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Lessons

Any Calvin student (regardless of major) can study individually with one of our gifted faculty members. Private lessons are available for an additional fee in the areas of brass, composition, guitar, organ, percussion, piano, strings, voice, and woodwinds.

Course code calculator

For composition, the course codes are MUSC 030-W: Composition (non-credit) and MUSC 240: Composition (for credit). For all other course codes, use the formula below:

   +    

   =  Your Course Code

Getting Started in Lessons 

At the beginning of each semester, students taking private lessons should email their complete schedule (including classes, work, etc.) to their assigned instructor. Instructors will then correspond with the student to schedule a weekly lesson time. Students should contact the Music Office if instructors have not made contact by the end of the first ten days of the semester.  

Some performance areas, like voice and piano, engage in placement auditions to help determine studio assignment and lesson level. When needed, these auditions are held during the first week of the semester, coordinated by the performance area supervisor.  

Full-time faculty members serve as supervisors for the lessons within a performance area: 

Upon registering for lessons, students will see the area supervisors listed as teachers of record; the actual lessons are often taught by the private lesson instructor to whom students have been assigned. Music majors and minors—as well as any student enrolled in private lessons at Calvin—must study with Calvin music faculty.

Lesson Fees  

When students enroll in a private lesson course, they are charged a private lesson fee, which is billed to their miscellaneous account. The following fees apply: 

  • MUSC 030: $360 
  • MUSC 060: $720 
  • MUSC 260: $900 

The music program subsidizes lesson fees for certain categories of students—music majors and minors, as well as music scholarship winners with scholarships that require lessons. Students falling into one or more of these categories will be issued a reimbursement on course fees during the first six weeks of the semester. The reimbursements are at the following rates: 

  • MUSC 030: $150 (Net cost = $210) 
  • MUSC 060: $300 (Net cost = $420) 
  • MUSC 260: $400 (Net cost = $500) 

Students deciding to withdraw from the private lesson course will be issued a full or partial refund according to Calvin’s reimbursement schedule:  

  • Calendar days 1-10:      100% refund 
  • Calendar days 11-24:     80% refund 
  • Calendar days 25-31:     60% refund 
  • Calendar days 32-38:     40% refund 
  • After 38 calendar days:    0% refund 

Refunds are automatically calculated by the Financial Services Office according to the date the Registrar completes the withdrawal process. Note: the withdrawal form must be signed by the appropriate area supervisor and taken directly to the Registrar’s Office. (The music office does not process private lesson withdrawals and refunds.) 

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