Piano Lessons with KC & Friends

KC & Friends offers weekly one-on-one piano lessons at a designated time arranged with you in September.  Our academic year is divided into two semesters: fall and spring.

• Fall Semester: Runs from September 9th to December 20th, with 15 lessons over 15 weeks.
• Spring Semester: Runs from January 6th to May 30th, featuring 20 lessons over 21 weeks.

In total, our school year schedule is built to provide 35 lessons over the fall and spring semester. Additionally, we offer optional and flexible lessons during our Summer Session June – August.

Hybrid lessons offer the best of both worlds: engaging, fun, and informative piano instruction with flexible delivery. Some lessons will occur in-person at our studio in Berkeley, while others will be conducted virtually via Zoom, providing a blend of on-site and remote learning.

For the 2024-2025 school year, our hybrid program is new, and as we anticipate the preferences and availability of our students and teachers, we cannot commit to a fixed number of in-person versus online lessons. Some of our exceptional teachers may not reside in Berkeley, which requires us to balance their schedules with those of students who prefer in-person lessons. Additionally, we are adaptable to unforeseen circumstances and really cool music opportunities that may arise throughout the year.

Regardless of the format, we are committed to delivering consistently fun and engaging lessons, no matter where they take place.

We understand the initial preference for in-person lessons but also recognize the importance of flexibility. Each year, we navigate various changes, including sick kids, teachers, unexpected events like fires, and exciting opportunities for KC & Friends teachers to perform at distant venues or for KC to present her method at conferences nationwide.

While in-person lessons are valuable, many parents enjoy the flexibility of online learning. You can cook dinner or unwind while your child learns from home. Alternate between in-person and online lessons to fit your schedule and relax.

For the 2024-2025 school year, we can’t guarantee a set number of in-person versus online lessons due to our hybrid program and teacher schedules. We remain adaptable to changing circumstances and exciting opportunities that come our way.

KC & Friends offers a unique, comic-based introduction to piano, guided by a method developed by KC Cavanagh. KC has been running a Bay Area-based piano studio since 2002 and has written 13 books and counting, along with developing several games to support learning.

When you sign up for KC & Friends lessons, KC will likely serve as a substitute teacher from time to time to stay connected with each student’s progress. She will also manage your assigned teacher and is available for any questions or concerns you may have. We pride ourselves on hiring exceptional teachers, so you can be confident that you’ll enjoy your experience with KC & Friends.

When are lessons held?

KC & Friends offers private, one-on-one piano lessons Monday through Thursday from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and occasionally on Fridays and Sundays. All lessons are held weekly, with a minimum duration of 45 minutes for individual students. For siblings, we recommend either a combined 1 hour or 1 hour and 15 minutes of instruction. Siblings will have lessons back-to-back and do not share a lesson.

KC & Friends operates on a semester basis:

• Fall Semester: 15 weeks starting after Labor Day.
• Spring Semester: 20 lessons over 21 weeks, beginning the first week of January.
• Summer Semester: Offers more flexible scheduling options.

Commitment is required for the full semester. Fall and Spring semesters consist of a minimum of 35 lessons.

We are closed for two weeks each year during the winter/Christmas/New Year’s holiday. For other holidays, we will work with you to reschedule any conflicts. If rescheduling isn’t possible, we will credit you for a summer lesson.

All beginning students use the KC & Friends method, an illustrated comic series designed to be both fun and educational, covering all piano fundamentals. These books typically last for two to three years, depending on the student’s progress, after which they can transition to other music we select together. Learn more about the method.

You do not need to purchase any books yourself. Your teacher will provide all necessary materials, either by mailing them or delivering them in person. The fall semester payment includes a book deposit that covers most of the books. If you start after September, KC will invoice you separately for the book deposit, with any remaining balance included in the final invoice for the spring semester.

Our expectations for practice are designed to be manageable and supportive. For beginning students, we encourage practicing for five minutes a day, four days a week. As students advance, we gradually increase this to ten and then fifteen minutes. We are flexible and can tailor practice expectations to fit your family’s needs.

Each student receives a paper homework tracker with their books, where they can note their homework at the end of each lesson. Additionally, your teacher will record all homework assignments on a Google Doc, which parents can access to stay updated on practice expectations.

Yes, we offer sample lessons to give you an opportunity to meet us, ask questions, and get a taste of our teaching method. During these sample lessons, we’ll explore the first dozen pages of the beginning book, helping you learn your first songs. If you have previous piano experience, we’ll assess your current skills, discuss your goals, and determine if we’re a good fit for each other.

You can sign up for a sample lesson by emailing kc@kcandfriends.com. These lessons will be scheduled for August or September 2024.

Our monthly tuition fee is based on the length of the lesson you choose. The rates for Zoom and hybrid lessons are the same. For detailed pricing information, please email KC at kc@kcandfriends.com, and she will provide you with our current rates.

KC & Friends uses a service called Bill & Pay to accept electronic payment for lessons. It offers an online portal for everyone to view all of their past invoices, pay online through their checking accounts, and set up auto-payments that will automatically pay the invoice on the due date.  If you don’t want to use that service, no problem, KC & Friends will send you an address to send a check or set up a bill pay with your bank.

We do accept payments via credit cards for monthly lessons.

Late Fees:  A late fee of $20 will be issued to families who have a balance older than 45 days. Late fees will appear on your next invoice.

Sure! In the past we have loved it when parents and grandparents learn piano with their kids (or remember what they once knew).  The books are easy for adults to learn, if they remember to practice just a tiny bit so the information makes its way from your short term memory to your long term memory.  KC & Friends books are written for kids 5-12 years old, so as long as you can jump into that mindset, we’ll teach you.  For adults you can either use a couple minutes of your child’s lesson to run through the songs with your teacher or schedule a separate lesson.  For adults we offer “one lesson at a time” option that will be scheduled outside of the normal teaching hours.

At KC & Friends, our lessons are committed by the semester: 15 lessons for fall and 20 lessons for spring, totaling 35 lessons. We offer one cancellation and one reschedule per semester. If you don’t complete at least 35 lessons by the end of the semester, we will schedule up to two makeup lessons during the first two weeks of June.

Please note the following:

• Cancellation: This refers to instances where you cannot attend a lesson for a period of time due to reasons such as illness. You are entitled to one cancellation per semester.
• Reschedule: This refers to situations where you cannot attend your lesson at the regular time but can find an alternative time within the same week. You are allowed one reschedule per semester.

If you need to cancel more than once per semester, we are not obligated to provide a makeup lesson. Multiple reschedules may incur an additional fee. If your teacher cancels a lesson and a substitute is not available, you will be credited for that missed lesson.

We are currently accepting students from our 2024-2025 waitlist.  Historically, KC & Friends has had a waitlist for most semesters, so it is a good idea to get on the waitlist asap if you are interested and KC will be in touch to set up a sample lesson.

We want to ensure that our lessons are a great fit for both students and families, so we keep our commitment requirements minimal:

• New Students: Start by scheduling a sample lesson to determine if we’re a good match. If you sign up for the semester and find that the lessons aren’t working out within the first month, you may withdraw without penalty. After the first month, the commitment is for the full semester.
• All Students: We ask for a commitment for the entire semester. If this is not feasible, please contact KC to discuss your options. Note that there is no flexibility for ending the contract from March to June.

The semester contract will be sent for online signing and will include details about video and audio recording as well as a copyright license.

No, we are open to teaching people in other locations via Zoom.  We currently have kids from California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Washington DC, New York, and Austria!

KC & Friends will sometimes use video & audio equipment to take photos and/or videos during lessons. This material may be used for social media, website tutorials, or any other place that KC & Friends advertises or markets their materials. Lesson times will not be interrupted for this. If you see an image of your child on our website or social media and would like it removed, please inform KC.

KC & Friends encourages all kids to write songs! It’s great! If you sign up, the contract grants KC & Friends a copyright license to use these songs royalty-free for any reason.  Mainly, kids think it’s cool when other kids play their songs. We are trying to make that happen, but need your permission to put the songs in places other kids can see them.  If you think your child’s song is the next big hit and don’t want to grant the license, please inform KC in writing.

Email kc@kcandfriends.com