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KJPAS 2023-2024 Studio Policies

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GENERAL POLICIES   

 

• Each student shall receive a 30-minute or 60-minute private lesson each week for the duration of the studio year (August 13, 2023 thru May 18, 2024). Lessons will be conducted “live and in person” in my Myrtle Beach studio; or via Facetime if you do not live in the Myrtle Beach area. 

·      If you would like to have an hour-long lesson, simply sign-up for two lesson time-slots. 

• Studio lessons will be offered Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday afternoons and evenings. 

• If cast in a show, please make every effort to make it to your weekly lesson. Even Broadway performers continue to go to their vocal coach during the run of a show so that they may protect and preserve their voices. And please do remember to list your KJPAS lesson as a conflict on your school/community theater audition form so that you will be let out of rehearsal to attend your lesson. 

• KJPAS offers winter and summer musical theater intensives. KJPAS students are strongly encouraged to attend these intensives. I have seen extraordinary growth occur with my students when they participate in such a focused theatrical training ground, not to mention the fact that this is a great opportunity for you to work with Broadway performers and meet students from other states who share your same interests!

• Parking: please park in my driveway, or directly in front of my house on my side of the street only. 

• When arriving for your lesson, there is no need to knock on the door, just come on in and have a seat in the waiting area. I will come and get you once I finish with the previous student. Keep in mind that my previous student may be via Facetime, so do not be concerned if there isn’t a car in the driveway when you arrive. 

• If you will not be able to make it to your lesson, or will arrive more than 5 minutes late, please text me so that I will not worry about you. It is not acceptable to miss your lesson without letting me know in advance. 

• Besides a water bottle, no outside food or beverages are allowed inside my home/studio.

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STUDIO BENEFITS

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• Each year I hire and fly in Broadway, Film and Television performers from New York or LA to work with my students at no extra charge to you. No other studio offers this kind of opportunity for free. 

• I own an excellent instrument, a Yamaha U-3 piano.

·      Rehearsal tracks will be recorded in the studio and e-mailed as Mp3 files to each student.

·      I own a 4K video camera, theater lights and a backdrop for recording college pre-screen auditions. 

• KJPAS Music and Script library: I have one of the most extensive privately owned musical theatre collections in the country (in excess of 50,000 songs), and hundreds of monologues, plays and screenplays. And through my connections with theatre professionals in New York City, I am able to acquire almost any piece of music, including unpublished Broadway scores.

• Studio Photocopier: I can take music from my extensive library, copy it, and send it home with you the same day, or e-mail it to you immediately as a PDF file.

·      The studio subscribes to FIOS Internet for excellent quality virtual lessons. 

• The studio owns a portable Fender sound system with professional Beta SM57 microphones, and a weighted 88-key Yamaha professional keyboard for gigs out in the community. 

• KJPAS occasionally offers performing arts trips to New York City to culturally enrich and artistically educate students of the studio. I highly encourage my students to participate when these are offered. 

• In addition to your private lesson, studio training will include musical theater history classes, music theory classes, masterclasses with guest performers, and much more. Please refer to the studio calendar. 

• Performance opportunities will include KJPAS Live at Mellow Mushroom gigs, the KJPAS Mock Audition, the Holiday Cabaret, and the Spring Recital. Other performing opportunities will be offered as they arise. 

• KJPAS never uses performance tracks. I always accompany my students “live” on the piano. Sheet music will be distributed regularly for the students to learn from.

 

TUITION and TRAINING


 

2023-2024 KJPAS tuition will be $200 per month, August 1 thru May 1 for weekly half-hour private lessons. If you would prefer to have an hour-long lesson each week, your tuition would be $400 per month. This includes 16 weeks of training per semester. The studio operates under the “all-inclusive” model where all sheet music, photocopies, and rehearsal tracks are included in your regular tuition, as well as all “bonus” workshops (including musical theater history, music theory, Broadway performer masterclasses, etc.). Tuition shall be due on the (1st) first of each month, August, 2023 thru May, 2024.A $75 registration fee is due now to hold your place in the studio program. This fee helps to cover studio expenses including acquiring Broadway scores, scripts and CD’s, facility rental fees for studio performances, paper, copier toner, and flying in and housing Broadway performers for special studio workshops and masterclasses. 

Participation in the studio program is understood to be from August, 2023 thru the end of May, 2024. I am making the commitment for the entire year to provide you with exemplary musical theater training. In return, I need you to commit to completing the full year of training at KJPAS before deciding to pursue other interests. If you do decide to leave the program early, you must give a full 30 days’ notice before tuition is due. So, if you give notice on October 30th, you must still pay your November tuition. If you give notice on November 2nd, you must still pay your November and December tuition. 

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I want to work with students who have a true passion for performing and a deep desire to develop their craft. I spend many hours each year crafting a well-rounded curriculum for my students. That is what sets me apart from every other voice and acting teacher. Unlike those teachers who will ask “what would you like to work on today?” when you arrive at your lesson, I have an agenda for each of my students to make them highly educated performers. In addition to the work that they do on their songs and monologues, I hold them accountable to score satisfactory grades on their music theory, musical theatre history, and sight-singing tests. While I do encourage my students to pursue as many training and performing opportunities as possible, I do expect them to consider their training at KJPAS a priority. This is why so many studio alumni have been accepted to outstanding college musical theater programs, and why so many have gone on to have very successful careers in theater, film and television. I am willing to work on non-KJPAS curriculum (i.e. audition preparation), but only after we complete the KJPAS curriculum. If you find that you need additional preparation for school, community theater, professional theater auditions, I would be more than happy to set up an additional coaching session for you outside of the studio schedule at my regular coaching rates. Please speak to me as the need arises and we can match up schedules. I have found that my hour-long students always have time to work on both the KJPAS curriculum and audition material. My half-hour students are often pressed for time to work on outside material, so an extra coaching session now and then would be a worthwhile investment. 

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I accept the following payment options:  

 

• Venmo. This is my favorite platform and industry standard for performers. I strongly encourage parents to use Venmo to pay your monthly tuition. It is an instant transfer, so you will never be late on your tuition payment, and you can easily do it from anywhere using your cell phone. You can find me on Venmo: @Kevin-Jones-178

• Apple Pay. This payment method is just as easy as Venmo. Send your payment to my cell number: 843-251-9542. 

• PayPal. If you do choose to use PayPal, you will have to check that it is set to send to “pay a friend”. Send your payment to my email address: kjpas27@gmail.com

• CashApp. Send your payment to my cashtag: $KJPAS

• Zelle.  Send your payment to my email address: kjpas27@gmail.com or my cell 843-251-9542

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Please note: Any payment received after midnight on the 1st of the month will incur a $50 late fee.

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For lessons conducted via Facetime, I highly recommend that you subscribe to high speed internet and that the student is located as close to the router as possible. This will ensure a strong connection for the best possible lesson. I also strongly recommend that the student use a single earbud connected via Bluetooth to reduce possible audio feedback. Finally, for all Facetime lessons, it is imperative that the student has a second device (computer/iPad) available to play the rehearsal tracks that I have recorded.   

 

 

SPECIAL WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMANCES

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In addition to your weekly private lesson, I offer several classes and workshops throughout the year. They include music theory, musical theater history, and masterclasses with guest artists. These classes and workshops are not optional; they are part of the KJPAS training program as they replace your regular lesson time for that week (so if you miss the class, you are effectively missing your lesson). I am committed to training performers who desire to learn how to read music, study the history of the Broadway theater, and who are working to become a proficient sight-singer.  

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MISSED LESSONS

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No financial deduction will be made for missed lessons. Unfortunately, I am only available to offer lessons during the regular lesson schedule. I will not be able to make up lessons at alternate times.Thus, I encourage students to swap lessons with another student when a conflict arises. Please be pro-active and plan ahead! Any lessons cancelled by the instructor will be re-scheduled.

An annual studio calendar listing all lessons, workshops, and performances will be provided prior to the first lesson of the studio year. Please be sure to transfer the important dates on your family calendar so that you do not miss out on any performances or workshops. I utilize a lesson-swapping system, so if you ever have a conflict with your lesson time, simply text or call other students and arrange a lesson swap. Be sure to text me to let me know who you swapped with so that I will be ready for your lesson. 

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INCLEMENT WEATHER 


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As I teach out of my home studio and by Facetime, I am always available to teach during lesson times. Thus, the studio will never be closed due to inclement weather. Please also refer to the “inclement weather policy” document for additional information. 

 

STUDIO CORRESPONDANCE AND CONTACTING KEVIN 


 

I am very good at communicating with students and parents and making sure that everyone is aware of all studio lessons and events. By accepting my offer to join this studio, and signing the studio agreement document, you agree to read all studio email correspondence in a timely manner, as this is my primary form of communication. If you do not read the studio e-mail updates, you will inevitably miss important information and opportunities. I am very conscientious of your time and only send out succinct email information as it is absolutely necessary. Please refer regularly to the studio calendar, the latest/greatest lesson schedule, and studio email correspondence so that you are always “in the know”. 

 

The best way to contact me at any time is by e-mail (kjpas27@gmail.com). You are also welcome to text or call me at 843-251-9542. 

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FINAL THOUGHTS

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My mantra on performing is this: I believe in empowering my students and setting them up for success. My goal is to train my students here in the studio so that they can go out into the world and land parts (and often leading roles) in their school, community theater, or professional theater productions; get accepted to a college theater program; or to be able to confidently stand up in front of a group of people and deliver a stellar presentation. I also train my students to be kind, humble, and fine citizens of the world.