EVS SUMMER 2026 POLICIES and PROCEDURES:

MANDATORY HEALTH POLICY:  If you are sick with a fever, cough, sneezing, or any other symptoms akin to what one may experience with Covid-19, but your voice seems unaffected, your lesson will be given online rather than in-person.  If you have tested negative, but have a persistent cough or sneezing due to allergies, please wear a mask at your lesson and let me know so that I may as well.  As with the current sickness policy, if you are sick the day of the lesson, you must notify me prior to 9 am that day in order to be issued a credit to use for rescheduling. If you do arrive with symptoms, you will be sent home to resume the remainder of your lesson online when you arrive. Thanks in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

  

Payments/Tuition (see HOW EVS WORKS page) are due on the first of the month.

 

Summer 2026 LESSON OVERVIEW (also see Calendar page under LESSONS):
Lessons for the 2026 EVS SUMMER Studio Term will begin on Wednesday June 10 and conclude on Thurs, Aug. 27, 2026. FLEX days will occur on August 24 and 28, 2026.   Closures will be noted on the studio calendar tab under LESSONS. Lessons will occur on Wednesdays and Thursdays except where otherwise noted on the calendar.

*Dates are subject to change if travel plans change or unforeseen conflicts/illnesses arise, but will hopefully stay as stated.

 

TUITION and FEES for 2024-25:

Weekly 60 minute sessions: $300 per month paid via auto pay on the first of the month.
Weekly 45 minute sessions: $240 per month paid via auto pay on the first of the month.

DROP-IN LESSONS for Occasional Students: $95 per one hour session

All new students will be charged a $25 administration fee at time of sign up.  This fee will be deducted from the $95 annual  administration fee charged in September for all students in the academic year (if you continue lessons).  There will no summer admin fees charged to existing students who continue to study through the summer.

Punctuality:
Please arrive at your lessons on time and ready to get to work!  In person lessons: Please wait until the time of your lesson to enter the studio. 
If I am not in the studio when you arrive, please text me and I’ll head right up! If you are online, enter the Zoom Room at your lesson time, and you will be allowed in by Jerry. If you are running late, please notify me via text at 612-669-8890.  I will normally send a text if you are not present five minutes after the start of your lesson.  If no response, I will sign off after 10 minutes, and the lesson will be forfeited. Late arrivals will receive shortened lessons. 

 

*Rescheduling lessons:
All rescheduling must be accomplished via the online calendar.  If you must miss a lesson due to a change of schedule or illness, your cancelation
must be made online more than 48 hours in advance to be eligible for a lesson credit to be issued to your account on My Music Staff.  Rescheduling of
lessons for short-notice cancellations will be granted only in cases of sudden illness (must cancel via online calendar prior to 9 am on the day of the
lesson) or significant emergencies. Lesson reminders are sent out three days in advance of each lesson, which gives you 24 hours to get online before your 48 hour notice window expires.  The online system is capable of both email and text reminders, so be sure to opt for what works best for you.

Lesson rescheduling will be allowed during open times on the online calendar or on FLEX days only. It is the sole responsibility of the student/guardian to cancel and reschedule lessons using the online scheduling system found at elsberndvoicestudio.com/login.  Lessons canceled via phone, email, or text will not be eligible to be rescheduled.  Should the need arise, any lessons cancelled by Jerry will be rescheduled at a mutually agreeable time.

 

Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy and Procedure:
If you know that you can’t make a lesson, please log on to your MMS account portal (located at the above link and on the bottom of every EVS webpage), open the calendar and click the lesson in question to request a cancellation. Please include your reason for the cancellation in the appropriate box.  Once you’ve done that, look on the online calendar for an open book icon next to a day and time that works for you, and register for that lesson.  If none appear immediately, please check back frequently to see if things open up.

 

Please cancel your lessons via the online calendar as soon as you can. When everyone does this, it allows for others (and you!) to reschedule into those open time slots.  Rescheduling is done on a first served basis and is not guaranteed.

 

No show lessons (“Oops, it slipped my mind!”) will not be allowed to reschedule without an additional lesson fee.  There will be no credits, refunds, or rebates for missed or late canceled lessons. This policy is consistent with those of sports teams, schools, and camps. Regular attendance is of the ultimate importance to make improvement.

 

Work Schedule Conflicts: Although schedules for part-time jobs can be tricky, a work scheduling conflict does NOT constitute an excused lesson. It is the student’s responsibility to avoid being scheduled during their lesson time commitment or working ahead to cancel and reschedule via the online calendar and availability.

 

Flex (Designated Make-Up) Days:
As stated above, FLEX days will occur on June 2,3, and 5, 2026.  As they fill up, the open times will no longer appear on the calendar, so plan ahead to ensure you can make up your lessons.  There will also be several lessons on the calendar that open up as others reschedule their open times as the year progresses, so check back frequently for other openings, and please don’t wait until the last week of lessons to try to cram multiple lessons in.  THANKS!

 

Colds, coughs (NO SINGING LESSONS):
If you do not feel well, stay home and let me know.  If you are scheduled for an in-person lesson, but have tested positive for (or come down with any symptoms that resemble) Covid-19 infection, flu, or other upper respiratory issue, please give me notice and we will opt for a Zoom lesson instead.  If singing is painful, we can also opt for an online non-singing lesson that includes music theory, ear-training, rhythm reading exercises, IPA, and/or gentle recovery exercises to relieve vocal swelling and throat discomfort. We can also use this time to listen to new repertoire and choose new music. The non singing lesson is very productive and yet allows the student to rest their voice (again, please cancel lessons if you have a serious illness or you will be sent home).

 

Weather:
If you are coming in person and weather is such that it becomes unsafe to travel (school snow days or severe summer weather), an online lesson will be
offered during your scheduled lesson time via Zoom.  If a seek shelter weather advisory (tornado or otherwise) happens during your lesson, we will
sign off, both relocate to lower levels, and sign back on unless weather knocks out power and internet.

 

Vocal fatigue from misuse or overuse:
If you are experiencing vocal fatigue from overuse of the voice during an intense rehearsal period, during the run of a show, or from singing or speaking
too much, your lesson is a crucial commitment to keep, as we will do exercises to reduce swelling and discuss plans for recovery and avoidance of injury.

 

What if I don’t get a rescheduled lesson in?
If you manage your time well and require minimal rescheduling, you should be able to reschedule lessons throughout the year via the online calendar openings and FLEX days and not miss any. If you are concerned with the thought that you may be charged for services not rendered, please be assured that your tuition is always working for you. I spend a great deal of time and money outside of lessons purchasing repertoire, planning and scheduling, researching new and better methods to help you achieve vocal technique and artistry goals, and attending teacher workshops. I kindly remind all students and families that between rehearsals, recitals and coaching for extra performance opportunities like live auditions, judging at NATS, etc. – I guarantee that students receive more of my professional time than they actually pay for.

 

Discontinuing Lessons: Your lesson time is reserved for you for the duration of the term (academic year or summer term).  If you decide that you are unable to continue lessons, I ask that you give at least one month notice. There are no refunds or credits for lessons missed or cancelled.