Belmont Academy Student Policies
Our top priority at Belmont Academy is the student. The goals of the Academy are to guide our students in attaining a high level of music education and to help each student realize his or her individual potential. Policies were developed to enable the Academy faculty to focus on their students in an effective manner. Please read these carefully, and file them for future reference.
Registration Procedures
Belmont Academy is a part of the Belmont University system, and operates under the guidelines and fiscal year of the university.
- All registration fees and tuition for the semester are payable in advance and receivable before the first class.
- A non-refundable registration fee of $10.00 per family is due upon registration for each year.
- Payment must be made by check or money order and made payable to Belmont Academy. No cash, please.
- A fee of $25.00 will be assessed for returned checks.
Tuition will not be refunded after the third week of classes except due to illness or injury with written documentation from a physician. All refund requests must be made in writing. Tuition will be refunded for the number of weeks remaining in the semester less a $25.00 fee for processing.
Practice
Students are expected to practice daily. Please discuss practice requirements with your teacher. Students are permitted to practice in University practice rooms before or after a lesson. Two rules concerning the use of practice rooms:
- The student must leave the room if a college student needs that space.
- The door must be closed securely at all times.
*Practice in Harton Concert Hall is not permitted unless supervised by the teacher and approved by the Director.
Attendance
- Belmont Academy has limited studio space, and make-up lessons are difficult to schedule. Rescheduling cannot be guaranteed. Notification by the student of their inability to attend a private lesson or class is required twenty-four hours in advance, or the lesson will not be made up. Please ask your instructor how best to contact him or her in case of a cancellation.
- Lessons missed by student with no notice to instructor will not be made up.
- Forgotten or missed lessons due to conflicting activities will not be made up.
- A maximum of 3 make-up lessons per semester may be scheduled for absences due to illness or an emergency only. If the student is ill, we expect notification as soon as possible. If contagious, please respect the teacher's health as well as the health of the other students, by forgoing the lesson.
- Snow days will be made up only if Belmont University is open. If the weather is severe enough to close the campus, then college classes as well as Academy classes and lessons are cancelled and not made up. If you are unable to attend a lesson due to severe weather and the University is open, notify your instructor immediately that you will not be at the lesson.
- Students are responsible for scheduling make-up lessons with their teacher.
- Piano students are asked to attend lessons with hands washed and nails trimmed.
- If the teacher must cancel a lesson, every attempt will be made to make-up that lesson, provided studio space is available.
- Belmont Academy’s Spring Break coincides with the University Break. If this does not coincide with your school's Spring Break, it is your responsibility to try to work out a lesson time with your teacher at the beginning of the semester. Again, this will depend upon studio space availability and cannot be guaranteed.
Performances
Performing is a required discipline of music study. Students who learn to perform develop many character traits that distinguish them from those who have not had such an opportunity. Students are expected to participate in recitals. Information regarding other performance opportunities (auditions, competitions, festivals, etc.) will be made available through the individual instructors.
Recital Etiquette
There are recitals at the close of fall and spring semesters, and our students are asked to perform.
We strive to provide a respectful setting in which our performers can offer the best of their skills and talents. We want all of our students to enjoy their performances. Each recital is the showcase of their accomplishments. Please be considerate of the performers needs.
Consider the following carefully:
- Please arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the recital and report to the Greenroom to meet with Director.
- Remain seated throughout the entire performance. Recitals are posted well in advance in order to allow to students time to re-arrange their schedules. Do not exit a recital after your performance. Show your peers the same respect they offer you.
- If a young child needs to leave to avoid distracting the performance, please do so as quickly and quietly as possible.
- No flash photography allowed during the performance. Video photography will be permitted only if the video recorder is held quietly by one person who remains seated.
- Please turn off cellular phones and beepers.
- Attire for recital is as follows:
No jeans, miniskirts, shorts, midriff shirts, flip-flops, or tennis shoes are allowed! Please show respect for your peers and yourself and dress accordingly.