Welcome to the Piano Workshop!

When asked what our teaching philosophy is, my best response to this question is not to tell them about the one way that we teach: all of our teachers have different styles and adapt to meet the needs of a particular student. It is more accurate to tell you what we do not do. We won’t sit you or your child down at the piano, and go through a lesson book chapter by chapter, and hope for the best.

We at Piano Workshop are at the forefront of creativity and innovation. Our teachers are invested in your child’s music education and we are always researching and exploring new teaching methodologies and technologies for our studio. We match each student with an instructor that will be the best suited to teach the student the necessary skills and related theory to learn to play and grow musically. This approach will allow you or your children to tap into your individual creative spirit and begin a lifelong journey of exploring and appreciating music.

The teaching faculty at The Piano Workshop at Bergen County is comprised of artist and teachers who all have unique and specialized musical backgrounds. Teachers at The Piano Workshop are all degree holding educated musicians who are committed to delivering educational excellence to all students via a comprehensive and sequential curriculum centered and focused towards each student’s learning styles, musical goals, interests and aspirations. This not only makes learning highly informative but also super fun!

Our director, Sonia Kiernan, is available always via email, or phone to discuss any issues, thoughts, ideas or concerns you may have about your lessons, progress or anything else. She takes an active role in understanding where each student is, their relationship with their teacher, repertoire they are working on etc.
Please feel free to contact Sonia anytime.

Our Fall 2023 semester will run from September 5th, 2023 through January 20, 2024.
Our Spring 2024 semester will run from January 22nd, 2024 through June 22nd, 2024.

During the academic school year our rates are tuition based.

• You will be billed for just 18 of the 20 weeks for fall which allows for vacations and/or cancellations. You will be billed for just 19 of the 21 weeks for spring which allows for vacations and/or cancellations.

• Payment options are on the registration form.

• A late fee of $20 will be charged for payments made after the 10th of the month.

• For students starting lessons mid-semester, they will be invoiced monthly until the next semester begins.

• Please note that in home lesson tuition rates are $2.00 additional per lesson.

Invoices will be emailed at the end of each month for the upcoming month, and payments are due by the 10th of each month. Preferred method of payment can be found through the online link on your invoice. You may also use check or credit card. If you have a billing question, please contact Sonia directly with any questions (teachers are not in a position to answer any billing related questions).

**First month tuition and fees must be paid prior to your first scheduled lesson date of the semester.**

Registration Fee: There is a registration fee of $30 per student per semester or $50 for the whole year.  Registration fees cover the following:

• Maintenance of pianos and keyboards
• Teacher education
• Training and orientation
• Administrative paperwork, scheduling time for each student, trips to the music store…….you get the idea.

Please note: If you started your lessons in late Fall 2023, the registration fee and music fees will be waived for for our 2024 Spring semester.

Attendance and Make-up lessons:

Your lesson time is reserved each week and regular weekly attendance is expected of all students.

•  Notification of inability to attend a lesson does not excuse payment for the lesson. If more than 24 hour notice is provided, then a make-up lesson may be scheduled with the teacher.

• Make-ups will be scheduled based on teacher availability and are not guaranteed. Note: Only two make ups will be allowed per semester, and must be taken before the end of the semester. If less than 24 hours notice is given or if a student fails to show up for a lesson, there will be no make-up offered.

• We also offer  make up classes which will be offered and scheduled by each teacher. If you need to miss a lesson and are unable to reschedule, you may attend one of your teachers make up classes which may be offered in the evening or weekend hours.

• Reminder: You are only billed for 18 lessons in the first semester of 20 weeks and 19 lessons for the second semester of 21 weeks.

For emergencies and last minute scheduling issues please call the school number at 551-800-5965. Your message will immediately be texted to Sonia. This is the most efficient way to reach everyone, especially for last minute problems. Other scheduling issues may be discussed directly with your teacher. However, we ask that you also email the studio at director@pianoworkshopatbergencounty.com or use the email system on your calendar login page on our website.

Student Drop-off and Pick-up:
If a parent or guardian cannot wait with a student during a lesson, the student should be dropped off no earlier than five minutes before the scheduled lesson time and picked up no later than five minutes after the lesson ends. Please make sure their teacher is at the studio before you leave.  If a student must be dropped off early or picked up late or if you are running late unexpectedly, please contact the teacher directly to ensure someone will be at the studio to wait with your child.  The studio is only open for scheduled lessons and does not keep specific hours.  For your child’s safety and your own convenience, please do not assume the doors will be open and someone will be available to wait with your child more than five minutes before and after their scheduled lesson time.

Cancellation of Enrollment:
If a student needs to discontinue enrollment in a semester due to illness or other unavoidable circumstances, the studio will retain a pro-rated portion of the tuition for two weeks following the date of discontinuance.

New Students Enrolled Mid-Semester:
If a new student enrolls after a semester has begun, they may take a partial term of lessons with a pro-rated tuition.

Inclement Weather:
If The Piano Workshop is closed due to inclement weather, a make-up lesson via virtual meant (Zoom, FaceTime, Google Meet, etc.) will be scheduled with the teacher.  Please note: often schools are closed in the morning, but the roads are clear and safe by afternoon. In these cases, lessons will continue as scheduled. Please call the studio or your teacher directly if there is any doubt or question about the weather.

Teacher Cancellations:
In the event a teacher has to be absent due to a professional or personal commitment, a make-up lesson will be scheduled with the teacher. If a make-up is impossible, then we will issue a credit at the end of the semester for the missed lesson. In the event of an absence due to sudden illness or other teacher emergency, a substitute teacher may teach your lesson. You may not be notified about this in advance.

A Few Words About Practicing:
“You don’t have to practice every day, just on the days that you eat.”
This is good advice but not always the most practical. The most important time to practice is immediately following the lesson, or at least within the first 24 hours. Research indicates that retention rates go from 90% for students who practice within the first 24 hours of a lesson, to less than 60% for those who wait until the second day after a lesson.

• If a student has a 30 minute lesson, then a good daily practice session would last between 15 and 30 minutes (Depending on age).

• For a 45 minute lesson, practice should be between 30 and 45 minutes.

• For an hour lesson, practice should be between 45 and 80 minutes.

“If there is consistency, the results will speak for themselves.”

Our Commitment:

We are 100% invested in giving you (or your child) the appropriate curriculum to help achieve a successful education in music as well as enhancing a lifelong enjoyment and appreciation of music. Students have very diverse strengths, interests and learning styles. Parents have varying expectations. All this is considered when choosing lesson materials for each student. We are constantly researching and reviewing new materials, teaching aids, methodologies and educational technology to  assure that you are receiving the best music education possible.

We are currently accepting students from: 

• Ridgewood

• Paramus

• Midland Park

• Wyckoff

• Franklin Lakes

• Fair Lawn

• Oradell

• Upper Saddle River

• Saddle River

• Glen Rock

• Ho-Ho-Kus

• Bergen County

For in home lessons, we are currently accepting students from:

• Midland Park

• Ridgewood

• Wyckoff

• Waldwick

• Franklin Lakes

Lesson Schedules

Our semesters run from Labor Day through the 3rd week of January, and then from February through the third week of June. Summer sessions and packages are available as well.

Our Bergen County school is located at the Midland Park shopping center in Midland Park, NJ. Our brand new facility creates an inviting and welcoming environment for students to grow musically. Our rooms are equipped with acoustic pianos, one being a baby grand piano and a Yamaha Arius electric piano. Students can collaborate with other students in our ensemble room, write and record music and learn a variety of different styles and instruments.

We also offer online music lessons, scheduling and teacher availability permitting. In home lesson coming soon!