Private Lessons with the IUP Community Music School
Private lessons offer participants a one-on-one learning experience with a music instructor on their chosen instrument.
Lessons are offered on all brass and woodwind instruments, percussion, voice, piano and organ, guitar and additional fretted instruments as available, and electric bass. For lessons on violin, viola, cello, and string bass, contact Linda Jennings, director of the IUP String Project.
They are are primarily in-person as in-person lesson are significantly better than virtual, but virtual lessons are also available.
2022-23 Academic Year
The semesters are:
Fall 2022 - August 29 to December 11
Spring 2023 - January 23 to May 7
Summer 2023 - May 30 to August 6
Registration
Registration is always open and ongoing throughout the year; however, registration must occur while there is still sufficient time to take the minimum requirement of seven lessons for the Fall & Spring semesters, or five lessons for the summer semester.
First-time IUPCMS participants should utilize the online registration form. Previous participants simply need to email community-music@iup.edu with information on what they'd like for lessons, which would include level of instructor (or specific instructor), number of lessons, length of lessons, and whether in-person or virtual.
Instructors / Lesson Fees
Teaching Apprentice (IUP Music Majors)
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$14.00 tuition for a 30-minute lesson (Example: 7 lessons = $98; 14 lessons = $196)
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$21.00 tuition for a 45-minute lesson (Example: 7 lessons = $147; 14 lessons = $357)
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$28.00 tuition for a 60-minute lesson (Example: 7 lessons = $196; 14 lessons = $392)
Teaching Artist (Bachelor's or Master's Degree)
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$17.50 for a 30-minute lesson (Example: 7 lessons = $112; 14 lessons = $224)
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$26.25 for a 45-minute lesson (Example: 7 lessons = $168; 14 lessons = $336)
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$35.00 for a 60-minute lesson (Example: 7 lessons = $224; 14 lessons = $448)
IUP Music Faculty
The following music faculty members offer private lessons through the IUP Community Music School. Rates vary by instructor. Full listing of IUP music faculty.
Oboe: Louise Daniels — $30/half-hour, $60/hour
Bassoon: Jason Worzbyt -- $30/hour
Clarinet: Rosemary Engelstad — $37/half-hour, $60/hour
Saxophone: James Flowers — $37/half-hour, $60/hour
Tuba/Euphonium: Zach Collins — $37/half-hour, $60/hour
Piano: Henry Wong Doe — $30/half-hour, $60/hour
Piano: Evan Engelstad — $30/half-hour, $60/hour
Percussion: Chad Heiney — $30/half-hour, $60/hour
Voice (Jazz Specialty): Laura Ferguson — $30/half-hour, $60/hour
Composition/Songwriting: John Levey — $28/half-hour, $55/hour
Required Forms
If taking in-person lessons, the following forms are required for participation in lessons, and all classes and ensembles. You may download, complete, and either provide to your instructor or ensemble director, or return by email to community-music@iup.edu or USPS mail.
Waiver of Liability Form
Photo-Video Release Form - Adult Student OR
Photo-Video Release Form - Parent-Guardian
The forms will also be emailed to you when your registration is processed.
Tuition / Fees
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In addition to the tuition, a $25 registration fee is charged per individual student, per semester for the fall and spring semesters, and $20 per student for the summer semester. There are no registration fees for lessons taken during the weeks between the major semesters as long as there are lessons associated with one of the semesters on either side of the in-between weeks.
This fee directly supports a very small portion of the IUP Community Music School administrative cost, and may only be charged a maximum of three times a year.
Invoices / Payment
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Invoices are sent as a pdf file to the email address listed as the primary billing address during the initial registration process. If you do not receive your invoice, check your Junk/Spam and Trash folders. If you still do not find it, contact the IUPCMS at community-music@iup.edu as soon as possible, and add Mandrill as a new contact to your Address Book.
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Unless the cost of tuition, registration fees, and materials exceeds $250 per family, payment must be made in full before the first rehearsal, class, or lesson, or by the date indicated on the invoice.
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If payment has not been received by the second private lesson, the lessons will be stopped by the instructor until payment has been received. Similarly, if payment has not been received by the second rehearsal, the student will not be allowed to continue in the ensemble until payment is received.
The following payment schedule may be utilized:
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Under $250 — Payment in full
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$250-$500 — Two payments; one per month
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$500+ — Three payments; one per month
Online Virtual Lesson Guidelines
Lesson days/times need to be arranged and an online platform agreed upon between the instructor and parent/student. Instructors may teach from their residence, or from rooms in Cogswell that have the technology available for virtual learning.
Instrument Access
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Regardless of the instrument, all students from the community must have daily access to an instrument for practice outside of Cogswell Hall. For the larger non-wind instruments such as organ and piano, if there is not an instrument in the home, arrangements may often be made with a local church or school.
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Currently enrolled IUP students may make arrangements to practice in Cogswell Hall.
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The IUP Community Music School does not have instruments to rent.
Lesson Requirements
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Although the parent/student may select the number of lessons desired for the semester, the minimum requirement for the fall and spring semesters is seven lessons, and five lessons for the summer semester. Most participants select a full semester of lessons.
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Lessons must occur at least once every two weeks. The standard, especially for younger students, is one lesson a week.
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At the availability of the instructor, lessons may also be taken between semesters. Contact community-music@iup.edu for more information.
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All lessons purchased for the semester must be completed before the start of the next major session (fall, spring, and summer). Any lessons not taken at that point are forfeited. This provides a minimum of three weeks after the end of each major semester for makeup lessons, as needed, or for additional lessons.
Lesson Cancellation Policy
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Instructors are allowed to set their own cancellation policy. Most require a 2-4-hour notification. Be sure to know and understand your instructor's policy.
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While extenuating circumstances are always taken into consideration, if a student misses a lesson and does not contact their instructor to cancel, OR does not meet their instructor's cancellation policy, it is considered absent and is paid for. Student-canceled lessons that met the instructors' cancellation policy will be made up, as well as all lessons canceled by the instructor.
Instructor Training and Clearance Requirements
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Teaching Apprentices have been recommended by their major studio professor. Teaching Artists, generally graduate students, have also been recommended by their major studio professor. Non-graduate student teaching artists from the community have been interviewed and fully vetted.
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All instructors have the three clearances as required by the state of Pennsylvania. They include Act 114, Federal Background Check; Act 134, Child Abuse Clearance; and Act 151, State Criminal Background Check.
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All instructors have also taken Title IX Protection of Minors and Mandatory Reporter training as required by IUP and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.