Read the Students and Families Handbook Online
Contact the office at (603) 447 – 4737 or office@mountaintopmusic.org. Our office phone can receive text messages.
Check our website at mountaintopmusic.org for class offerings, registration, calendar updates, cancellation announcements, recitals and events, and more important information.
Check conwaymajestic.com for information on The Majestic Theatre, The Majestic Café, and box office.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with current and upcoming events.
The Center sends out a monthly email newsletter with information and events. Subscribe directly on our website to receive the newsletter.
Benefits of Studying at Mountain Top Music Center
What you receive with your lessons:
Our expert, experienced faculty are skilled music professionals who enrich the musical and artistic landscape of the region
The school fosters a welcoming and broad community where you will be amongst supportive fellow learners and music-lovers
Choice from a wide range of instruments, genres, and styles— we believe in the equal value of many ways of making music, and mixing up genres and approaches is celebrated at Mountain Top
Your instructor works with you to create a customizable pathway for your personal musical goals
A busy and diverse concert series bringing top-notch music of all kinds to our region throughout the year, with free tickets available to youth students and reduced-price tickets for family members
There are numerous performance opportunities for students throughout the year arranged for you at no extra cost, including professional accompaniment by arrangement
Professional performance venue with professional-grade recording and video capabilities
Affordable instrument rentals as well as assistance and advice on purchasing or maintaining your own instrument
Tuition assistance and family discounts to help keep cost of study within reach
A range of ensemble opportunities to broaden your musicianship and enjoy playing with peers and friends
Ensembles are free for enrolled youth students
Honors program providing extra educational opportunities for dedicated youth students (see Top of the Mountain program)
Access to practice and rehearsal spaces and reference library
Fully-equipped teaching studios
Student Responsibilities
The study of music can be a joyous and rewarding experience, developing one’s self-expression, artistry, and discipline. In order to progress well you will need to do the following:
1. Attend lessons regularly and be on time. Being on time involves arriving early enough to set up your instrument, tune, and prepare music right away at the start of your lesson time if not before. Lessons are often scheduled back to back, so an efficient change-over helps you, your instructor, and other students to make the most of lesson time. Understand that while your teacher endeavors to keep lessons to the scheduled times, changeover and other factors may result in a few minutes’ flexibility in the schedule.
2. Practice every day in a quiet place. Remember that the quality of practice time is as important as quantity. Consistency of practice is more important than length of sessions—ten minutes a day is better than waiting until the day before your lesson to cram in a two hour session that causes stress and injury!
3. Keep your music and instrument in good order and bring your music to lessons. Bring all music as instructed by your teacher, as well as a pencil and any requisite accessories such as a tuner or metronome.
4. Physical health is just as important for musicians as it is for athletes.
5. Attend live music performances at every opportunity. Current Mountain Top youth students may attend any Mountain Top concert free of charge.
6. Follow instructor and staff guidance and maintain mutually respectful relationships within the Mountain Top environment and community. Maintain communications with the office to keep up to date with scheduling, events, etc.
7. Participate in performance opportunities as guided by your instructor.
8. Enjoy yourself and remember to take pride in being a student of music.
Family Responsibilities
For youth students, family members’ support and engagement are vital to success. Help support progress by:
1. Keep up to date with practice instructions given by teachers.
2. Provide a good practice environment at home: adequate space, time, a sufficiently quiet atmosphere, reminders to practice, and potentially supervision and help during practice sessions. Consistency of practice is far more important than length of session— five minutes each day is preferable to one hour once a week.
3. Help students to organize and maintain their instruments and materials. This includes reminding or helping students to bring their instruments and all necessary materials to their lessons.
4. Maintain communications with the office to notify staff and faculty of any changes, absences, and issues that may arise as promptly as possible so that we may best assist you, and to keep up to date with events and announcements from the school.
Family members are always welcome to attend students’ lessons at any time in order to observe their progress, receive instructions from teachers, and learn how to help students outside of class time.
Teacher Responsibilities
1. Work with students to create lesson plans and goals appropriate to student’s age, skill level, and personal musical interests and goals.
2. Provide frequent feedback to students so they know how they are progressing.
3. Instruct students on appropriate practice strategies, habits, and relevant musical activities outside of lesson/class time.
4. Provide guidance on procurement of instruments, sheet music, and other tools as needed.
5. For youth students, communicate and work with parents to support students’ practice habits and musical development.
6. Support students’ performance activities, including arriving early before recitals to help with tuning, warming up, etc.
7. Maintain relationships of mutual respect with students and families.
8. Begin and end lessons and classes at scheduled time as closely as possible, recognizing that some flexibility is necessary as lessons are often scheduled back to back, and additionally situations may arise where extra time is needed during lesson or class changeover.
Instruments and Materials
Instrument Rental
Mountain Top Music Center has a limited number of instruments available for rental on a monthly basis by students enrolled in our educational programs. A rental fee of $15 per month will be charged for each instrument on rental as of the first of each month. Parents are responsible for damage or loss. Some group classes may include instrument provision.
Sheet Music and Other Materials
Your instructor and school staff will provide guidance regarding provision or purchase of sheet music, instruments, and other relevant accessories as necessary during the course of your study. School staff can assist with placing orders, sourcing repairs, and other related needs. MTMC may bill your student account for materials such as sheet music, strings, etc. ordered on your behalf. Likewise, MTMC may bill you for repairs to rental instruments outside of normal maintenance. You will be notified in advance with an itemized invoice before any charges are assessed.
Tuition Assistance
At Mountain Top Music Center, we endeavor to make the study of music financially accessible to all. In addition to the 5% discount on multiple registrations detailed under payment policies, tuition assistance is available on a needs basis to help mitigate the expense of music study. Download the tuition assistance form.
Policies
The tuition assistance application must be completed and returned before lessons begin in order to receive reduced tuition.
Mountain Top Music Center’s tuition assistance program works on a sliding scale. We award different amounts of tuition assistance depending on household income and the availability of Mountain Top Music Center’s scholarship funds.
Mountain Top sometimes awards tuition assistance to families who do not meet income limits when special circumstances are involved, at the discretion of the director.
Tuition assistance is awarded in the fall for the full calendar year, though applications will be reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis after the commencement of the fall term subject to availability of funds.
Tuition assistance may be applied to one course of study; for example, towards piano lessons or violin lessons, but not both at once. This ensures the scholarship fund remains equitable and sustainable.
Tuition assistance must be renewed each year.
In order to enable as many students as possible to benefit from reduced tuition costs, we do not currently offer full tuition remission.
Applications are both reviewed and held confidentially. Mountain Top Music Center does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, marital status, or age in employment or administration of its educational policies, scholarship and financial aid programs, or other school administered programs or activities.
Receiving financial assistance requires the following mandatory commitments on the recipient’s part:
1. Regular attendance at lessons/classes/ensembles.
2. Regular practice at home.
3. Participation in performances.
4. Effort and achievement.
Students who are evaluated by faculty and administration as not engaging sufficiently with their course of study may be denied future tuition assistance. Tuition assistance status is not shared with faculty; the Director of Education holds responsibility for adjusting or removing tuition assistance based on faculty feedback and evaluations, and only after a formal review and observation process.
Payment and Registration Procedures and Policies
How to Register
Registrations and payments may be made online via our Opus1 platform. New students may register through the booking portal, while existing students can use the booking portal link or log in to their existing Opus1 account. Registrations and payments may also be made with the registrar, in person or by phone or email. If you have questions, are looking for a registration option that is not listed, or have trouble with the registration or payment process, our registrar will be happy to assist you in person, by phone, or by email.
Payment Schedule
Lessons and classes are usually billed monthly in installments based on the number of sessions within the month. When registering for a new course of study, the first payment is due upon registration in addition to a $10 registration fee. Subsequent monthly payments are due on the 1st of each month. Auto-payments are processed on the 7th. A late fee of $25 will be assessed to unpaid invoices after 15 days. Select classes may have other payment structures such as payment in full; drop-in/single visit rates; class passes; or other arrangements. Available payment plans will be listed on the relevant booking page.
Payment Methods
Payments may be made by credit card, check, or cash. You can make payments by card and set up or manage auto-pay in your Opus1 account. Cash or check payments must be handled via the office, whether in person or by mail.
Family Discounts
A 5% discount is available for more than one registration for one or more individual students per family. This discount may be combined with tuition assistance. It applies to private lessons only.
Trial Lessons
For certain lessons with select instructors, a designated trial session may be bookable. If a trial session is not listed amongst the registration options, then for that lesson type/that instructor, register normally, and the first lesson is considered a trial. If after that initial lesson you decide not to continue, we will refund your registration.
Class Passes
Some group classes have the option to purchase a class pass rather than registering for the full term session. The class pass is valid for any 4 class dates from one course, and must be used during the same term in which the pass is purchased. You may purchase a new 4-class pass once the 4 classes have been used.
Ensembles and Youth Students
All ensembles are free to students under 18 who are currently enrolled in private lessons. Students should still formally register for the relevant ensemble so that the office is able to track registration and communicate effectively with ensemble members.
Free Classes
Certain classes are offered for free, but you will still be requested to register for communication purposes.
Absences and Makeups
Student Absences
Students pay for all lessons in the term regardless of attendance (registrations after the beginning of the term will be pro-rated). Students should notify the office of any absence as soon as possible, out of courtesy to the instructor. This does not exempt the student from payment. Your Opus1 account allows you to cancel and request rescheduling of known absences in advance. Notified absences in advanced will result in a service credit, but not a refund. Cancellation within 12 hours of your scheduled lesson is considered late cancellation, and you will be billed for the lesson. No refunds are given for late cancellations or no-shows. Arriving more than 10 minutes late to your lesson time is considered a no-show.
Teacher Absences
If a teacher must be absent, the student will be notified as promptly as possible. All teacher absences and weather cancellations will be made up, rescheduled, or credited.
Makeup Lessons
Private lesson students registered for an entire term may make up one notified student absence in the 13-week fall semester and two notified student absences in the 18-week spring semester, at the teacher’s discretion. There are no makeups in the 8-week summer term.
Group Class Makeups
There are no makeups for student absences from group lessons. If a group lesson is cancelled by Mountain Top, it will be made up or credited.
Cancellations, Safety, and Accessibility
Weather Cancellation
Mountain Top Music Center will occasionally cancel class due to inclement weather. Weather-related Mountain Top closings will be posted to our website, on our Facebook page, and announced on WMWV 93.5 FM and wmwv.com. If inclement weather starts later in the day, call the office at 447-4737 to check for a recorded message. All activities cancelled due to weather will be made up during make-up week at the end of the semester or by other arrangements.
Class Cancellation
Mountain Top Music Center reserves the right to cancel any group class that does not meet the required minimum of students. The office will contact you to arrange any refunds and re-registrations.
Safeguarding
Mountain Top Music Center takes the safety and wellbeing of our community seriously. All staff and faculty are subject to background checks and teaching activity, as well as any activity within our facilities or at our events, is regularly monitored. Should any issue arise, please immediately contact Dr. Julia Howell at julia@mountaintopmusic.org, by phone, or in person to discuss in confidence.
A first aid kit is maintained at the school and is available in the office.
COVID-19 and Health Protocols
COVID-19 cases have been rising in our area. We are happy to continue to see you/your students, but we ask you to please do the following:
If you/your student has a positive COVID test or is experiencing any symptoms of illness, please let Mountain Top know, including the day that symptoms started/test was positive. Please do this even if the student tested positive/starting having symptoms after the lesson was over. (We will let you know right away if your teacher develops COVID).
If you/your student has active symptoms, please DO NOT COME TO MOUNTAIN TOP. If our teachers see that a student has active symptoms, they may ask the student to leave the classroom and not finish the lesson. If the student is a child, we will call the parent/guardian to come and pick them up.
If you/your student is recovering from COVID and has no fever or active cough AND it has been five days since the onset of symptoms, they may return to lessons masked. Be sure to tell the office or the teacher before the lesson that the student is on (or beyond) day 5 without symptoms. Please continue to send your student masked until they test negative.
Teachers may ask students to mask in their studios at any time should they observe symptoms of any illness. We have a supply of masks here. Teachers may also ask students to go home if they are observed to be unwell.
Diversity and Inclusion
Mountain Top Music Center is committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone. No member of our community, whether faculty, staff, student, volunteer, or participant, will be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or physical or mental disability. Discrimination and harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. Should any issue arise, please immediately contact Dr. Julia Howell at julia@mountaintopmusic.org, by phone, or in person to discuss in confidence.
Accessibility
Mountain Top Music Center endeavors to make facilities, activities, and events accessible wherever possible. The music school has two reserved disabled parking spaces, curb- and step-free entry, a wheelchair-accessible lift, and ADA-compliant restroom with step-free access from the music school. For offsite activities or performances, the Center attempts to contract with accessible venues whenever available and/or make extra provisions for access. If you have any concerns or accommodations that need to be met, please contact our office and we will be happy to work with you.
Data Protection and Privacy
We collect certain contact and demographic details during registration, evaluation, and instrument rental processes in order to best serve you and communicate efficiently. This information is stored securely on a localized network accessible only to staff, and will only be used by staff for standard school operations and communications. All payments are processed securely through an encrypted payment gateway. Your information will never be shared with third parties without express permission. Anonymized demographic information may be used for the purposes of reporting, governance, fundraising, and/or analysis in order to track and improve Mountain Top Music Center’s operations. If you have any concerns about data protection and privacy, please contact the office.
Photography and Recording
Any photography or recordings made by Mountain Top Music Center of student activities or performances may be used in marketing materials in print and on the web. If you have any concerns about photography or recording, please contact the office.
Facilities
The following amenities are available to students, families, and the MTMC community:
- Lobby area with seating, water fountain and water bottle refill station, telephone
- Practice/rehearsal rooms available on first-come, first-served basis
- Restrooms
- WiFi access
- Library of music reference books, sheet music, and recordings Parking
- Lift
- The Majestic Café
- The Majestic Theatre
- Private parking lot
- Interested in using our facilities for practice, rehearsal, or similar purposes? Please contact the office to make arrangements.
- Learn more about The Majestic Theatre and Café at conwaymajestic.com.
Evaluations
About Evaluations
Each academic year, you and your teacher will complete a two-part evaluation process at the first and last lesson of the year. Evaluations are not meant to be competitive or like an exam, but rather to give you and your teacher reference points and milestones on your path as a musician, and recognition of your progress. The purpose of this activity is to help you and your instructor reflect on (and celebrate!) your achievements and progress as a musician, as well as identify areas for improvement and goals for the future.
At your first lesson of the year, you and your teacher will work together to complete a goal-setting form to help guide your studies for the year and provide some flexible milestones for you to work towards. At the end of the year, you and your instructor will work together to fill out an evaluation covering the past year of your studies to reflect on your progress and achievements and prepare for summer or next year’s lessons, and decide the level currently achieved. See level descriptions for more information on levels.
Level Descriptions
End of Year Evaluation
Note: The level descriptions are intended as a guide, and are subject to the judgment and interpretation of instructor. They are generalized and not fully inclusive of each possible criteria for each instrument, while some criteria may not be relevant depending on course of study. Individual students may align with some points and not others depending on personal progression.
I Early Beginner
● Beginning music study from scratch.
● Learning parts of the instrument.
● Beginning to learn basic techniques and correct posture.
● Learning to listen, count, and imitate instructor.
● Learning pre-notation (note names or finger numbers).
● Learning basic motor skills and coordination for instrument.
● For vocalists, beginning to learn good breathing techniques.
II Developing Beginner
● Improving basic techniques with correct posture.
● Improving listening, counting, and imitating instructor.
● Can play melodic lines with mostly stepwise motion and/or mostly diatonic patterns.
● For chord-based instruments, learning to play basic chords (open position, triads, or similar).
● Learning to read music on the staff.
● Proficient at pre-notation (note names or finger numbers).
● Learning about time signatures and accurate counting.
● Understanding of note durations up to eighth notes.
● Progressing motor skills, coordination, and control, including correct breathing.
● Can match pitch with about 50% accuracy or better.
III Proficient Beginner
● Can read music on the staff and up to one or two ledger lines above/below the staff accurately, or tablature appropriate to level.
● Understands and can count common time signatures.
● Understands note durations up to eighth notes.
● Learning major scales up to one sharp or one flat, or similar level of technical
exercise/rudiments.
● Understands dynamic markings.
● Can play more complex melodic lines including leaps and/or basic chord progressions with
smooth changes.
● Good motor skills, coordination, and control.
● Solid ear training and imitative skills, matching pitch with about 75% accuracy or better.
● Can use correct posture/position without prompting most of the time.
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● Regular practice habits.
IV Early Intermediate
● Competent reading of notation including ledger line notes, relevant clefs, tablature, and/or accurate learning by ear as appropriate.
● Solid sense of pitch and audiation, including matching pitch with about 85% accuracy or better.
● Beginning to learn techniques for creating dynamics and other expression.
● Beginning to learn to play with other musicians.
● Can play scales and pieces in key signatures containing up to two flats or sharps.
● Beginning to understand intervals and basic chords and/or beginning to learn grooves.
● Learning simple improvisation, composition, or playing from memory as relevant to study.
● Good coordination and motor skills with correct posture, learning independence of hands or
other physical element as appropriate to instrument.
● Learning self-directed practice habits, including noticing mistakes.
V Developing Intermediate
● Competent reading of notation including ledger line notes, relevant clefs, and/or accurate learning by ear as appropriate.
● Solid sense of pitch and audiation, including matching pitch with nearly 100% accuracy most of the time.
● Can play with phrasing, dynamics, and other appropriate expression as indicated in notation or by ear.
● Learning intermediate repertoire as judged by instructor.
● Good timing, tempo, and accurate rhythm including more complex time signatures and note
values up to sixteenth notes.
● Learning to play in time with others.
● Beginning to learn common musical structures.
● Learning major and minor scales and arpeggios in more than one octave, and/or equivalent
level of technical exercises.
● Solid independence of hands and learning multiple hand positions as relevant.
● Learning about intervals and chords and can play through simple chord progressions and/or
more advanced grooves.
● Learning to improvise or compose with simple materials as relevant to course of study.
● Regular self-directed practice habits, including noticing and self-correcting mistakes often.
VI Proficient Intermediate
● Understanding of more advanced rhythmic patterns including syncopation.
● Mostly accurate reading of notation or tablature and/or learning by ear.
● Proficient at changing chords and/or hand positions smoothly with little to no hesitation.
● Understands performance practices and etiquette appropriate to level and style of
performance.
● Learning intermediate repertoire as judged by instructor.
● Good timing, tempo, and accurate rhythm including more complex time signatures such as
(compound time signatures) and note values up to sixteenth notes.
● Can play in intermediate-level ensembles with peers.
● Learning major and minor and/or other relevant types of scales and arpeggios in more than
one octave, and/or equivalent level of technical exercises.
● Can play in key signatures up to three sharps or flats.
● Solid independence of hands and learning multiple hand positions as relevant.
● For vocalists, good diction and learning to change vowel sounds.
● Learning about intervals and chords and can play through simple chord progressions and/or
more advanced grooves.
MTMC Student/Family Handbook
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● Learning to improvise or compose with simple materials as relevant to course of study.
● Regular self-directed practice habits including noticing and self-correcting mistakes a majority
of the time.
VII Early Advanced
● Accurate reading and/or learning by ear the majority of the time.
● Accurate intonation the majority of the time.
● Good rhythmic accuracy including syncopated rhythms, note values up to sixteenth notes, and
contrapuntal/contrary lines as relevant to instrument.
● Learning intermediate to early advanced repertoire as judged by instructor.
● Can play in intermediate-level ensembles with peers, including simple accompanying.
● Learning major and minor and/or other relevant types of scales and arpeggios in more than
one octave, and/or equivalent level of technical exercises.
● Can play in key signatures up to three sharps or flats.
● Solid independence of hands and learning multiple hand positions as relevant.
● For string players, learning to shift to second and third positions.
● Can play smoothly through more advanced chord progressions and/or play along with a
backing track accurately with good tempo and timing.
● Understanding of intervals and chords including four-note chords.
● Can improvise or compose with simple materials as relevant to course of study.
● Can perform from memory as appropriate.
● For vocalists, learning to sing in different languages and/or change tone appropriately to the
song style with good diction.
● Regular self-directed practice habits including noticing and self-correcting mistakes a majority
of the time.
VIII Developing Advanced
● Majority accurate reading and/or learning by ear.
● High level of intonation accuracy.
● High level of rhythmic accuracy including syncopated rhythms, note values up to 32nd notes,
and more complex contrapuntal/contrary lines and accompanimental patterns as relevant to
instrument.
● Learning intermediate to early advanced repertoire as judged by instructor.
● Can play in key signatures up to four sharps or flats.
● Can play in intermediate-level ensembles with peers, including simple accompanying.
● Learning major and minor and/or other relevant types of scales and arpeggios in multiple
octaves, and/or equivalent level of technical exercises.
● Learning etudes at intermediate/higher intermediate/advanced level as judged by instructor.
● Solid independence of hands and learning multiple hand positions as relevant.
● For string players, learning to shift to second through fifth positions and vibrato.
● Can play smoothly through more advanced chord progressions and/or play along with a
backing track accurately with good tempo and timing, including more complex rhythmic
patterns and grooves such as Latin rhythms.
● Understanding of intervals and chords including four-note chords.
● Can improvise or compose with simple materials as relevant to course of study.
● Can perform from memory as appropriate.
● For vocalists, can sing in different languages and/or change tone appropriately to the song
style, and demonstrates good diction.
● Regular self-directed practice habits including noticing and self-correcting mistakes.
IX Proficient Advanced
● Highly accurate reading and/or learning by ear including sight-reading.
● Highly accurate pitching and intonation.
● Can perform pieces from different eras, genres, and styles competently with appropriate
techniques.
● Can play in the majority of keys.
● For vocalists, can sing in different languages with good diction and/or use character voices as
appropriate, with an understanding of how to mark in breathing and phrasing for themselves.
● Excellent sense of tempo and rhythm most of the time, including playing with other musicians
and/or a backing track.
● Can play contrapuntal lines, accompanimental patterns, and/or sing while playing as relevant.
● Learning advanced repertoire as judged by instructor.
● Learning intermediate to advanced etudes as judged by instructor.
● Proficient at scales/arpeggios/other technical exercises in 8 – 12 keys.
● Able to improvise and/or compose as appropriate.
● Understands and can describe common musical structures.
● Able to analyze their pieces with prompting/support from instructor.
● Excellent posture and technique, including correct breathing for singers.
● For string players, shifting to fifth position and higher and good vibrato technique.
● Good ensemble skills.
X High Proficiency Advanced
● Prepared for a college audition or highly competent performances.
● Can perform pieces from different eras, genres, and styles competently, including advanced
repertoire.
● Understanding of common musical structures.
● Can analyze and speak about their repertoire articulately.
● High level or mastery of technique on their instrument.
● Can play well within different ensembles as appropriate.
● Able to improvise and/or compose as appropriate.
● Can present polished performances with good stage etiquette as appropriate for the venue
and type of performance.
● Knowledge of extended/contemporary techniques for their instrument.
Top of the Mountain Program
Top of the Mountain is an honors program designed to recognize the achievement of dedicated students, challenge those who push themselves to greater musical heights, and create opportunities for collaborative, student-led learning and skill-building. Elements of the program include:
Completion of a student-led project with support from faculty and peers Participation in master classes and skills sessions taught by guest artists Participation in school and community ensembles and performances Eligibility to “open” at a MTMC Home or Public Concert
Concert attendance to explore our rich local music community Opportunities to collaborate and connect with fellow musicians
Students will be nominated for Top of the Mountain by their teacher and contacted by letter at the end of fall term. Top of the Mountain activities take place over the course of the spring term.