EzraGuitar 2023-24 Season @ PS 889

EzraGuitar is a guitar program designed to give kids the opportunity to study with some of the greatest classical guitarists in the country while using a method of learning designed especially for them. Our group classes are the core of the EzraGuitar method.

These classes are built on the philosophy of Maoz Ezra, that music should be taught in the “language of children” and tailored to their natural abilities. By studying with this method and philosophy, it is our goal that children will connect to music making in a natural and organic way. Through creative games and ensemble work, children will leave each lesson with a sense of accomplishment and musical knowledge that will remain with them as a foundation for any future musical endeavors. We teach small group lessons for children in grades Pre-K- 5 (kids are grouped according to age & level, the course is cumulative.) Melody & Rhythm: through a mix of repertoire including, classical, folk, children’s songs, rock, jazz, contemporary and original compositions, students will learn to play music, not only exercises. Reading music: Through our unique method children will learn to recognize, know and master the notes in a range of four octaves. Ensemble Work: From the beginning children will be learning to play in an ensemble. This group work puts emphasis on listening with sensitivity and working together. Performance: At least twice a year students will perform in a concert. Performance is a major part of studying music, it teaches the student about building self confidence and the joy of sharing music.

This beloved theatre program has expanded to now cover 3 days of classes in the EzraGuitar Studio + Wednesdays at PS 889! Taught by the very talented Tais Szilagi (889 & EG Studio) and Rosie Sowa (EG Studio), we will take our students on a thrilling journey through their own imaginations and onto the stage! In this class, students will learn about the art of creating drama from every angle. They will get to experience everything from classical & modern acting techniques, scene study, script writing, production, song writing, set design and more! Each class will be unique in its curriculum based on the specific students enrolled, in order to tailor toward each group’s level and abilities. EzraGuitar Theatre classes empower our students to not only be great actors, but to also understand the role of MUSIC in every aspect of performance: from how we move to how we speak to how we play an instrument; the role of music is ever present. We HIGHLY recommend that every music student also experience this type of theatre training as well. 

Music FUNdamentals, World Music, Composition & Style. Taught by the incredible Joshua Breslauer! Students will have the opportunity to dive deep into the bedrock of how music is made. They will use a variety of percussion instruments; drums, shakers, glockenspiels and more! to experience music making from every angle. We will use all of these tools to focus, in a fun and interactive way, on the “math of music:” note reading, rhythm, harmony, creating our own compositions and especially ensemble work! We hope that by creating this special space, devoted to the specific goals of cementing solid musicianship, teamwork and the laying of a foundation for a love of creating and being a part of musical expression; will give our students both the music “chops” and confidence to excel in any future musical endeavors.

2023/24: PS 889 PAYMENT PLANS, REFUND POLICIES & HEALTH & SAFETY GUIDELINES

PS 889 Payment Plan Options for the Academic Year:

Pay In Full: One time payment made with a credit card or through electronic check- There are no fees associated with this plan. *See Refund Policy for more information.  Upon registration you will be charged your full tuition & your registration fee at check out, cementing your place in the program.  Within 2 weeks of registration you will receive a summary invoice with the overview of your full tuition.

Payment Plan with Electronic Checks:  Upon registration you will be charged 20% of your tuition & your registration fee at check out to hold your place in the program.  This payment will be applied TOWARD your final balance and is non-refundable.  Once we have reviewed your selected program, you will be sent an invoice with a breakdown of your selected payment plan. If you select an “installment payment plan with ECheck,” the remaining balance due will be divided into 8 equal payments, starting September 15, 2023-April 15, 2024, using that same payment method. There is NO Additional Charge for this plan. In the event that your payment is declined, you will be charged for any associated bank fees and you have 1 week to contact us to update your account.  After one week, an additional $25 late fee will be applied to your payment. If we do not hear from you to update your account after 2 weeks, then the student will not be able to attend classes until the payment is made.  Any classes missed during this period will not be able to be refunded or made up. *See Refund Policy for more information.

Payment Plan with a Credit Card: Upon registration you will be charged 20% of your tuition & your registration fee at check out to hold your place in the program.  This payment will be applied TOWARD your final balance and is non-refundable.  Once we have reviewed your selected program, you will be sent an invoice with a breakdown of your selected payment plan. If you select an “installment payment plan with Credit Card,” the remaining balance due will be divided into 8 equal payments, starting September 15, 2023-April 15, 2024, using that same payment method.  There will be a 5% processing fee for this plan, based on the total amount of your selected program. In the event that your payment is declined, you WILL be charged for any associated bank fees and you have 1 week to contact us to update your account.  After one week, an additional $25 late fee will be applied to your payment. If we do not hear from you to update your account after 2 weeks, then the student will not be able to attend classes until the payment is made.  Any classes missed during this period will not be able to be refunded or made up. *See Refund Policy for more information.

Refund Policies for ALL Classes:

Our policies are always built with the goal of protecting both our teaching artists and students, to ensure that all are compensated for their commitments towards each other.  In the event that there are extenuating circumstances, EzraGuitar is always willing to work with you to come up with a mutually agreeable solution, taking into account fair treatment to all parties involved.  Since EzraGuitar is continuing to offer an online option for Private lessons this year, re-location is not considered an extenuating circumstance.  In addition, due to the continuing circumstances surrounding the global pandemic and covid-19, EzraGuitar will do everything in its power to always provide ways to fulfill our programming promises to our students.  If a circumstance/force majeure arises where EzraGuitar cannot provide ways in which to fulfill its obligations, then EzraGuitar will do everything in its power to reimburse our clients for any services not provided.  However, as long as EzraGuitar has created sufficient ways to provide quality programming to fulfill its promises to our students, the following conditions will remain in place.

1. Registration fee is NON refundable
2. Any fees associated with your payment plan are NON refundable
3. 20% of tuition is to be paid upon registration and is NON refundable
4. IF a student pays in FULL, and decides to withdraw from classes prior to September 20, 2023(for PS 889 students), they will be refunded in full EXCEPT for the 20% deposit, registration fee and any other fees associated with their payment (which are non refundable).
5. Any DROPS after September 20, 2023(for PS 889 Students) through January 31, 2024- the student will be responsible to pay for all lessons taken, the 20% deposit & registration fee(which is non refundable) and a 4 lesson drop fee (for all classes they are registered for), as well as any/all fees associated with their payment plan/late fees etc.
6. IF you are on a payment plan and you decide to drop from your classes between September 1, 2023- February 1, 2024, then you AGREE that your final payment will include whatever balance is owed to complete the commitment of paying all lessons taken, the 20% deposit & registration fee(which is non refundable) and a 4 lesson drop fee (for all classes you are registered for) as well as any/all fees associated with your payment plan/late fees etc. If you had paid in FULL, then you AGREE that your refund will be calculated based on the policies explained above.
7. AFTER February 1, 2024, there are no refunds for tuition and you agree that your final payment will be for the balance of any tuition still outstanding.
8. For any MID YEAR Registrations (16 lessons or less): Lines #1,2 & 3 shall be applied.  In ADDITION, If you decide to withdraw 1 WEEK PRIOR to your classes beginning, you will be refunded in full, EXCEPT for the 20% deposit, registration fee and any other fees associated with your payment (which are non refundable).  However, once classes have begun, there are no refunds for these plans.  IF you would like a payment plan for a Mid year enrollment, that will need to be discussed with EzraGutiar Administration to determine the best plan for you.  However, you AGREE that once classes have begun, you will be responsible for the full amount of tuition.
9. If you have made any special arrangements with EzraGuitar in regards to payment, outside of the standard registration; you agree that in the event you choose to terminate lessons or modify your plan, you will be responsible to fulfill any agreed upon financial obligations.

Policies Regarding All Group Classes:

There are NO make-up lessons for group classes unless the class has been canceled by EzraGuitar. If classes are canceled due to force majeure* EzraGuitar will make every effort to find a convenient date for the majority of the group to make up the lesson, but a make up cannot be guaranteed and thus will not be refunded in this circumstance.  Classes cannot be made up or refunded if an individual misses a lesson. *In the case of “force majeure,” (such as a snow day) EzraGuitar will try to use the ZOOM platform to hold the lesson at the same time as scheduled so as not to miss valuable lessons.

ATTENDANCE:

Attendance is a very important part of studying a musical instrument. By skipping lessons the integrity of the course of study is interrupted and makes it very difficult for the student to truly progress at a good rate. If a student misses more than 2 lessons in a semester it will be at the discretion of the teacher if he/she believes that the student is prepared well enough to perform in the end of semester concert. In addition, those enrolled in upper level ensemble courses and Master Class/Workshop series, attendance is mandatory. The concerts and master classes are a very important part of our curriculum and they should be a positive experience for the students. If the student is unprepared because of poor attendance, the performance will not be a good experience for them, and we want to minimize bad experiences as much as possible; our goal is that music should be associated with fun and joy.  Please understand that it is not a punishment if a student who misses class frequently is asked not to join the performance piece of the class, if the teacher feels that they are unprepared.  It is our goal that performance should be a positive experience for ALL who are involved, including the audience.  Thus we must take into consideration all of the students in the performance and honor their commitment and hard work.  We also do not want to put a student who is under prepared into an uncomfortable public performance situation. The goal is to teach students to approach performance with all of their heart, to feel confident and proud of what they are presenting and most importantly, to enjoy the experience!

SHEET MUSIC & REPLACEMENT LESSON BOOKS:

All NEW  Elementary age Group Guitar students (PreK-5th) are provided with a lesson book which is included in your tuition.  If the book is lost, you must contact the studio for a replacement book. The cost for a replacement book is $15 and it can be picked up from our Brooklyn Studio.

To contact the office:

Please call us at 718-434-2103 between the hours of 10am-6pm Mon- Friday.  Any messages left over the weekend will be answered the following business day.

If we do not answer PLEASE leave a message or send an email to: [email protected]

Please do not rely solely on email to communicate with us; the volume of emails is very high and we cannot guarantee the speed in which you will receive a response.  If you need to get in touch with us quickly please call.

Health & Safety

At our Studio and in all classes we ask that all use common courtesy and make sure not to attend classes if you are unwell.  For private lessons, we can usually always simply hold your lesson online, so that you don’t skip the week. If the situation arises where we need to return to mask wearing or other preventative measures, we ask that you kindly comply with the understanding that our top priority is always the health and safety of our community.

*In the event of needing to quarantine, all those affected will have their courses moved immediately to an online format so as to not miss any instruction.

 We thank you in advance for your support and cooperation. We look forward to seeing you at EzraGuitar!

 GUITAR REFUND & UPGRADE Policies

If you purchase an Ortega or Cordoba guitar you are eligible for an upgrade. Instead of buying a brand new guitar every time your child changes sizes we will take back your guitar and give you a credit towards the next size.

You will never pay full price for a guitar again!**

For Ortega 122 models and Cordoba C1M Protege models, you will receive a $50 credit towards your next guitar.

For Ortega 131 & Cordoba C1 Protege models, you will receive a $75 credit towards your next guitar.

For Cordoba: Requinto & Cadete Models you will receive $90 credit towards your next guitar.

For Cordoba: C5 & C7 models: $100 Credit

For other higher end models credit will be determined on a case by case basis.

The only conditions for upgrades are that your guitar should be in *good condition, i.e.: no structural damages or deep scratches beyond normal wear & tear.  EzraGuitar is not responsible for damages incurred by improper storage or handling of the instrument or damages caused by changes in climate.  If the guitar is damaged, we will not be able to offer this service.  Please do not allow your child to place any stickers or decals on the body of the guitar; as they leave residue and require special cleaning or can ruin the finish of the instrument.  For damages such as these or others which are considered borderline; EzraGuitar reserves the right to deduct any other fees required to repair the instrument to a “Gently USED” status from the trade in credit.

**Upgrade credit can ONLY be awarded to those upgrading instruments that have been purchased directly through EzraGuitar and only to the customer who purchased the instrument.  ie: EzraGuitar cannot offer upgrade credit on an instrument that was purchased on Amazon or from any other seller. EzraGuitar cannot offer a customer upgrade credit on a guitar that was purchased or given to them by another client, unless there is written permission given from the original buyer to award the credit to the new owner.