Pricing & Policy

Tuition and Fees

Tuition

Individual lessons (less than 4 per calendar month) are available for $35 per half hour lesson.

Four or more 30 minute lessons per calendar month are available for $30 per half hour lesson. (A $5 discount per half hour occurs once the threshold of four lessons in a calendar month is reached.)

Fees are charged by the month and are not lowered nor refunded for missed lessons. (See “Canceled Lessons & Make-Up Lessons” section below.)

Invoices for the upcoming month are sent out 7 days before the due date, which is the first day of each month.

Payment can be made in the following forms:

  1. Credit Card or Paypal online using the Student Account Portal *Preferred*

  2. Cash

  3. Check – Please note: There is a returned check fee of $30.

Book & Sheet Music Fee:

Starting August 1, 2025, books and sheet music ordered through Cutt Above Music Studio will be charged to the student’s account in addition to lessons.

Copy Fee:

The first paper copy of a solo is complimentary. Starting August 1, 2025, additional copies will cost $0.05 per sheet.

Recital Fee: $15.00 per Participating Student

Covers costs to produce a recital, including programs, refreshments, facility fees, etc.

Accompanying Fee:

It is my joy to accompany my students at various events throughout the year. However, to provide students with this service, it often takes time outside of lesson time to prepare. Thus, starting August 1, 2025, the following fees will be charged for accompanying services:

Cutt Above Music Studio Recital: $5.00

Mid-America Music Festival: $10.00

MSHSAA District Solo: $25.00 (if school district does not compensate)

MSHSAA State Solo: $50.00 (if school district does not compensate)

Other events will be worked out on a case-by-case basis.

Late Fees

If a student’s tuition is not received by the 20th of the month, there is an additional $15 late charge. Lessons will not continue into the next month if there is an unpaid balance.

Make-up Lessons & Credits

No payment credit will be provided for missed lessons.

Make-up credits are not rate adjustments and will not serve as payment credits. Additional lessons must be scheduled to count as make up lessons. (For example, if four lessons are scheduled during a month, four lessons will still be charged with the understanding that a missed lesson will be rescheduled if a make-up credit is awarded.)

Be sure to choose a lesson time in which you feel confident you will have no other conflicts. Please do not request the teacher to alter the schedule to accommodate extracurricular activities. (See “Rescheduling” section.) 

Students who miss lessons due to busy schedules, lack of preparation, or vacation times are not eligible for a rate adjustment.

Make-up lessons are only offered for 

  • lllness–notification must be given at least 8 hours in advance of the scheduled lesson to be missed.

  • Emergency-only at the discretion of the teacher. (i.e., car wreck, flat tire, death in the family, etc.)

  • Teacher Cancelation due to:

    • Inclement Weather (i.e., snow day)

    • Absences due to schedule conflicts

    • Make-up credits will be awarded and make up lessons added to the schedule to accommodate these absences.


Make-up lessons will be scheduled at the discretion of the teacher in coordination with the student/parent. 

Make-up lesson credits expire 60 days after the date of the lesson missed. (For example, if the student misses on May 1 and a make-up credit is given, the student must schedule a make-up lesson to occur before July 1 or the credit will be lost.)

rescheduling lessons

As stated above in the “Make-Up Lessons & Credits” section, be sure to choose a lesson time in which you feel confident you will have no other conflicts. However, conflicts will undoubtedly arise. A lesson can be rescheduled without additional charge if all of the following conditions are met:

  • The original lesson is canceled at least 8 hours in advance of the scheduled lesson to be missed.

  • The new lesson is scheduled during an open spot in the studio calendar within the calendar month of the original lesson. (For example, if the original lesson was in April 2025, the rescheduled lesson must occur within April 2025 as well.)

  • The student or parent takes care of this on their own through the online account. The teacher should not be involved directly with this process, or the original lesson will be charged as a missed lesson without a make-up credit.

Basically, as long as the student or parent takes the initiative to reschedule so that there are the same number of lessons attended during a calendar month after rescheduling as originally booked, no additional charge will take place.

Contract Cancelation

Cutt Above Music Studio, LC seeks to provide 100% customer satisfaction. Should concerns arise, please contact the owner in writing as soon as possible so he may address and rectify the situation. If concerns cannot be resolved satisfactorily, a student may end his/her relationship with the studio at any time following a month for which tuition was prepaid. A non-emergency breach of the relationship in mid-month will result in forfeiture of the remainder of fees for the prepaid month (“Non-emergency” status determined at the discretion of the owner). Studio ownership expects a formal written request to end the contract for any reason (i.e., email, letter, etc.). This serves to protect both the student and Cutt Above Music Studio, LC.

Fees are subject to change based on market trends and cost of living increases over time. Studio policy is subject to revision from time to time.  Students and stakeholders will be provided notice and amended policies when changes occur.

Fee & Policy Changes/Updates

A Final Note

Please keep in mind that these policies are in accordance with recommended professional policies. Tuition fees take into consideration that the owner must provide all retirement, social security and continuing education costs for himself. The owner bears the expense of equipping and maintaining Cutt Above Music Studio, LC, including instruments, lending library and other equipment and supplies. In addition, the owner/teacher spends additional hours outside lesson time planning, scheduling, making phone calls, answering emails, bookkeeping and attending to other studio-related responsibilities. On a personal note, teaching is my profession, my business and my art. I pride myself on building a personal relationship with my students and their families and providing them with a top notch, “Cutt Above” music education.