Tuition & FAQ

The best place to begin is our Get Started form. Once you submit it, we will reply within three business days with the next available options. Trial lessons are limited and scheduled based on availability.

Yes, we do. Ostinato Piano Studio is an approved vendor for Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program.

If your family is eligible, you may use ESA funds for piano lessons at our studio. You will need to confirm your eligibility and submit payments through your ESA/ClassWallet account.

You can pay for lessons by Zelle or Venmo. ESA payments are processed through ClassWallet, and credit card payments are also available with an additional 3% processing fee.

There is no registration fee, and we do not charge a late-payment fee.

Absolutely! Adults can choose regular monthly tuition or a flexible per-lesson schedule, depending on what works best for them.

The 30-minute trial lesson gives us an opportunity to meet the student, learn about their musical background and goals, and recommend the best next step.

For beginning students, we observe their response to music, sound, and rhythm, along with their listening, focus, coordination, and basic comfort at the piano. Students with previous experience may be invited to play so we can better understand their technique, reading, rhythm, musical understanding, and current level.

For younger students, the session also includes a brief conversation with a parent.

One of the most influential pianist-composers and piano pedagogues of the past expressed it particularly well:

We usually recommend that parents sit in during lessons, especially with younger students, and take notes when it is helpful. This makes it much easier to support assignments and build a consistent practice routine at home. There will naturally be times when progress feels exciting and times when it feels slower or frustrating. That is all part of learning an instrument. Most progress happens between lessons, so steady practice and encouragement at home make a real difference.

We usually begin with one lesson each week. A 45-minute lesson is the minimum for students who want to participate in ASP or certain additional performance and assessment opportunities.

Depending on a student’s age, level, goals, repertoire, and progress, we may recommend lessons twice a week. The additional time can also be helpful when preparing for recitals, examinations, festivals, competitions, or advanced repertoire. We will discuss the right lesson length and frequency during the trial lesson.

We reserve a specific weekly lesson time for each student, and that time remains theirs whether or not they attend. A missed lesson usually cannot be reassigned to another student or filled on short notice, so tuition reserves the student’s place in our teaching schedule rather than paying only for lessons attended.

We’re proud to offer one of the most flexible make-up policies among private music studios. With at least 24 hours’ notice, students who attend once a week may make up two lessons per semester, and students who attend twice a week may make up four. Make-ups are subject to studio availability and may be held in person or online.

Lessons beyond these limits, cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice, and no-shows are forfeited. If we need to cancel a lesson, we will arrange a make-up, and it will not count toward the student’s make-up limit. A refund will be issued only if we cancel the lesson and cannot find a mutually convenient time for the make-up. Students may also email us a recording for written feedback when a lesson is missed.

For adults paying per lesson, cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice and no-shows are charged unless there is a genuine emergency.

Absolutely! We believe performing is an important part of learning music. It gives students a chance to see how far they have come, build self-confidence and poise, and grow as musicians. Our studio recitals are held twice a year in a warm, supportive setting for family, friends, and the studio community.

When they are ready, students may also take part in outside recitals, festivals, competitions, and assessment programs, including the Arizona Study Program.

When available, summer lessons are offered as a separate session. You can find the current summer dates on the studio calendar.

If you need to stop lessons, please give us 30 days’ written notice so we can adjust your tuition accordingly.