Lessons

FLUTE LESSONS

  • Beginner through college level
  • Age 9 to adult

PIANO LESSONS

  • Beginner through advanced high school level
  • Age 5  1/2 to adult

ALL LESSONS

  • Taught at my 6th Ave Studio in Tacoma
  • 25 minute lessons are $25 per lesson
  • 50 minute lessons are $50 per lesson
  • Basically my rate is $50/hour and lessons are scheduled on the hour or half-hour, with a little built-in time to clean and transition between students.

BASIC TIPS FOR SUCCESS

  • You must have an instrument in good working condition to practice on. Flutists must have a music stand. Pianists must have a good in-tune acoustic instrument or a high quality electronic piano with 88 full-size keys and touch sensitive keys. A metronome is also recommended.
  • Regular practice is key! Designating some time in your daily routine is a good way to ensure you remember what you learned at your last lesson and build your skills and hone your fine motor skills (musicians are athletes of the small muscles!).
  • Ongoing weekly lessons are the best way for the student to retain knowledge and for the teacher to monitor and guide progress. Adult students ONLY may schedule lessons one at a time due to the nature of the grown-up world and its demands.
  • What is the youngest age to begin?  A child may be ready to begin piano in my studio if they are reading at least a little (OR if an adult is prepared to do hands-on daily practice help) – age 6 or older is typical.  Flute students generally begin when school band programs start, age 9 or later, because younger students have a greater challenge managing holding the instrument with good posture until their bodies and arms grow a bit more.

CONTACT ME ABOUT LESSONS: 253.861.3319 / ericajcouts@gmail.com

ERICA’S MUSIC STUDIO POLICY AGREEMENT

Welcome to my studio! I will do my best to guide your musical development with expertise, knowledge, patience, inspiration, and a sense of fun.

Fees: $25 per 25-minute lesson, $50 per 50-minute lesson.

Payment for the whole month due at beginning of the month.

Cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, Paypal are all accepted.

Schedule:

Generally we will have lessons based on Tacoma Public Schools calendar.

Please let me know in advance if you have vacations or other planned absences.

In summer I will generally teach when I’m in town for any interested students. Summer teaching days and times may be different and will be scheduled as the school year wraps up.

Missed lessons:

There is no charge for lessons missed due to illness (please give as much notice as you reasonably can), or for planned absences that are communicated to me at the beginning of the month.  Lessons missed for any other reason (forgot, didn’t prepare, etc.), or without advance notice, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.  Clients must pay for a minimum of 2 lessons per month (or half the month’s offered lessons), even if you must miss, in order to hold your lesson spot.

No-shows: If you don’t let me know you will miss a lesson, you owe me for that lesson! No-shows will not be made up. Makeup lessons in case of planned absence, emergency or illness can be scheduled at the convenience of the teacher when possible.

You will need:

An instrument in good working condition.  Please check with me for details on electric keyboards.

Flute students should have a music stand for reading music while playing with good upright posture.

A metronome (or metronome app) is also recommended.  

Time set aside for daily practice.  Regular practice is key to reaping the benefits of music lessons.  It is helpful to have a routine of practicing at the same time every day.

Performances:

Students have the opportunity to play in a Studio Recital once or twice per year (November and May/June time frames).  Not required but encouraged, this is a great way to share what they are learning for an audience of family and friends, develop confidence, and inspire/get inspired by what other students are playing.

COVID-19 Changes to Lessons