Lesson Policies
Studio Membership
Membership into Medisky Oboe Studio is by audition, and there is a one-time $10 membership fee to join the studio. Students are expected to participate in their school band program (or comparable music program) concurrently with private lessons.
Studio membership includes:
Membership into Medisky Oboe Studio is by audition, and there is a one-time $10 membership fee to join the studio. Students are expected to participate in their school band program (or comparable music program) concurrently with private lessons.
Studio membership includes:
- Your assigned weekly lesson time
- Three-ring binder with studio handouts and exercises
- Participation in studio recitals, master classes, and other activities
- Assistance in purchasing new instruments
- Access to hand-made oboe reeds
Lesson Length & Frequency
The following lesson lengths are available:
Weekly lessons are best for optimal progress and for keeping students motivated. Bi-weekly lessons may be considered for students traveling from outside of the Madison area.
The following lesson lengths are available:
- 30-minutes: appropriate for beginners through middle school
- 45-minutes: appropriate for middle school students, and a minimum length for serious high school students
- 1-hour: for serious students, and for students that make reeds
Weekly lessons are best for optimal progress and for keeping students motivated. Bi-weekly lessons may be considered for students traveling from outside of the Madison area.
Online Lessons
As of March 2020, lessons will be fully online until further notice. As soon as it is safe to hold in-person lessons, we will! Here are the online platforms I use for lessons:
As of March 2020, lessons will be fully online until further notice. As soon as it is safe to hold in-person lessons, we will! Here are the online platforms I use for lessons:
- Zoom: for private lessons
- Skype: for group classes
- MOS Student Portal: individual student pages on my website for assignments and materials
- Flipgrid: for virtual audition practice, and self-recording
Lesson Expectations
Private lessons are meant to complement and enhance your work in school band class. We will address oboe related issues and you will be assigned weekly materials including an etude from your book and additional technical exercises. All students will work on at least one solo piece each year for Solo & Ensemble, auditions (such as WYSO), and/or the annual studio recital.
The goal of private lessons is to build a solid foundation of the fundamentals of playing the oboe:
Students will learn practice techniques to develop fundamentals and control over the instrument, so that we can focus on musicianship:
Materials
Students must own the following:
Students must bring the following to each lessons:
Private lessons are meant to complement and enhance your work in school band class. We will address oboe related issues and you will be assigned weekly materials including an etude from your book and additional technical exercises. All students will work on at least one solo piece each year for Solo & Ensemble, auditions (such as WYSO), and/or the annual studio recital.
The goal of private lessons is to build a solid foundation of the fundamentals of playing the oboe:
- Tone quality
- Finger technique
- Embouchure
- Breathing/air support
- Articulation
- Vibrato
Students will learn practice techniques to develop fundamentals and control over the instrument, so that we can focus on musicianship:
- Musicality
- Phrasing
- Solo repertoire
- Performance strategies
Materials
Students must own the following:
- Assigned music - etude books and solo repertoire
- Metronome
- Chromatic tuner
Students must bring the following to each lessons:
- your oboe (students without instruments will be sent home and will forfeit the lesson)
- One working reed to play on, plus one back-up reed
- MOS binder
- Assigned etude book and/or solo piece
Practice Guidelines and Expectations
Students should practice 4-6 days per week. This is a time to work on specific things that we talk about in lessons, and students will learn practice strategies during lessons to help guide them. Practice time is when the most improvement takes place, and I encourage all students to be their own teacher when working at home!
How much to practice each day:
What to practice each day:
Students should practice 4-6 days per week. This is a time to work on specific things that we talk about in lessons, and students will learn practice strategies during lessons to help guide them. Practice time is when the most improvement takes place, and I encourage all students to be their own teacher when working at home!
How much to practice each day:
- Beginners: 15-20 minutes
- Intermediate: 30-45 minutes
- Advanced: 45-60 minutes and beyond!
What to practice each day:
- Oboe Dojo: Slow scale warm-up, long tone, scales, arpeggios, etc.
- Etudes: Gekeler, Rubank, Barret, etc.
- Solo Repertoire: Solo & Ensemble or studio recital
- Ensemble music
- Reed-making, if applicable
Lesson Rates and Tuition
Medisky Oboe Studio scheduling and invoicing are based on three terms during the year:
For Fall and Spring, the number of lessons and total tuition due is calculated based on averaging three lessons per month. This allows for holidays, scheduling conflicts, rehearsal weeks for me, etc. Ex) There are 16 weeks in the Fall term, but you will only be invoiced for 12 weekly lessons.
Please contact me to inquire about current lesson rates.
Summer Lessons
Summer lessons are required to get priority fall scheduling, and to secure your place in the studio for fall. Students that do not take summer lessons will lose their place in the studio for the following school year and be required to re-audition. Summer lesson scheduling information will be sent out in May.
Payment Plans
You will be invoiced based on which payment plan you select each term. Additional lessons can be added at the end of a term if desired, and will be included on the final invoice of the term. If there are lessons remaining at the end, they will be credited for the following term.
Late Fee
A late fee of $10 will incur if tuition is not paid by the 5th of the month.
Lesson Cancellation Policy
I will alert you of my scheduling conflicts as far in advance as possible. If you need to cancel a lesson, please do so at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to notify me will result in a forfeited lesson.
Note: Frequent cancellations affect me and other students. Students who frequently cancel their lessons may lose their lesson time for the following term, and may be removed from the studio.
Medisky Oboe Studio scheduling and invoicing are based on three terms during the year:
- FALL: September - December
- SPRING: January - May
- SUMMER: June - August
For Fall and Spring, the number of lessons and total tuition due is calculated based on averaging three lessons per month. This allows for holidays, scheduling conflicts, rehearsal weeks for me, etc. Ex) There are 16 weeks in the Fall term, but you will only be invoiced for 12 weekly lessons.
Please contact me to inquire about current lesson rates.
Summer Lessons
Summer lessons are required to get priority fall scheduling, and to secure your place in the studio for fall. Students that do not take summer lessons will lose their place in the studio for the following school year and be required to re-audition. Summer lesson scheduling information will be sent out in May.
Payment Plans
- One lump sum (due first month of term)
- Monthly (due at the first lesson of each month)
You will be invoiced based on which payment plan you select each term. Additional lessons can be added at the end of a term if desired, and will be included on the final invoice of the term. If there are lessons remaining at the end, they will be credited for the following term.
Late Fee
A late fee of $10 will incur if tuition is not paid by the 5th of the month.
Lesson Cancellation Policy
I will alert you of my scheduling conflicts as far in advance as possible. If you need to cancel a lesson, please do so at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to notify me will result in a forfeited lesson.
Note: Frequent cancellations affect me and other students. Students who frequently cancel their lessons may lose their lesson time for the following term, and may be removed from the studio.
Lesson Arrival & Departure
ONLINE: Your Zoom lesson begins at the scheduled lesson time. Please be ready to join the Zoom call at your lesson start time, and have your oboe assembled, reeds soaked, and assigned materials out.
IN PERSON: The lesson time includes assembling your oboe and packing up, and students should do so carefully but efficiently. Please be mindful that the studio is part of my home, and not a shared public space. Students should arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before their scheduled lesson time. Students arriving any earlier will be asked to come back at their scheduled lesson time. Parents are welcome to wait in the living room during the student’s lesson, as well as drop students off and come back. Please be aware when the lesson ends, the student leaves the house, and may be left waiting outside if parents are not on time to pick them up.
ONLINE: Your Zoom lesson begins at the scheduled lesson time. Please be ready to join the Zoom call at your lesson start time, and have your oboe assembled, reeds soaked, and assigned materials out.
IN PERSON: The lesson time includes assembling your oboe and packing up, and students should do so carefully but efficiently. Please be mindful that the studio is part of my home, and not a shared public space. Students should arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before their scheduled lesson time. Students arriving any earlier will be asked to come back at their scheduled lesson time. Parents are welcome to wait in the living room during the student’s lesson, as well as drop students off and come back. Please be aware when the lesson ends, the student leaves the house, and may be left waiting outside if parents are not on time to pick them up.
Student Oboe Reeds
A good, working reed is essential for consistent, beautiful playing. Store-bought reeds are inadequate beyond the beginner level, and will hinder a student’s progress. Medisky Oboe Studio has a subscription with a professional reed-maker, and student reeds available for sale. I finish and cater these reeds based on each student's playing style and their instrument.
Monthly reed subscriptions
I recommend all students take advantage of my monthly reed subscriptions of 1 or 2 reeds. Reed subscriptions are automatically included on your invoices, and the reeds will be ready at the first lesson of each month.
Additional Reeds
Reeds are limited to two (2) per student per month. If you find you need more reeds than that, recommended sources can be found on the Reeds and Supplies page on my website. Plan ahead and allow 2-6 weeks for delivery.
Note: Reeds are only available to students that are currently members of Medisky Oboe Studio who are actively taking lessons. No exceptions.
A good, working reed is essential for consistent, beautiful playing. Store-bought reeds are inadequate beyond the beginner level, and will hinder a student’s progress. Medisky Oboe Studio has a subscription with a professional reed-maker, and student reeds available for sale. I finish and cater these reeds based on each student's playing style and their instrument.
Monthly reed subscriptions
I recommend all students take advantage of my monthly reed subscriptions of 1 or 2 reeds. Reed subscriptions are automatically included on your invoices, and the reeds will be ready at the first lesson of each month.
Additional Reeds
Reeds are limited to two (2) per student per month. If you find you need more reeds than that, recommended sources can be found on the Reeds and Supplies page on my website. Plan ahead and allow 2-6 weeks for delivery.
Note: Reeds are only available to students that are currently members of Medisky Oboe Studio who are actively taking lessons. No exceptions.