Terms & Studio Policy

• The school reserves the right to make changes to teachers’ timetables where necessary.
• All students should aim to have a suitable instrument at home for practice. For piano students, a full-size keyboard is acceptable in the first year if necessary — contact your teacher for instrument advice.
• Students must bring all required music books and materials to each lesson. If a student arrives without their materials, the teacher is not obligated to provide the lesson that day.
• Lessons are non-refundable and non-transferable.
• If a student arrives late, the lost time cannot be made up at the end of the lesson.
• All students are expected to commit to regular practice in line with their teacher’s guidelines.
• Students are expected to behave respectfully in the studio at all times.
• Snacks may be consumed in communal areas but not in teaching studios. Chewing gum is not permitted in any studio.

The VMA operates a strict 36-hour cancellation policy for all one-to-one lessons. Any lesson not cancelled or rescheduled at least 36 hours before its start time will be charged at the full rate.

• Rescheduling is at the teacher’s discretion and subject to their availability.
• It is the student’s or guardian’s responsibility to reschedule — not the studio or teacher’s.
• Every booking confirmation email contains a link to reschedule before the 36-hour window closes.
• A Zoom link is also included in each confirmation email, so lessons can take place online if attending in person is not possible.
• If a student is unable to manage the rescheduling process, they must contact the studio in good time so we can assist.

This policy does not apply to School Term Package classes — see Section 4.

A booking is only confirmed once payment has been received. We accept payment via our website (Stripe), bank transfer, or cash.

• In the event of a late cancellation (less than 36 hours’ notice), a no-show, or failure to reschedule in time, the prepaid lesson fee is forfeited.
• Class times are not held on an ongoing basis unless they are part of a School Term Package.
• Pay-as-you-go bookings and non-term packages must be renewed by the holder — the VMA does not automatically hold or renew time slots.
• The VMA does not send booking reminders. It is the student’s or guardian’s responsibility to manage their bookings.

School Term Packages are sold at a discounted rate and as such operate under different terms to pay-as-you-go lessons.

• The 36-hour cancellation and rescheduling policy does not apply to School Term Package classes.
• All classes must be taken during the school term they are purchased for, at the scheduled time.
• If a teacher needs to reschedule a class, that class may be rescheduled at another time by prior agreement with the teacher, subject to availability.
• Outside of teacher-initiated changes, rescheduling or cancellation of term package classes is not permitted.
• If a class cannot be attended at its scheduled time, it is forfeited unless otherwise agreed with the teacher in advance.

Prepaid lesson fees are redeemable before their expiry date but are not refundable or transferable.

If a prepaid lesson (excluding School Term Package classes) is cancelled before the 36-hour cancellation deadline, a lesson credit will be issued. This credit may be applied to a future booking provided it is used before its expiry date.

All prepaid lesson fees carry an expiry date:

• Individual lessons & lesson series: 12 months from date of purchase.
• Gift certificates (lesson amount): 12 months from date of purchase.
• Gift cards (euro amount): No expiry date.
• School Term Packages: Must be used within the school term they are purchased for and cannot be carried over.

Regular attendance is essential in group classes. Each session builds on the previous one, and consistent absences affect not just the individual student but the progress of the whole group.

• Students are expected to attend all scheduled group classes and to arrive at least 5 minutes early to set up.
• If a student will be absent, parents or guardians should notify the school or teacher as soon as possible.
• There are no makeup classes or credits available for missed group sessions, without exception.
• Patterns of repeated absence will be noted and parents or guardians will be contacted.

On rare occasions, a teacher may need to cancel a lesson — for example, due to illness, a professional commitment such as a performance or educational event, or an unforeseen circumstance. Where possible, advance notice will always be given.

• If the teacher cancels a lesson, a make-up lesson will be arranged at a mutually available time.
• If the student is unable to attend the make-up lesson, the lesson is forfeited.
• A class that has not been paid for is not considered booked and therefore cannot be cancelled.

Lessons are not automatically cancelled during school holidays or public holidays. Prior notice will be given when the VMA is closed for a scheduled break or special event.

If you wish to cancel or move a lesson due to a holiday, please refer to the 36-Hour Cancellation & Rescheduling Policy in Section 2.

• If you arrive late, your lesson will end at the originally scheduled time. Lost time will not be made up.
• If you arrive on time but the previous lesson is still in progress, you will receive your full allotted time.
• Please do not arrive more than 5 minutes before your scheduled lesson to avoid disrupting the session in progress.
• All teaching sessions end 3–5 minutes before the close of the appointed time to allow for changeover between students.

By booking a class, joining a group, or signing up to our mailing list, you agree to receive occasional emails from the VMA. We only send communications that are directly relevant to the school — new terms, policy changes, or important notices. We do not spam.

For more day-to-day updates, follow us on our social channels.

• You can unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time using the link in any email we send.
• When the school contacts you, the information is important. We ask that emails are read and, where a response is requested, replied to in a timely manner.
• Open communication between students, parents, and teachers is essential to progress. We encourage you to reach out to your teacher directly with any questions or concerns.