Lesson Guidelines For Violin & Viola in Herräng (Fiol & AltFiol i Herräng)
Welcome to Leah Irby’s Music Studio! If you need help with choosing an instrument or finding the right size online, check the link provided, otherwise keep reading:
1) Certifications
As the music instructor, Leah Irby, I am a certified music teacher in the state of Washington, US. I also hold a bachelor’s degree in Viola Performance from the University of Washington, Seattle. I bring to the music lessons 20+ years of expertise in teaching students ages 7-adult in a variety of classroom and one-on-one settings in the US, India, and Sweden.
2) Languages
I teach mostly in English, as a native speaker. I also speak intermediate-level Swedish, so I can provide lessons in either language, with some patience. I have worked with students who are learning English, so I can blend a little between the languages to help kids learn English while also learning to play an instrument at the same time.
3) Expectations for practice
I suggest aiming for 20-30 minutes of practice 5 days a week for beginners and 45-60 minutes for those more advanced. I am patient and kind with all of my students. Even if life got crazy and no practice time has taken place the last week, we will still have lots to accomplish during the lesson. I provide a safe learning place for everyone.
4) Missed Lessons
If we have agreed on a time for a lesson and you do not show up, there are no refunds for the missed lesson. You may reschedule your lesson by making prior arrangements for an alternate time. For make-ups due to schedule conflicts, 24-hour notice is required. If you cannot make a lesson due to illness, please let me know as soon as possible.
5) Fit with the teacher
I prefer to start with a sample lesson, that is 1 hour long. This is a chance for us to get to know each other and see if it is a good fit to work together. If we agree to proceed after the first lesson, then we can do the 4 lesson payment system.
I do reserve the right to discontinue lessons at any time - (if there is a need for a refund that will be issued.)
6) Payment
Payment is made in sets of 4 lessons (after the first introductory lesson). Payment should be made in advance of the first scheduled lesson of the set. (I do offer a sliding scale fee range for those who can not afford the regular rate. I want to make lessons accessible, but also need to make a living wage, so I can only offer a limited number of sliding scale spots. Please contact me to inquire about this option.)
A) USD United States Dollar
4 x 30-minute lessons. (sliding scale range $120-$ 180)
for those living outside of Sweden, payment is in USD.
Payment is accepted by direct deposit to a US account, Paypal, or Stripe.
B) SEK Swedish Krona
4 x 30-minute lessons. (sliding scale range 1 100 -1 700 sek)
I am working to accept Swish payments, but currently, payments are all made through bank transfers. I will send you an invoice.
7) Information for beginners
If you need help purchasing a beginning instrument and figuring out the right size for your child please read here.
I like to use the book String Basics, published by Kjos
If you already have another beginning book series, please contact me and we might still be able to work with that. But String Basics is my current favorite when teaching in English. They offer a digital version of the book and this comes with a program for computers or tablets that you can practice with. I find this very helpful and will be good for lessons at a distance as you can play along with the recordings.
https://kjos.com/string-basics-book-1-violin.html
(Available on the Sweden Amazon Site)