Melton's Music Studio
-Anon
Piano instructor, music teacher, performer, church musician, accompanist...Tiffani Melton has been active in music education for over 30 years. As a piano instructor, her primary goal is to teach and promote musical skills. Tiffani establishes a comfortable, fun, and loving environment for her students to develop their musical skills. She emphasizes sight-reading, technique, scales, theory, and performance skills. Tiffani has used this process to teach hundreds of students. Her goal is for students to develop an understanding and appreciation for the piano, reaching a level that allows them to sit down as adults and play for enjoyment.
A native of Castro Valley, California, Tiffani resides in Kennesaw, Georgia with her husband, Byron and their four children: Mandi, Matthew, Jonathan and Luke. She received her B.A. in both piano performance and organ performance from California State University, East Bay.
Music educator, performer, orchestral musician, accompanist...Mandi Melton has been active in music education for 12 years. A fourth generation music teacher, Mandi began piano lessons with her mother as soon as she could sit, and has loved playing ever since. As an instructor on piano, violin, and harp, her primary goal is to teach and promote musical skills. Mandi establishes a comfortable, fun, and loving environment for her students to develop their musical skills. She emphasizes sight-reading, technique, scales, theory, and performance skills. Through her mentorship program, Mandi also places a large emphasis on social learning. This includes collaboration between students for weekly practicing, performances, and even music composition. Her goal is for students to develop an understanding and appreciation for their instrument, reaching a level that allows them to sit down as adults and play for enjoyment.
Mandi earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Performance at Emory University in 2018. Her honors harp recital earned her highest honors and she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She won the concerto competition at Kennesaw State in 2014 and she was the runner up in Emory’s Annual Concerto and Aria Competition in 2017. In 2014 Mandi completed the Music Teachers Association of California's Certificate of Merit piano training program through the advanced level.
Mandi earned first place honors in both the Concerto and Orchestra Competitions at the Young Artist's Harp Seminar in 2013 and in 2012 she won first place in the Advanced Division of the Bach Competition in Atlanta. In 2017 she was a counselor at YAHS, where she worked with harpists from across the country, focusing on performance skills, ensemble participation, theory workshops, leadership development and general musicianship. Mandi is an active volunteer in the Atlanta area, and performs regularly with community, church and youth orchestras.
ABOUT
"Long after the toys of childhood are gone, the gift of music remains."
POLICY
TUITION
Lessons and events are scheduled on a trimester basis. The trimesters begin in January, May and September. During each trimester, the students will receive a combination of at least sixteen private lessons, group classes, and performance opportunities. There is a set fee for the entire trimester, payable in four monthly installments.
Tuition is due no later than the 9th of each month. A late charge of $15 will be added to any payment received on or after the 10th of each month. Please check the student's assignment notebook for the full tuition bill, which may include additional charges for music books.
Lessons are offered in 30 minute, 45 minute and 60 minute increments of private instruction.
Tuition is based on enrollment, not attendance, and reserves the student’s exclusive lesson time throughout the piano year, whether he/she attends lessons or not.
ATTENDANCE
Make-up lessons:
Your tuition reserves your children's own time slot in the weekly schedule. Our schedules are full; only rarely are there other times available during the week for rescheduling lessons. We have reserved a week per trimester for makeup lessons, if necessary.
Cancellations:
Without prior notice, a missed lesson will not be made up. Please notify us as at least 24 hours before canceling. Refunds will not be given for missed lessons. If we must cancel a lesson, we will reschedule. Please do not bring children if they stayed home from school sick that day, even if they are feeling better.
PARENTAL SUPPORT
In order for your child to excel and reach their maximum potential, they need the support and encouragement of their parents for practicing each week. Progress depends on daily practicing. Maintaining a regular practice schedule is paramount for success. It is ideal for parents to sit with younger students, to ensure they are practicing correctly. Please check your child's notebook after each lesson and again before their next lesson to initial their weekly practice progress chart.
MISCELLANEOUS
Timely arrival and pickup:
Please drop off your child on time and pick them up promptly when the lesson is over. We are not equipped to care for children other than the students currently at their lesson, and it is a distraction when students leave during another's lesson.
Digital pianos:
Students must have a piano at home to practice on, preferably a real acoustic piano. Like athletes, we musicians train our muscles and our minds, and regular daily practice is necessary for progress. Some types of digital pianos are acceptable for the first few years of piano lessons. They must have 88 keys that are “weighted” and “touch-sensitive.” They also must have a foot pedal, a music rack, and a bench that sits at the proper height for the pianist. Keyboards without ALL these qualities will
not work for proper piano lessons.
Fingernails:
Pianists must keep their nails short to maintain proper hand position.
Pedaling:
Students advanced enough to use the pedal must bring a pair of socks to their lesson, in order to ensure proper technique.
COMMUNICATION
Our primary communication with parents is through the student's notebooks. Weekly notes concerning lesson times, book bills, and upcoming events will be written on your child's notebook. If you have immediate questions, feel free to text us.
We love teaching your children and it is an honor to pass on my love of music.
RECITALS
Traditionally, there are four recitals a year:
Studio Recital is usually held in the Spring. Students perform for one another in a relaxed setting to develop proper performance technique and nerve management skills.
Ensemble Recital takes place at the end of the summer. It is a wonderful, formal oportunity for students to perform duets, trios, and even quartets. They can play pieces with their teacher, parents, and any siblings or friends that are also enrolled in our studio.
Halloween Recital is an informal, students-only recital at the end of October where children wear their Halloween costumes.
Christmas Recital is the second formal recital of the year and takes place in the beginning of December. Students perform solo and duet arrangements of Christmas pieces in a festive recital to begin the Christmas season.
There is a dress rehearsal that is held on location before each of the formal recitals. This gives students the chance to practice performing on the recital piano, and practice being on stage with a small audience, before the performance.
Recital Etiquette
For all recitals, students should wear their "Sunday Best." This means that boys should wear nice dress pants and shirts. A tie and sports coat are an added bonus. Girls should wear a nice dress and shoes that they are comfortable pedaling in and walking up and down the stage stairs.
In addition to these set recitals, there will be theory, technique, and performance group classes throughout the year as part of the sixteen activities offered during each trimester. These will be at the studio and are student-only events.
CONTACT
Phone:
(678) 478-6371 Tiffani
(678) 849-0390 Mandi
Please feel free to text us!
Email: