THESE POLICIES ARE VALID AS OF AUG 9TH 2025 AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME. 

Welcome to Group Piano Classes at MPMA! We are excited to introduce your young musician to the piano through our collaborative keyboard class. Please read through this document.

Trial Class

A trial class is $23 per student. This tuition must be received before the start of the first class for the student to be able to attend. The invoice will come in the form of an email containing a link to pay online.

Registration

If all went well in the trial class, students will be registered for the class. Upon registration, there is a $15 registration and material fee automatically added to your first invoice. 

Monthly Tuition and Billing

Tuition at MPMA is billed monthly, and is paid for as a package of all scheduled lessons in the upcoming month. You will receive an invoice via email for the next month on the 25th of the current month. Tuition is due by the 1st of the month. If payment is not received by the 10th of the month, a late fee will be applied to your bill (price subject to change according to our school policy). Invoices are processed through MyMusicStaff, our scheduling and billing software of choice. Parents are able to make an account and see all lessons and payments.

Monthly Tuition is $165. Students enrolled in Group Piano Classes must pay full tuition, regardless of ability to attend. If a teacher must cancel a class that was already scheduled and billed, you will be credited $45 for that class and the cost will be deducted from next month’s tuition. If a student joins a class after the beginning of the month, $45 will be discounted per class missed, and the following month the $165 per month will begin.

We do not offer tuition refunds outside of extreme circumstances. If a student wishes to stop lessons, we need a 2 week notice to our admin email. It is recommended that they finish out the rest of the scheduled lessons in the month, after which we will remove them from the class calendar and void all future invoices.

If there is anything that does not look right about your bill at any time, please contact dar@midpenmusicacademy.com and we will look into it as soon as we can. Please allow 5-10 business days for invoice corrections. We will honor all concerns from the date they were received.

Scheduled Lessons and Absences

Group Piano Classes happen year round in general adherence to the Redwood City School District K-8 Calendar. Classes will not be scheduled during Ski Week, Spring Break, the week of the 4th of July, Thanksgiving Break, and the 2 weeks around Christmas and New Years. Please check our website for group class calendar information. View our class calendar here.

If a student is absent and gives the school a 24 hour notice of their absence, they are entitled to one make-up credit. If less than a 24 hour notice was given, no make-up credit will be offered. A make-up credit is used by attending one of our group classes held at a different time. Due to scheduling constraints and availability, there is no guarantee that MPMA can offer a make-up time even if a make-up credit has been granted.

If a student is expected to miss a month or more of classes due to extended travel or other circumstances, please request to be switched over to Extended Absence Tuition ($83 per month) in order to keep their spot in the class. Please let us know about extended absences a month in advance so we can switch you over before the new billing cycle begins.

Student Materials and Expectations

Group Piano Students are expected to bring their Music Binder or Book (depending on level) to class every week, preferably inside of a cloth bag. Loose binders often get damaged and tattered. Severely damaged or lost binders will be replaced for $15.

Students need a piano or electric keyboard (88-key and weighted is best) to practice their music during the week between classes. If you have any questions about what kind of keyboard is the right choice, please ask your teacher. Students are encouraged to practice at least 3 times a week, for at least 15 minutes per practice. Parents who would like to help their students practice can ask the teacher for instructions on how to do so. Even if you yourself are not a musician, helping your child practice can be a great way to bond, and seeing an adult learn a new concept alongside them boosts their confidence.

Students should practice the songs in the Binders that have the date of the previous class by the name of the piece.

Class Structure

Group Piano Classes are 50 minutes. On a typical day, the first 40 minutes are dedicated to individual keyboard work with headphones. The teacher or assistant teacher will check in on each student and listen in, giving feedback and instructions on how to play the piece. Teachers will also instruct students to work on written assignments in the Binder if Students have completed their assigned pieces. The remaining 10 minutes is left for group instruction, projects, games, and individual performances.

Classes range from 3-6 students. If for some reason class size drops below 3, we will do our best to shuffle students to new times as soon as possible. In unlikely cases of low attendance or availability, a class may be temporarily canceled and students asked to move to a different time.

Tracking Progress

Students track their progress with a Sticker Sheet taped to the inside cover of their Binders. Students earn Progress Stars for completing the following tasks.

• One star is given for completing at least one assigned song approved by the teacher.

• A second star is added if the student completes all songs assigned.

• A third star is added if a student performs one of the pieces they completed within the last week. One performance is allotted per student per class.

• Additional stars are given for other specific tasks as defined by the teacher.

Stars can be exchanged for a prize at the front desk. The stickers that have been used as prizes are crossed off using a red marker by the teacher. 

We thank you for signing up for Group Piano Classes at MPMA. Please direct any questions to dar@midpenmusicacademy.com.