Studio Admission

Lessons are available for students aged 5 years and over. If your child is at least 5 years old and has expressed an interest in singing lessons, please contact Ella.

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Location

All lessons take place at the ETVS studio located at 16 Rhodes St, Timaru. The exception to this is students who are learning through Roncalli College, where lessons will take place at the school.

 

Tuition

Students receive weekly 30-minute group lessons (for 5-7 years), 30-minute, 45-minute, or 60-minute lessons during New Zealand school terms. Lesson tuition can be paid in full at the beginning of each term, at the beginning of each month (Feb-Nov) or in weekly installments if organized with Ella prior to the term commencing. Payment due dates are listed on each invoice. Late payments will be subject to a late fee of $25 if payment is not made within 30 days of due date. Tuition may be paid by bank transfer, cash or cheque. Tuition fees below are exclusive of GST.

 

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for 2024 are exclusive of GST. Tuition payments are based on ONE YEAR’s worth of weekly lessons and divided equally between four terms or by 10 months (Feb-Nov).

 

• 30-minute Singing Club (group lessons for 5 – 7 year olds)

$175/per term or $70/per month + GST

 

• 30-minute private lessons (for all levels 7 years and older)

$250/per term or $100/per month + GST

 

• 45-minute private lessons (for intermediate/advanced students 13 years and older)

$375/per term or $150/per month + GST

 

• 60-minute private lessons (for advanced students 15 years and older)

$500/per term or $200 per month +GST

 

Please contact Ella with any questions regarding tuition payments.

 

Punctuality and Attendance

Students are expected to arrive for their singing lesson at the scheduled time. Students will be offered ONE “make-up lesson” per term if they give at least 24 hours’ notice before missing a scheduled lesson. These will be scheduled at the student AND teacher's convenience. Refunds will not be given for missed lessons. Regular lesson attendance is essential to a students' musical progress. Please avoid scheduling conflicting appointments during your child's lesson. 

 

Cancellations by Teacher

If we are unable to take your scheduled lesson, we will make it up. Likewise, if your child’s lesson falls on a public holiday we will make these lessons up as well. Make up credits will be issued when lessons need to be rescheduled. Make up credits expire after 90 days.

 

Ending Lessons

If you decide you are no longer wanting to continue singing lessons with us, please make sure to let us know. Pre-paid tuition is non-refundable.

 

Extended Lesson Absences

If you are going to be away for an extended period during the school term please note that we cannot guarantee your lesson time without continued payment. If you have any questions about this please see Ella.

 

Tuition Covers

Tuition fees cover any sheet music and/or backing tracks given to your child as well as photocopying. Please note sheet music is expensive and any music your child receives should be kept neatly in a folder or clear-file so to avoid damaging or misplacing it. Continuous replacement of music will incur a music and copying levy of $25 per term.

 

Tuition Does Not Cover

Tuition fees DO NOT cover the cost of Full Voice Workbooks or Trinity College London Theory books which are required by all students (unless students have an adequate knowledge of music theory up to at least Grade 3 level). Full Voice Workbooks and TCL Grade 1 Theory books are $30 and usually take around a year to work through. TCL Theory books for Grades 2 and up increase slightly in price. Also not included in tuition fees are exam and competition entry fees and costs.

 

What is Included in Lessons

It is our belief that students who learn singing should also learn the skills needed to be well-rounded musicians. Therefore, singing lessons at ETVS also include a wide range of skills including: 

*Music theory (learning to read, write and understand music notation)

*Aural skills (listening skills to develop a strong understanding of pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo and timbre)

*Sight-singing skills (an important skill to teach the brain to translate and reproduce what is being read on paper into sound).

 

Students also learn healthy singing technique including breathing and placement; how the body produces sound; and performance and communication skills.

 

Practice Expectations

Regular practice is absolutely essential to students’ success as singers. Students learn effective practice techniques within each lesson and are expected to practice daily. Daily practice must be a priority.

 

To encourage effective practicing, be sure to make practice time a part of your child’s daily routine. Short daily practice sessions are far more effective than sporadic longer sessions, particularly for children. Building a specific time for practicing into your child’s daily routine can help ensure that these regular practice sessions become a habit. Ideally, the student’s practice should be in a quiet area free of distractions such as a computer or television.

 

Each student will receive a personal log-in for My Music Staff where they can log their practice hours and check their current repertoire, as well as a personal Dropbox Folder containing backing tracks for practice.

 

Performance Opportunities

The Mid-Year and Christmas Recitals are offered each year. Students are expected to participate in both of these recitals, which give them an opportunity to practice performance skills as well as audience etiquette. Additional performance opportunities also occur throughout the year; students are encouraged but not required to partake in these. Performance is a skill acquired through experience.

 

Other opportunities for students include:

• Trinity College London Singing Exams are held in October/November of each year. 

• Trinity College London Music Theory Exams are held in May & November of each year.

• Singing Competitions take place throughout the year with the main competition season being May-September.

 

Overseas Music Adventures for Senior Students every three years (in 2017 we went to New York City and in 2020 we were planning to go to London. I hope we will be able to continue to provide this incredible opportunity again in a few years)

 

Communications with Parents

Communications with parents/students will be via email, text message and Facebook primarily. The studio has a public Facebook page as well as a private Facebook group for parents and students. Any information which is deemed private such as invoices etc. will be sent via email. If parents have any concerns about their child's progress they are invited to get in touch, we are always happy to answer any questions parents or students may have.

 

Waiver

Please note we may take photographs or video of lessons, recitals, events that your child is participating in to use on our website or social media sites. You will be given a separate form to sign to give your permission for this to happen. We do our best to protect students and surnames are never posted on our public social media pages or our website.