Frequently asked questions:

ENROLLMENT

Are there any important topics that I should consider before signing up my child for music lessons?

Your child needs to express an interest in learning an instrument and as a school, we like to know if your family has a musical background, what is your child’s reason for taking music lessons and what does s/he hope to achieve. From the student and his/her family, we expect commitment to regular lesson both private and group lessons - theory attendance and home practice.

What is the enrollment process? How do I enroll my child?

Enrollment begins with completing a basic questionnaire, setting up a prospective teacher-student match and confirming schedule. 

After enrollment, does the lesson happen at the same time every week?

Yes. A regular, weekly lesson plan works best for educational progress (music theory and private)

What is the tuition rate?

Basic program: $217.00 monthly
 

30-minute private lesson and 45 minute group lesson (music theory) held once a week. 
Recommended for beginners and intermediate students.
 

we have 45-minute private lesson + 45 music theory Recommended for intermediate levels.

we offer 60-minute private lesson held once a week or 2 x 30 minute + 60 minute of Music Theory - advanced students.

for price please call our office 773 467 9000

How much should I expect my child to practice at home?

This depends on many factors, but as a general guide: 25 mins daily practice for a 30 min lesson, 40’ for a 45’ lesson, 50’ for a 60’ lesson. Note that true practice is not playing the music over and over but involves isolating a musical problem and working on it.

WHAT AGE TO START LESSONS

What is a good age to start private piano lesson and music group class at AM PaSO?

Age 4 after evaluation by teacher; age 5 and above (ready for private lessons)

Group Class: age 4 + 5 

What is a good age to start a string instrument (violin, piano)?

It depends on a child’s ability to concentrate as well as his/her interest in the instrument – this can be as young as 4 1/2 years of age.  A transition from the violin to piano and from piano to violin possible later.

Do you accept adult students?

Yes – we accept students at all levels. Many of  AM PaSO’s adult students are equally dedicated as younger students.

LESSON LENGTH

What is the length of each lesson? How long is a typical lesson?

Most AM PaSO lessons are 30, 45 or 60 minutes long, depending on factors such as the age and experience of the student, teacher availability and parent schedule. Lessons of theory of music 45' are obligatory for all students

Basic: 30-minute private lesson held once a week. 
Recommended for beginners students.

Intermediate: 45-minute private lesson held once a week. 
Recommended for intermediate level teens and adults.

60-minute private lesson held once a week. 
Recommended for advanced students.

SCHEDULING, RESCHEDULING AND CANCELLATION OF LESSONS

What do I do if my child is sick and cannot attend a lesson?

When possible, please let AM PaSO's Front Desk know immediately of this kind of genuine emergency – call 773 467 9000 during school hours or email us at ampaso@gmail.com outside of school hours. More than 24-hour notices will allow us time to inform the teacher. 

What happens if I need to cancel or reschedule a lesson?

During each semester AM PaSO offers 2 make-up lessons should a student must miss lessons for any reason, we respectfully request parents to give at least 24 hours notice of cancellation.

What happens if an AM teacher cancels a lesson?

AM will let the student and/or parents know as soon as possible when this happens. Front Desk will arrange either a make-up lesson or a substitute teacher will be arranged at/close to your regular lesson time. 

Can my children take lessons at the same time on the same day? Can my children take lessons ‘back to back’?

AM scheduling is handled by Front Desk and every effort is made to accommodate parental requests. If we are unable to accommodate, Front Desk will note the schedule request and contact you when the preferred lesson time becomes available. 



STUDENT PERFORMANCES

Do AM students perform in public? How can families and friends get to hear students perform?

AM hosts two student recitals a year which are great opportunities for students to present what they’ve learned. They are usually held at Copernicus Center  so that the students get a chance to perform on a professional stage – followed by refreshments, photographs and socializing.

Does AM PaSO hold small-scale or less formal student performances?

Yes – AM teachers have 2-4 class concerts. It is organized and run by the teacher on-site at AM. These occasions give students opportunities – especially beginners – to perform in front of smaller audience under low stress.

Do AM students ever perform in local institutions such as libraries churches or senior citizen centers?
 

Students love to perform for our community!
Each year, we play 12-14 concerts outside of our school. 

We enjoy to perform the best classical and popular music of the World - we grow with Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and other famous and great composers, but we are very proud to add to Chicago’s musical landscape a richness and beauty of Polish music. 

We are especially proud of our signature projects, such as Music of Polish Kings, which received a Best of the Best ranking in a survey of Chicago Public Libraries. 

Other special projects include:

     Tea at Chopin’s, a musical tale about the childhood of Fryderyk Chopin, Ignaś, the boy with a colorful head – an incredible, fascinating 
      journey into the mind and music of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, 
      Christmas around the World – a concert of holiday music and favorite carols from around the world, 
      Carnivals of Animals by Camille Saint-Saens, featuring best pianists of our school in solo parts of the masterpiece,
      ...and more - all presented in both Polish and English languages. 

Our students often take a part in larger events, including Chopin in the City Festival, Taste of Polonia, and Magic of Christmas Festival, 
as well as in many social and community events in the Chicagoland area.

FEEDBACK

How will I know if my child is progressing? What is the AM feedback policy?

Following each lesson, most teachers give parents verbal feedback. Written comments are also provided via the student’s Practice Log or Assignment Booklet, which is used to keep track of assignments and daily practice. 

IN THE LESSON

Are parents, guardians, nannies, siblings etc. allowed to sit in on lessons? Who is allowed to attend a lesson?

Any responsible person to attend a lesson but we respectfully request absolute non-interference with the teacher’s work.