Frequently Asked Questions

How are lessons scheduled?

Lessons can be 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, or longer. I have times available on weekdays, evenings, and weekends. Most students have a lesson every week, but we can also do lessons on a more occasional basis, whatever suits you and your schedule. Contact me to find a mutually agreeable time for your lesson.

May I have my lessons all in-person/all online/a mixture of in-person and online?

Yes to all of these. I have students who come for in-person lessons only, others who have lessons exclusively online, and others who have some lessons online and some in-person.

Do you offer a free trial lesson?

No. You can book a trial lesson, but I expect to be paid for it. I do offer a free online Zoom meeting to prospective students (or their parents) so they can ask questions.

Do you teach students outside of Ontario/in other time zones?

Yes. I have taught lessons to students as far away as China! If we can find a mutually convenient time, and you have access to the internet for online lessons, I can work with you.

How do I pay for lessons?

Students in Canada: etransfer is best; if you come for in-person lessons, cash or cheque is also possible. You may pay for a set of lessons in advance or pay as you go.

Students outside of Canada: by Paypal, for a minimum of 4 lessons in advance.

Contact me to find out my current rate.

What is your cancellation policy?

If you need to cancel or reschedule a lesson, please give me as much notice as possible. I won't charge for a missed lesson if you cancel ahead of time, or if you call/text right away and let me know about an emergency that caused you to miss your lesson. I will charge for missed lessons when the student simply doesn't show up.

When you schedule a lesson, I set that time aside for you. Please respect that and do what you can to be on time for lessons. If you give me fair warning that you have to miss a lesson, I can schedule another student during that time or use the time to do something else.

Do you offer lessons in your student's home?

No, I teach in my home studio. If travelling to my home isn't convenient, you do have the option of taking online lessons.

I have allergies/Do you have allergies?

My home is a scent-free zone, since I am allergic to scent. Students and parents: please avoid wearing scent (perfume, aftershave, strongly scented body lotions, etc.).

I share my home with two Siamese cats. They seem to be fairly hypoallergenic: I am allergic to cats, yet I'm OK with the Siamese, and my students who have cat allergies are also fine with them. But if you have a severe cat allergy, you might want to take a single lesson to check out your reaction to my cats (or have online lessons).

If you have any other allergies I should know about, please let me know.

May I sit in on my child's lesson?

Yes, if your child is comfortable with that. Some of my students' parents sit in the room where I am teaching, some sit in the waiting room, some wait in their car during the lesson, and some drop off the student and come back to pick them up at the end of the lesson. Sometimes parents stay in the room when their child has an online lesson. All of these scenarios are fine with me.

What books do I need for my lessons?

It depends! Every student is different, and I teach students at all levels from beginner to advanced.

One flute method book I like to use for beginning flute students is the Beginner's Book for the Flute (Part One) by Trevor Wye (published by Novello). I also like to use the RCM materials (the Overtones series for flute, the Voice series for singing, and the Celebrate Theory series for theory). But we can use any books you currently own, and I can recommend other books depending on your needs.

Do I have to do RCM examinations?

No. I encourage my students to do examinations if they wish, but no one has to do an exam. Many students just want to play or sing for fun, or they are interested primarily in improving their playing or singing for class, band, orchestra, or choir, and that's fine with me.

Can you help me prepare for RCM examinations, other examinations, school tests, choir auditions, university auditions...?

Yes!

Do you teach adult beginners?

Yes! I love teaching adults. It's never too late to learn to sing or play an instrument. My studio currently includes students ranging in age from 9 to 77.

At what age can my child begin flute lessons?

I recommend starting flute lessons no earlier than age 8. The child needs to have arms long enough to hold the flute correctly (even with a curved headjoint). If you would like your child to start at an earlier age, and they're not quite ready to handle a flute, I can teach them to play the recorder to begin with.