in our academic year.

There are no refunds or credit extended for any reasons not mentioned above. Credit is not extended from one month to the next if the student cancels a lesson. Make-up lessons are offered based on the teacher’s schedule for that month. If you are unable to attend any of the times offered for a make up lesson, that lesson is forfeit. Lessons cancelled with less than 48 hours notice will not be made up (except in case of illness—see below).

Withdrawal: Notice for discontinuing the Budget plan must be given a month in advance; there are no refunds for the Budget plan, and students are obligated to pay for lessons scheduled four weeks from the date when notice is received.

These policies also apply to the first lesson day of each month.  If the first lesson of the month is missed or cancelled for reasons other than those mentioned above, or with less than 48 hours notice, it must be paid for even though the student was not present.

Major holidays include Thanksgiving (4th weekend of November), Christmas break, and Easter break as well as Independence Day. All closures are listed on our academic calendar. Religious holidays (Yom Kippur, for example) are also recognized as excused absences, but the studio remains open.  A make-up date can be requested in such cases.   If the student does not wish to attend on any Monday holiday such as Columbus Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, etc., a make-up date will be offered based on the teacher’s schedule for that month.  If no make-up date can be mutually agreed upon, that lesson will have to be forfeited.

If the student becomes ill, please notify the teacher as soon as possible. Make up lessons for illness are handled on a per case basis. All other situations (such as inclement weather) are handled on a per case basis. When in doubt as to whether we remain open, call the teacher. To facilitate communication, contact information should be exchanged at the first lesson.

Families with two or more students enrolled qualify for the Multiple Family Member discount.  Each additional student’s lessons are discounted as detailed above. A parallel program exists for students taking lessons on more than one instrument.

You may pay by cash, check, or online. If you choose to pay by check, make all checks payable to “Bel Air Music Studios.” If you choose to pay online, select that option when filling out your New Student Registration. You will receive an invoice, which you may use to pay online using PayPal (but no PayPal checks, please), Visa, or MasterCard.

*Use the Monthly Schedule Notification form by the 21st of each month to tell us of planned absences the following month (because invoices go out on the 26th). The cost of the lesson you plan to miss will be deducted from the month’s base rate. Regarding summer vacations, we revert to the monthly payment plan for all students during that time period.

Semester Payment Plan

Semester payments receive a discount from the budget payment plan as follows:

  • 30 minutes: $31 x 19 =  $589, save $57!
  • 45 minutes: $44 x 19 =  $836, save $76!
  • 60 minutes: $56 x 19  =  $1064, save $114!

 Lessons are paid for the entire semester in advance, and occur weekly on the same day and time, unless your teacher approves changes. The semesters encompass the period between:

  • August 27, 2023 – January 28, 2024
  • January 29, 2024 – June 16, 2024

Payment is due in full one week before the start of the semester. Cash or check are the only forms of payment accepted for the semester plan.

You may switch to the monthly payment plan at the end of any semester.

You are not required to pay for a lesson when:

  • Your teacher cancels a lesson;
  • Your lesson falls on a date when the studio is closed;
  • You are performing in a band, orchestra, or musical concert;
  • A family member passes away.

For school closures, please see our school calendar for specific dates.  Religious holidays (Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah for example) are also recognized as excused absences, but the studio remains open. A make-up date can be requested in such cases.

The semester plan is not for students who plan to miss more than two lessons during the semester.  In such a case, the monthly plan is less expensive, and gives more flexibility.

Lessons cancelled with less than 48 hours notice will not be made up (except in case of illness—see below).

If the student becomes ill, please notify the teacher as soon as possible. Make up lessons for illness are handled on a per case basis. All other situations (such as inclement weather) are handled on a per case basis. When in doubt as to whether we remain open, call the teacher. To facilitate communication, contact information should be exchanged at the first lesson.

The semester payment plan is not recommended for those taking Monday lessons. If the student plans to be absent on Monday holidays such as Columbus Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day etc., a make-up date will be offered based on the teacher’s schedule for that month.  If the student is unable to attend any of the times offered for a make up lesson, that lesson will have to be forfeited.

There are no refunds or credit extended for any reasons not mentioned above, including family vacations. For the summer we revert to the monthly payment plan where vacations are excused absences. You may not begin a semester on any month other than January or September. There are no exceptions to any of these policies.

The Multiple Family Member/Instrument Discount is not available for those enrolled in the Semester Payment Plan.

Withdrawal

Semester plan: With written notice to the office of a student’s intent to terminate private lessons, pro-rated tuition from the start of the upcoming month will be refunded minus 25% of the original, total tuition. The refund will be based on the date the written notice is received by our office from the student or caregiver.

Budget plan: Written notice for discontinuing the Budget plan must be sent to the office a month in advance. There are no refunds for the Budget plan, and students are obligated to pay for four lessons from the date when notice is received from the student or caregiver.

Bel Air Music Studios waives all responsibility for injuries sustained by students, parents, or guardians on the premises.

Semester Calendar:

Scroll through the calendar for important dates.

  • Academic Event
  • Closed
  • Recitals
  • Tuition Due

Lessons will be held on Monday holidays such as Labor Day, Memorial Day, etc. If the student desires to be absent for Monday holidays, the budget payment plan is recommended.

Dr. Christopher Dillon, copyright 2023, Bel Air Music Studios, All rights reserved. 8/27/23