Jessica - Teacher #4321

Instruments:
- Piano

Services:
- Music Theory (Beginner-Intermediate)

Languages:
- English

Teaching Philosophy

Learning to adapt to students of all ages has been vital and essential to my philosophy. As I write notes for my students, the 3 important points I give to all of them is: Specificity, "trust your fingers", and expression. I believe that by using specificity, musicians will play their music and each note with intention.

Adapting to students' musical desires and passions brings both them and I love and enjoyment. Just as a young child is working through Ode to Joy for the first time to an adult practicing Elton John, I adapt to them because I know that no two students are the same, but they are their own personal best.

A favourite quote I like to live by is Beethoven's "To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable."

Musical Education

I have a 3 year Applied Music Diploma from Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology which involved classical training and performance classes.
I learned piano privately from the age of 10 until I received my college diploma in 2011. I pursued classical music after a year of lessons, having a craving to challenge myself. I studied from up to Grade 1 to Grade 10 RCM under 4 or 5 different teachers prior to entering college, and then studied under Pam VanWeelden at Mohawk College. Pam was classically trained and also was an adjudicator for RCM and stressed the importance of the Alexander Technique for posture. While at Mohawk, I was able to attend a Chopin festival with Pam and other piano majors, and also performed in a concerto concert with a youth orchestra. I received education on Harmony, Counterpoint, Music History, Jazz Harmony, Form and Analysis, and 20th Century Composition while also taking independent and ensemble classes.

Rates

30 Minutes: $39.00
45 Minutes: $49.00
60 Minutes: $59.00

There is a one-time registration fee of 25 $ charged with the first lessons. All Taxes are included in prices, if applicable

NOTE: Your Credit card will be charged ONLY when the first lesson is set up and confirmed with the teacher

Policies


1. Cancellation Policy

Lessons not cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice are billable to the client and payable to the teacher. This does not of course apply to travel fees unless the notice is effectively given at the door and the teacher has travelled to the location.

2. Cessation (quitting) Policy

A client must provide a 2 lesson notice period to stop lessons. So a weekly student needs to give 2 weeks of notice, a biweekly student works out to 3 weeks notice and a twice weekly student works out to a week of notice.

3. Illness Policy

Lessons cancelled due to illness or extraordinary circumstances with less than 24 hours notice remain billable to the client and payable to the teacher.

BAH teachers are encouraged to offer a make-up lesson at a future date in the interest of client relations and general goodwill. This only makes sense as teaching a student with the flu for example, will ruin the rest of your week's employment.

No more than 2 lessons may be made up due to illness within a 60 day period.

4. Rescheduling Policy

Any lesson can be cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice.

Summer Vacation and Extended Absence Policy

Clients may schedule longer absences for trips etc. 24 hours notice is required.

It is normal and typical for students and about 20% of our teachers to schedule a break in the summer. We do not enforce a notice period (see cessation of lessons) at the end of a long summer break.

5. Evaluation Period

There are no free trial lessons with Beethoven at Home but we do offer a 2 lesson evaluation period where it is easy to try out a teacher. There are no free lessons during the evaluation period and clients may choose to discontinue the lessons at any time by providing the required 24 hours notice. After the student's 3rd lesson the required 2 lesson notice period will apply (see cessation of lessons above).