Most students take 1 hr. weekly lessons. Though it is possible to take longer lessons, we feel that a concentrated 30 min. is plenty of time and especially best with a beginner. Group lessons take 1 hour because of the number of students, as this will allow teachers to attend to each student.
Yes. Abba Music School offers rolling admissions, which allows students to register at any time during the year.
Music lessons are all ongoing, so you can start anytime!
A session consists of 30 total lessons. When you register, you are committing to the remainder of the lessons in the current semester. The exception is AMS Compact, which allows adult students to purchase four or six one-hour lessons per term. Compact lessons are scheduled directly between the student and school administrator.
It is our strong held belief that attendance at lessons promotes progress. When a student progresses, they feel good about themselves as growing musicians and are much more likely to stick with lessons. Our policies are meant to stress regular attendance. In the event of a missed lesson, the student can reschedule lessons. It is the consistency of scheduled lessons that promotes regular practice and ultimately success in the form of a joyful, lifelong connection with music.
Also, we pride ourselves on having qualified and friendly teachers giving our students the best possible music lessons. These instructors count on their students to attend their lessons and the income derived from that and have reserved a specific time in their week only for them. As a courtesy to our teachers and for practical reasons, we offer 9 make-ups per year.
It is our strong believe that music learning is a gradual process. Patience and practice is an essential ingredient needed to develop any musical skill or technique. We recommend that every student gains insight on identifying music tones before learning how to tune their instrument – lest all you get is jilts and broken strings!
Private lessons work best when they are taken alone. Even if the students are both the same age and at the same level, they are going to learn at different rates and even more importantly in different ways. The job of the teacher is to adapt a lesson plan to fit the needs of an individual student. This becomes too difficult and ultimately fails to work when teaching more than one student in a lesson over a period of time.
It is always best to check the Calendar page on the website for exact dates. We are closed for most major holidays.
The school requires a 30 day written notice for students that want to withdrawal. No refunds are issued. A 30 day written notice is required and must be handed directly into the front desk. No email or phone call withdrawals are permitted. Termination of tuition fees will begin 30 days from receipt of written notice. No refunds will be made for any missed classes or lessons.
Yes, we do.
Group lessons are available for children and adults. Group lessons are finite, in that they are not to take the place of private lessons. They are a way for students to see and decide if that instrument is indeed the instrument of their choice. Group lessons differ from private in some very distinct ways. Firstly, the pace is much slower since the instructor needs to meet all the needs of the class. Secondly, private lessons are tailored to meet the individual student’s needs and interests. Student’s progresses more quickly in private lessons. Details are harder to miss in private lessons and each student can learn at their own pace. The teacher has the time and focus to work on the individual student’s strengths and weaknesses. For that lesson period, the student is the primary focus of the teacher. And lastly, group lessons are for a specific period of time like 6 weeks or 8 weeks. Private lessons are continual.
Group lessons are available for children and adults. Group lessons are finite, in that they are not to take the place of private lessons. They are a way for students to see and decide if that instrument is indeed the instrument of their choice. Group lessons differ from private in some very distinct ways. Firstly, the pace is much slower since the instructor needs to meet all the needs of the class. Secondly, private lessons are tailored to meet the individual student’s needs and interests. Student’s progresses more quickly in private lessons. Details are harder to miss in private lessons and each student can learn at their own pace. The teacher has the time and focus to work on the individual student’s strengths and weaknesses. For that lesson period, the student is the primary focus of the teacher. And lastly, group lessons are for a specific period of time like 6 weeks or 8 weeks. Private lessons are continual.
Students are allowed to miss 3 lessons per term. Cancellation must be made no later than 2 hours before lesson time.Cancellations of lessons must be made by calling the school at 08092083326. No credits for a make-up-lesson will be made unless you call and report the absence. Students should schedule a time for a make-up lesson directly with the administrator.
Group music and classes have a separate make up policy. Make ups for group classes are not guaranteed, and given at the discretion of Abba School staff.Only one make-up class will be permitted within an 8 week period. All make-ups must be made within 2 weeks of missed class and in the current month of enrolment. No make-up students will be permitted in full classes. If there are no classes available for make-ups in the current month of enrolment, a makeup class cannot be taken. All make-ups must be scheduled in advance with the front desk. A student may be denied entry to a class without having made a reservation to attend the make-up class in advance. If the pre-arranged make-up class is missed, no make-up will be provided.
Every student who is currently enrolled in lessons has a free account with Music Online Community.
It is remarkable playground of learning games that teach and reinforce traditional music theory and aural skills. We use this remarkable program to supplement each lesson material online for practice at home during the week. Check out www.musiclearningcommunity.com for more information and a brief explanatory video.
Teens and adults can start any instrument at any time. We have taught beginners in their 60’s and 70’s. For children, starting private lessons at the right time is the key element to the success of their lessons. Some people will tell you “the sooner the better” but this attitude can actually backfire and be a negative. Many parents want their children to start instruction at 4 years of age or even earlier. This can be very stressful. Kindergarten is already stressful with new rules, new friends and new teachers. At a time when children are learning through a brain body connection, having them sit still in a lesson for 30 minutes may not be the best path to take. The Early Childhood classes are designed to provide children with all the tools to succeed in private lessons once they become 6 or 7, depending upon the instrument.
Yes, we know how challenging it is to leave the comfort of our homes, that’s why we offer home lessons. Tell us you available days and we’ll bring the music to you!
This depends upon the instrument that is being studied. We recommend purchasing if you are studying, guitar,violin, cello, woodwinds, or drums. However, Abba Music School provides students instrument that can be used in the school premise - free-of-charge for current students of the school, subject to availability.
In many cases, an alternate class or lesson can be arranged and will improve a child's learning experience. If it is necessary to withdraw from classes, a 75% refund will be given if withdrawal is within the first two lessons. No refunds will be given after two lessons.
Yes. Your lesson time is reserved every week just for you and cannot be taken by anyone else. You have the same time and day each week. We know how important having a convenient time is for our busy parents and students.
We are happy to change your lesson time to another permanent time that’s available.
This depends on the type of lesson being registered. For private lessons, you meet with your teacher(s) once in each week of term or session. For group lessons, you meet with you teachers twice in each week of term or session, one lesson during the week and the other in the weekend.
Firstly, we have found through our experience of teaching thousands of lessons, when learning something that has both conceptual and physical demands, like playing a musical instrument or singing, it’s important to start gradually. We recommend students begin with 1 lesson in a week since they will be given assignments and need to practice what has been taught – and we know how busy children and adults can be with school and work. However, if a student shows great pace with learning upon his/her teacher’s recommendation lesson days will be increased.
We recommend that a student take at least 8 lessons or two months’ worth in order to see some progress and to see if it's a good fit. This is what we recommend, but it is not required. Keep in mind that the school does require a 30 day notice to withdraw.
Students are provided with Assignment Log Book where teachers record every lesson and activity that was held. So, students can always look up on their Assignment Log Book. Staff members are always on deck to attend to tuning of instrument
Even though we encourage having 1 lesson in a week. We also believe that two weeks is too long for students to remember everything their teacher showed them in the last lesson. With lessons every other week, it’s almost like starting over again each lesson. Secondly, we have found that students don’t practice any more in a 2 week period than in a 1 week period. As a result, students take more than twice as long to learn the same amount, negating any effort to save money. Remember that learning a musical instrument is very much like learning a foreign language.
Yes. We have an open door policy and parents are welcome to join their student in the lesson. Parents are also invited to our student-led-conferences where their children get to show their parents what they are learning. This will help you access your child’s progress.
We recommend that beginners learn one instrument first before moving on to another. Because each instruments has its own rudiments and will require patience and practice to learn it. However, students can choose to learn more than one instrument.
We offer several performance opportunities each year. There is an annual summer recital (July), Christmas carol and lightening (December). There is no cost to participate and friends and family are encouraged to attend the performances!