Payment Policy
Payment is due at the time of booking via Venmo. Please inquire about other methods of pay available
Ongoing weekly lessons are offered with payment due in advance on the 1st of each month. Monthly tuition amount adjusts according to the number of weeks in a calendar month. Holiday closures will be communicated in advance.
Coachings can be offered as single sessions or as a group of sessions.
Cancellation, Scheduling, and Attendance Policy:
- Please arrive on time for your scheduled time and prepared with your materials. If you arrive late, your lesson will still end at the same time.
- Please be sure when you commit to lessons that it is a time that works well for you. When you schedule a lesson with me, I am reserving that time especially for you. Available slots are booked on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- Students must provide a minimum of 24 hours notice of cancellation. There are no refunds for canceled lessons.
- Lessons canceled with proper notice are eligible to be rescheduled based on availability within the calendar month.
- If a student arrives for their lesson and is actively ill, I reserve the right to end the lesson, and no refund or credit will be given (see Wellness Policy below).
- For the best experience possible, please make every effort to attend your lessons consistently. Soula Vocal Studio is not obligated to make up missed lessons, but will make every effort to accommodate your needs within reason. Please use this option sparingly, as it becomes difficult to continually reschedule clients and availability for alternative times may be limited. It also benefits you to remain consistent in your lesson practice!
- Please remember the full rate is charged for any lesson that is canceled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice.
- If I need to cancel a lesson, I will reschedule and if I am unable to reschedule, I will refund you for the cancelled lesson.
- Discontinuation and modification of lessons:
- if you need to discontinue regular lessons at any time, please first consider reaching out to brainstorm ways that we can work together to support your continued participation in lessons.
- If you wish to discontinue lessons, please provide at least two weeks notice, and please be aware that there will be no refunds for the monthly tuition should you decide to quit before the end of the month.
- If you need to modify your voice lessons due to vacation, summer schedules, etc, please email me as soon as possible but at least 30 days in advance so that I can plan for your absence.
- Holidays and studio breaks will be discussed and disclosed in advance.
- Thank you for your attention to these policies and for supporting the positive flow of studio lessons!
Wellness Policy
- To preserve everyone’s wellness, Soula Vocal Studio has a strict health policy.
- If a student is exhibiting any symptoms of viral illness of cold, flu, or COVID-19 including fever, cough, runny nose, sneezing, cold or flu symptoms, vomiting , diarrhea, or otherwise contagious symptoms, please contact me immediately to discuss alternative options.
- If the illness is severe, rescheduling would be most appropriate. For minor symptoms, you have the option to schedule a virtual lesson via Zoom instead. If symptoms are consistent with Covid-19, you may be asked for a negative test prior to continuing in person lessons.
- Please be mindful and do not bring an illness into the studio. Please note that if a student arrives for lessons actively ill, that I reserve the right to end the lesson and send the student home. Thank you for your understanding.
- As singers, our bodies are our instruments. As such, please care for your body and voice and protect your health in order get the most out of your lessons (and your daily life of course!).
- If you have any questions about your vocal health or whether you should be singing while recovering from an illness or injury, please don’t hesitate to reach out or inquire in your lessons.
How to Prepare for Your Lessons
Whether your lessons are virtual or in person, here are some tips to prepare for a successful lesson:
- gather all your lesson materials in advance: music, pencil, recording device, water, notebook
- for virtual lessons, take some time to set up your environment and technology in advance
- warm up a little bit on your own before your lesson for the best results
- practice in between your lessons so you can internalize what you have learned, and be ready to move forward
What to Bring to Your Voice Lessons:
- Bottled water
- Audio recording device: (smartphones are great for this), but you can also use an alternative. iPhone has voice notes and android phones usually have a built in app called voice recorder. There are a ton of free apps available. Please be sure to explore this and have your app ready to use before your lesson to allow for best use of your time.
- Pencil with working eraser
- 2 copies of the sheet music for the songs you are working on. For virtual lessons, please send a PDF digital copy of any music you are working on in advance.*
- If you are singing along to a recording, have it saved, cued and ready on a separate phone/device.
- Notebook to write down vocal exercises, goals, or vocal tips.
*Although upon occasion, I may be able to provide music, students are responsible for the purchase of their own music. There are a wealth of online resources available to purchase your repertoire (suggestions coming soon).
How to Prepare For a Successful Virtual Lesson:
- Make sure you have a strong internet connection and are close enough to your router to have a consistent signal
- Set up your lesson environment in advance. You will need:
- a computer or tablet with Zoom installed. (I find that laptops with a decent speaker work better than iPads because you have access to better Zoom audio settings, but iPads will work too)
- a print out of your music and a working pencil with eraser
- a separate device to play your accompaniment tracks-you can use a smartphone with external speaker or other device that will play into the room that is not your zoom screen.
- water nearby so you can stay hydrated
- to set up your computer so that you can stand up straight with good posture and be seen clearly in the camera. You may need to move around until you find the best angle.
- Test your video and audio in advance
- Check your Zoom settings in advance. You will want to enable original sound and turn it on, and if you are on a computer, you will want to go to audio settings and turn the filter background noise to low or off
- Pick a quiet place where you will not be interrupted