More Than Just a Music Class: ESPS Fees Explained
In other posts, we have discussed the history of the Suzuki Method and how by using it, we seek to create a learning community which embraces excellence and nurtures the human spirit. Simply put, The Edmonton Suzuki Piano School is more than just piano lessons.
The quality of programming and the opportunities that come with being a part of our community go beyond the weekly lessons your student attends with their teacher. The program is created as an all-encompassing experience, with fees and schedules built around that.
Fees Explained
At Edmonton Suzuki School, there are two fees. Each student is required to pay an annual membership fee at registration time. This helps our non-profit society to cover all the additional benefits that set ESPS apart from other piano lessons. This fee is the same for each student who registers and is paid annually. There are also tuition fees paid to the teachers for individual lessons.
Membership Benefits
Our programming is based on the whole-child philosophy of Suzuki, a full-service approach that we embrace.
Some of the specific items you have access to once your family is registered with us are:
An Edmonton Suzuki Piano School welcome tote
New parent orientation session
Practice aids
Suzuki repertoire lesson books and CDs
Practice incentive programs for students
Group lessons
Numerous performance opportunities; concerts, recitals, graduations, and community events
Opportunity to perform on stage in Edmonton’s top music venues
Guest speakers/parent education sessions
Professional development opportunities for ESPS teachers
Edmonton Suzuki Piano School endeavours to bring music to as many families as possible. The registration fees paid by families only cover a small portion of the costs of delivering our programming. To improve accessibility, we actively pursue and rely on various funding sources, which we are eligible for as a not-for-profit. This means we do not offer registration fee reductions for students opting out of any program component.
Tuition Fees
The second fee you pay is the tuition fee. The teachers at ESPS are all highly trained and educated piano teachers with music or education degrees, or an ARCT. We require our teachers to be members of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, a professional organization that oversees credentials and continuing education. Many are also members of the Alberta Registered Music Teachers Association and Alberta Piano Teachers Association. These professional memberships have fees tied to their memberships which the teachers pay. For families, they act as an assurance of the quality of professional you are engaging.
The tuition fees that families pay are for the weekly lesson slot, but in addition to the time each student spends face to face with their teacher, other factors have been built into determining the fee itself.
What do we take into account when we set our tuition fees?
Length of lesson time with student and parent
Preparation time for lessons
Parent communication time
Recital preparation and hosting
Music Books/instruction beyond the Suzuki repertoire
Studio Overhead: supplies, equipment, maintenance, administration and inflation
The Business of Music
While music is a joyful experience, the less “exciting” side is that it is also a business, with many costs associated with delivering the whole experience and high-quality programming. There are many reasons to choose Edmonton Suzuki Piano School’s program, but at the end of the day, it also means that we have a pricing structure that is developed based on the Suzuki approach. When a family chooses to become a part of our program, parents make an essential commitment to embrace the method and build a robust and collaborative relationship to assist the student's growth and development.
To learn more about the Suzuki Method and its benefits, visit here. To register for lessons, please click here.