A Pre-Kindergarten - Grade 12 co-educational independent day school in Westchester County, New York

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Music Department Private Lesson Program

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General Information

  • Private music lessons are offered as enrichment to the student's education.
  • Private lessons are offered in voice, piano, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Lessons utilize the characteristic literature of the instrument or voice.
  • Private lessons are taught by professional specialists who have been selected for their outstanding ability to teach and relate to young people.
  • Private Lessons will be offered in person with strict adherence to appropriate social distancing guidelines and school safety guidelines. 
  • Lessons are scheduled before and after school, or during the school day, and meet approximately once per week.
  • Any interested RCDS student in Grades 4 –12 is eligible to take private music lessons. 
    • Students in Grades K – 3 who would like to take piano or voice lessons will also be considered.
      • Please note: Students in Grades K – 1 may only register for lessons before and after school.
    • Private voice instruction is primarily encouraged for older students and should be discussed with the music teacher prior to registering.

RCDS Private Lesson Teachers

Brass

  • John Ragusa: Trumpet

  • Sara Della Posta: French horn
  • TBD: Trombone

Woodwinds

  • Alex McCabe: Saxophones and Clarinet
  • John Ragusa: Flute

Percussion

  • TBD

Piano

  • Keith Burton
  • Sara Della Posta
  • Craig Hartley
  • Tom Kohl

Voice

  • Jessica Zamek

Student Responsibilities

  • Be fully prepared for each lesson.
  • Schedule time to practice.
  • Comply with all school policies.
  • Follow guidelines pertaining to absences (see cancellation policy below).
  • Try their best in each lesson.
  • Have fun!

Costs and Fees

  • 30-Minute Lesson: $60.00/session
  • 40-Minute Lesson: $70.00/session

Private lessons occur once a week or once in a six-day cycle. The length of the lesson depends on student/teacher schedule availability. Parents are billed in advance (to the RCDS student account) in 12-lesson packages. There is a one-time registration and music supply fee of $65.00. 

For students who receive financial aid, music lessons are covered at the same percentage as the financial aid grant for tuition. Please note, the total program cost will be adjusted to match your financial aid grant percentage by the Business Office after the form is submitted. 

RCDS Lesson Cancellation and Make-Up Policies

The tuition for private lessons pays not only for the lesson time but also lesson planning, parent consultation, and recital organization. Because the teacher clears his or her own schedule of other commitments to provide a regular lesson time and conflicts can arise for the student, the cancellation policy must be strictly followed out of mutual respect.

  1. Students may cancel a lesson for school trips or school absence without charge if they provide the teacher more than 24 hours notice.*
  2. In the case of illness only: the student may cancel by 8 a.m. the morning of the lesson without charge and be eligible for a make-up lesson at a mutually agreeable time. If the student does not wish to schedule a make-up lesson, the full lesson fee will be charged.
  3. If the student misses a lesson without proper notice, the entire lesson fee will be charged, and the student will not be eligible for a make-up lesson.
  4. If at any point the student wants to discontinue lessons, the student shall be responsible for payment for two more lessons after notification is received by the teacher.
  5. The School may suspend lessons if it seems to be compromising a student’s other schoolwork.

*NOTE: The School does not report absences to the private teachers. To cancel a lesson, you must contact the teacher directly.

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