MODE Music Studios, West Seattle

Payment

• Studio Lessons are $32 a week ($30 cash/check) for 30 minutes and $58 a week ($55 cash/check) for an hour.
• In-home lessons are $70 a week for 45 minutes ($67 cash/check) and $135 for 90 minutes ($128 cash/check)
• Lessons are paid for in advance. Invoices are issued mid-month, and payments are due in advance for the upcoming month on the last lesson of the preceding month.
• If payment is made after the last day of the month, the unpaid amount will incur a 5% late fee. If more than one invoice is unpaid, we will be unable to continue lessons until the total amount is paid in full.
• If a student starts mid-month, the fee will be prorated. Payments may not be broken into smaller amounts unless prior arrangements have been made. We do accept cash, but we do not keep cash on hand, so we are unable to make change. Any overpayment will be credited toward next month’s tuition.
• Some months have more than 4 lessons depending on the calendar. For instance, January 2018 has 5 Tuesdays-Wednesdays and 4 Thursdays-Mondays, so the total tuition on a monthly invoice will vary, depending on what day of the week the student’s lessons occur.
• **The first lesson is offered with a “satisfaction guarantee.” ** We include this lesson in continuing students’ tuition but waive our lesson fee if you walk away unsatisfied. We are confident in our approach and connection with the student, understanding the importance of an initial vibe between student and teacher.

Cancellations/Make-ups

• If you need to cancel a lesson for any reason it must be done as soon as there is a known conflict by emailing scheduling@modemusicstudios.com or calling the studio during open hours at (206) 659-4018. A group make-up class will be scheduled as soon as you choose a class and date and notify scheduling@modemusicstudios.com or the front desk. Refunds / credits are not given for lessons cancelled by a student. If a student/parent doesn’t notify us of an absence, we are unable to offer a make-up class.
• We will accept a cancellation and schedule a make-up lesson as long as you are able to notify us about the absence within 24 hours. If the student simply does not show up / does not call, we are unable to offer any make-up option.
• If a teacher is unable to teach a lesson due to illness or travel, another qualified teacher will substitute for them. If a teacher/substitute teacher has to cancel a lesson for any reason they will do so as soon as the conflict is known. A make-up lesson will be scheduled or a credit will be applied to your account.
• If there is an uncontrollable or unforeseen event that prevents any lesson from taking place, the studio will reach out immediately to inform you of any lesson that will not be held. A make-up lesson will be scheduled if possible or you will receive a half-credit to your account. Examples of such events would be inclement weather, power outages, or local/national emergencies.
• All of our group classes are available to make up for a missed private lesson. Each lesson missed (30 minute or 60 minute) will cash in for one full hour long group class. These are hour-long classes offered to all students to give a different perspective in addition to their private lessons, whether it be a band practice or a vocal workshop. You have 1 month from your cancelled lesson to use your make-up lesson. These classes are also available to students without a make-up for $20 per class. All ages are welcome. Sign-ups are available Monday-Friday through phone, email or the front desk before the scheduled class. Drop-in is available at the time of class and will depend on capacity. Classes are available to students for $20 and non-students for $25 for the hour. Class details at modemusicstudios.com. Reschedules may be possible as a courtesy. If a student cancels or misses a make-up lesson that has been scheduled by the office and confirmed by the teacher and student, the lesson will not be rescheduled or credited.

Withdrawal/Termination

• We ask for at least a month’s notice of plans to withdraw from lessons. Terminations with less than two weeks given will be charged two weeks of lessons from notification date.
• Withdrawal notification must be submitted to the office at scheduling@modemusicstudios.com. Failure to attend lessons does not qualify as notification. Failure to notify the office does not release a student from his/her financial obligation and is not an acceptable form of notification of intent to withdraw.
• If a student has 4 consecutive no call / no shows, we will terminate the student’s lessons, we will release the student’s spot in the schedule, and the student will be charged for all 4 of the missed lessons.
• Students who withdraw at any time will forfeit any unused reschedules or make-up lessons.

Holidays/Closures

• We are closed Tuesday October 31 for Halloween, Thursday, November 23 - Sunday, November 26 for Thanksgiving, December 23 - January 1 for Winter Break and Sunday, April 1 for Easter. We do have lessons on “bank holidays” including Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Drop Off/Reception

• Students should arrive 5 minutes before their scheduled lesson to be given time to use the restroom or grab some water and gather their things for the lesson. If a student is 15 or more minutes late they’re considered a “no show” and are unable to receive any credit or make-up.
• Mode is a family-friendly environment; however, noise levels in the waiting area should be kept to a minimum as to not disturb lessons and other families.

Summer Lessons

• We do continue lessons throughout the summer!
• If you’re taking the summer off, we require a minimum 2 week notice to withdraw from lessons by emailing scheduling@modemusicstudios.com.
• Summer is a great time for families to get their preferred time slot. If you continue through summer your lesson time will continue into fall. Your schedule will take priority to those who have left. We encourage students to continue throughout the summer to minimize loss in a music education momentum. Coming back in the fall and signing up as a “new student” could be difficult. Special arrangements can be made for families who leave for the entire summer.
• We offer one optional lesson credit in July as well as one optional lesson credit in August for vacation time. You can choose to use this credit or continue with lessons as usual. If you're only going to be gone for 2 or 3 weeks, we can easily get you in weekend make-up classes to cover those missed days.
• If it’s important that you come back in the fall to the same teacher or the same time, we offer a "summer hold" which guarantees your time slot will be held until you resume lessons. 50% of the cost of lessons holds your spot! Summer holds are effective until the end of August.
• We do understand not all families’ schedules are able to accommodate private lessons in the summer and we will do our best to fit you back in with your preferred teacher in the fall. For those who DO take the summer off, please contact us in mid-August to get back in the September fold.

Email us with any questions regarding summer policies.

Erin Rubin

Erin has been playing music since the age of four. At twelve, she was on stage with the local working musicians at The Scarlet Tree every Tuesday night. She has written music for and performed with many Seattle bands including: Wesafari, The Exploding High-Fives, People Eating People, and “Nouela.” Erin has worked as a hired studio musician since the age of 17 in Bellingham, Seattle and Los Angeles. Erin found her calling as a teacher in her early twenties and dedicated over three years at Westside Music Academy. She believes a healthy balance of technique, theory and arranging songs the child loves is the fast track to any student’s success in music lessons. Ready to go out on her own, she started Erin Rubin Piano Studios in the basement of her West Seattle home in 2010.

Erin teaches piano and voice.

Dick Cady

In 1978 Dick Cady attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, in the 2-year diploma program for writing and arranging. On returning to Seattle in the mid 80's he studied with the storied jazz piano teacher Jerome Grey for 3 years. Since the late 90's he has attended many of the Golandsky Institute summer seminars, first at Williams College and later at Princeton and studied with many of the staff including John Bloomfield and Kendall Feeney. In 2004 he began studying with Charlie Banacos for several years until Charlie's death.

He was a regular on the Seattle music scene for many years doing club dates with his own group and many other instrumentalists and singers including Ernestine Anderson and Pete Seeger. He was the music director for the Orion Street Youth Theater. Providing instruction steadily for 25 years to all ages and levels, Dick teaches piano.

Brandon Bermudez

Brandon is a working musician, producer, and engineer in the Seattle/Tacoma area for the past decade. He regularly plays in and around town, sometimes tours countries, and frequently collaborates with many professional musicians in the area. Recently, he's played bass with prog-rock band Bone Cave Ballet and alt-rock band Starry-Eyed Samurai, and drums with both new-wavers Trick Candles and pop-fusion band Nitrogen Lion Society.

Brandon believes that consistency, versatility, and attitude are the traits that make great musicians. With his interactive-guidance teaching approach, the student controls the pacing of each lesson, which alleviates classroom anxiety and helps the lesson material become more comprehensible. With a heavy emphasis on creativity and technique, Brandon will improve the understanding of rhythm and ability to perform in many styles of music by sharing from his 20+ years of composition and performance experience.

Brandon teaches drums, bass, and guitar.

Jen Wood

Jen Wood was born and raised in Seattle – she played her first show at the age of 15 and began recording in studios and touring at the age of 16. She has over 20 years of working experience as a singer-songwriter - on her main instrument which is the guitar, though her next favorite instrument is the piano. Wood comes from a musical family and naturally gravitated towards it. She started out as self-taught guitarist, learning how to sing and play by ear, which developed her musical intuition and creative approach to songwriting; she discovered alternate tunings at the age of 17 and was hooked. Jen has recorded several albums and toured the U.S and Japan. She is perhaps most known for her work as a guest vocalist for bands such as: Juno, Jeremy Enigk, The Black Heart Procession, Joan of Arc and most notably the Postal Service. Jen has studied voice with Sue Carr over the last 10 years and returned to college last year to study the fundamentals of music that pertain to her teaching career. Jen is very passionate about working with kids and young people; she loves helping to empower them to find their own voice through music. She also believes that having fun, being collaborative and spontaneous are the magical keys to learning new skills.

Jen teaches voice, piano and guitar.

Nate Rogers

Nate Rogers has a diverse background in the arts, having worked on professional film sets and for literary journals, but music has been the constant throughout his life; his musical endeavors (and teaching) are informed by that multivalent background. His first and primary instrument is the piano, which he studied classically starting in the first grade and continued to do so actively through college. He also began playing in jazz combos and rock bands starting in middle school, the age at which he also picked up guitar and saxophone. An occasional DJ, Nate listens widely and loves drawing connections between diverse styles of music across the world, in his own playing and his teaching. He has played in numerous bands in Seattle, including Friends and Family, Pampa, ANDY, and The Quiet Ones, and they have played alongside such notable groups as The Polyphonic Spree, The Moondoggies, and Blitzen Trapper, both in the Northwest and on tour. He loves to instill the same diversity of interest in students that his teachers gave to him.

Nate teaches piano and guitar.

Nils Petersen

Nils Petersen is a life long student of music in the form of classical, jazz, choral and rock. He studied violin at an early age before settling into piano, guitar and trombone from youth on through his teenage years, along with vocal studies in all different formats. He tours internationally with Sub Pop band Rose Windows and plays around town with Ole Tinder and his solo project Hotel Vignette. He has been teaching private lessons since he was 17 and offers an approach that helps the student grow musically in the interests that excite him or her while solidifying a base in core musical concepts.

Nils teaches guitar, bass, voice, and piano.

Pat Schowe

Pat Schowe has been devotedly studying percussion since the age of 13. With almost two decades and counting of experience in making music, Pat believes anyone can learn how to play an instrument. A strict advocate of practice makes perfect, he gives the reigns to the student. Pat's background is in rock, blues, and hip-hop drumming. He learned how to play his instrument with the help of 2 teachers, gospel drummer Guy Davis and rock drummer Jeff Ryder. He cut his teeth in San Antonio and the self proclaimed "live music capital of the world" Austin,Texas sitting in for bands at around 17 years of age. Pat moved to Seattle with the aim of playing music professionally and soon after signed to Sub Pop Records with his former band Rose Windows whom which he toured internationally with. He currently plays drums in Draemhouse, Ole Tinder and occasionally picks up studio work.

Pat teaches drums, beginning piano and beginning guitar.

Ricky Claudon

Ricky has been studying, writing and performing music since his childhood, and has played guitar and piano for about 23 years. He works as a para-educator at the Academy for Precision Learning, and as a recording/touring musician. As a musician, he has put out three albums, toured the United States, and he looks forward to touring in Europe in the near future for the first time this spring. He is knowledgeable in a variety of styles on the guitar, but is most proficient in Blues, Rock n Roll, and Post-punk.

Growing up, he was instructed by a professor of music theory and history, on the piano; this education has formed the foundation of his knowledge of these subjects and informs his instruction in both instruments. Ricky also has quite a lot of experience working with students from a diverse range of developmental levels and is trained in methods intended to address the individual needs of neurologically diverse populations.

Ricky teaches piano and guitar.

Alex Meyers

Alex fell in love with music at a young age, picking out melodies from children's songs on piano by ear. He quickly expanded his repertoire by diving headfirst into learning trumpet, piano, ukulele, guitar, and almost any other instrument that came his way. He explored nearly every music opportunity available to him, eagerly joining jazz combos, men's choirs, concert band, marching band, bluegrass groups, and founded a number of rock bands, all before graduating high school. Alex received a Bachelor of Music degree from Millikin University, Decatur IL, focused on classical & jazz guitar performance and audio engineering. During this time, he was fortunate enough to manage the school's recording studio, which allowed him to work with a variety of musicians and artists, learning new musical ideas from each meeting. After spending two years in Chicago working as a freelance audio engineer and session player, Alex came to Seattle to explore the thriving and welcoming music community here.

In lessons, Alex's approach starts from the idea that we all have an inherent potential for musicality, whether we have tapped into it or not. Like laughter, music is a common language that can connect humans across the globe. From this perspective, Alex teaches with the goal of helping the student grow as a musician, using ear training, music theory, improvisation, song analysis, call-and-response, and songwriting techniques. Alex's aim is to provide a welcoming, supportive environment for the student to become comfortable in their musicality, while learning the technical skills necessary for their instrument of choice.

Alex teaches guitar, bass, ukulele, mandolin, and beginning piano.

Jenn Champion

Jenn Champion is a guitar player from Seattle with 25 plus years of music experience. She started in elementary school with band instruments, mainly trumpet. Then, at the age of 14, she made the switch to guitar. She spent the better part of her late teens and young adult years in the band Carissa's Wierd. Later, Jenn began performing under S, touring all over the US and Europe. After picking up the piano in 2010, there have been more projects, albums, and tours. Jenn has a super fun and casual approach to teaching guitar. She guarantees an awesome time while learning a lot.

Jenn teaches guitar and beginning piano.

David Totten

In his youth, David started picking on the guitar and never set it down. He is trained in rock, folk, and jazz. David's curriculum focuses on finding a musical style or idea that resonates with his student and using it as a springboard into theory, sight reading, and ear training. He loves teaching all different kinds of styles, but his personal favorites include metal, progressive rock, and American Primitive--an acoustic folk movement from the 60's and 70's, that blends ragtime, blues, folk, and world music into a unique blend of Americana. He believes that learning an instrument should be fun, therapeutic and a valuable creative outlet. He has toured the country and played in many bands and stuff.

David teaches songwriting, ukulele, and vocals.

Rachel Ewen

Rachel was raised in a family of musicians and has been pursuing a life in music from an early age. Her experience in music began with taking private voice, and piano lessons throughout her childhood and participating in musical theater productions. She was trained as a classical vocalist and moved on to focus on jazz vocals and composition while studying at Cornish College of the Arts. She has been involved in the Seattle music community since 2010, writing music and performing with various local and touring artists from the Pacific Northwest. Her lessons are tailored to fit each student's musical interests and strengths.

Rachel teaches piano and voice.

​Kenneth Aramaki

Kenneth Aramaki, a Seattle native, has experience playing classical piano for over 25 years and Jazz Piano for over 15 years. He has over 14 years of professional music experience as a music educator, performer, recording musician and composer. During this time he has taught a range of experience levels and ages. He is connected and engaged with the local community working on projects, performing, and touring with Seattle bands of varying musical genres. He is musically ambitious and teaches new students by establishing the fundamentals of piano but also loves building a students’ knowledge using improvisation, theory, and song writing. He has established a passion of his career, making his number one priority to share this passion with others.

Kenneth teaches piano.

Kevin Slota

Kevin first picked up the trumpet at age 10, as many children do in their 4th grade band class. But this was only the beginning as he would soon pick up guitar and start learning his favorite songs and writing his own. Soon he would perform and promote house shows with neighborhood friends. Trumpet is one of the most versatile instruments and can be found in almost any genre of music making it a great tool to cultivate lifelong relationships. It can be a challenging and frustrating instrument but its versatility is welcoming in that there truly is a style for everyone. Trumpet has provided Kevin with a great number of unique performance opportunities over the years including musical theatre, variety shows, blues/jazz/soul/r&b/indie/country/rock bands, festivals, street fairs, orchestras, brass ensembles, private/corporate events, and recording. He has had the pleasure of performing with great local bands such as Cooper Smith and the Vouyers, EXOHXO, KITHKIN, Ravenna Woods, Twilight Motel, and Vicious Petals. He also plays in the Seattle Rock Orchestra/Street Band/Social Club, West Seattle Community Orchestra/Brass Sextet, Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra, and recently sat in on a performance with Thalia Symphony Orchestra. Kevin is also involved in brass coaching with WSCO Debut and Intermediate Orchestras as well as the Michael J Owen Music Education Fund supporting local, under-served elementary school music programs. While trumpet is his main instrument, Kevin teaches beginning french horn, trombone, and baritone; focusing on breath support and fundamental tone production while connecting with a student's musical needs and aspirations.

James Squires

James has been playing music since the age of six, starting with the piano. A Seattle local, he participated in the renowned Garfield High School Jazz Ensemble and continued to study music privately. James attended Berkeley School of Music and studied drum performance. He plays locally with Maiah Manser (a favorite Mode Music alum), blues-rock band C-Leb & The Kettle Black, psych-rock band Supermother and local country acts. James also has been working as a producer and engineer for the last five years and teaches production using Ableton Live and other programs.

James teaches drums, piano and audio production.

Craig Suede

Craig is transplant from San Diego where he played music for a living in casinos, bars and restaurants between tours, travel, and shows. He got his musical start singing in various audition choirs, competing in vocal competitions, and performing in musical theater. He started playing guitar in 8th grade and that began shaping his future path of songwriting and singing/playing guitar in a variety of bands. He currently fronts and tours with the indie rock band Happy Heartbreak, sings harmonies and plays lead guitar for local pop-soul/ R&B singer Young-Chhaylee, and plays lead guitar and performs harmonies/alt-voicings for emo-revival/post-hardcore band, Dearheart.

After several years of running education programs for students and teachers around the World, Craig has decided to settle in Seattle and re-focus his efforts on music and its local educational impact. He bases his teaching strategies in brain-based learning and finding simple connections between music theory and the joy of playing music. The ability to connect and express through music increases confidence and critical thinking. Strengthening these skills can also increase retention of information in other areas and improve quality of living. Music and learning should both be joyful experiences that encourage us to continue moving forward to connect, create and share.

Craig teaches guitar, vocals, ukulele, and beginning piano.

Andy King

Andy teaches drums.

Claire Grayson

Claire was born and raised in Blackfoot Idaho. She grew up on music from the moment she arrived. Her father was a high school choir and guitar teacher, and her mother was a high school drama teacher. She was around and in music always. She picked up piano at five, guitar at twelve, and has been writing songs since she could talk. She has been professionally performing original music since the age of fourteen and currently is in a project, Neu Yeuth. She is extremely passionate about music and teaching it

Claire teaches piano and voice.

Heather Thomas

Heather teaches drums and piano.

Jonah Byrne

Jonah Byrne has been playing violin for over 25 years, performing, recording, and composing in a wide variety of styles. He studied music composition at University of Colorado and has been active in the Seattle music scene for the past ten years. In that time he has played with country band Country Lips, experimental bands Beast Please Be Still and Snowman Plan, indie rock band Pilot Lights, and many others, alongside teaching and writing music. He believes a good ear and good technique are the foundation that lets us play and enjoy any kind of music there is.

Jonah Byrne teaches violin and viola.

JUNE/JULY 2017

June 26-30 (Performance on July 1st at Skylark 5:00)

• BEGINNING ROCK BAND - ages 6-11 yrs
• M-F 9:00-11:30
• ADVANCED ROCK BAND – ages 12 yrs and up
• M-F 12:00-2:30

July 10-14 (Performance on July 15th at Skylark 5:00)

• BEGINNING ROCK BAND – ages 6-11 yrs
• M-F 9:00-11:30
• ADVANCED ROCK BAND – ages 12 yrs and up
• M-F 12:00-2:30

July 17-28 (Performance on July 29th at Skylark 5:00)

• BEGINNING ROCK BAND – ages 6-11 yrs
• M/W/F 10:00-12:00
• ADVANCED ROCK BAND – ages 12 yrs and up
• M/W/F 12:30-2:30

ALL AGES ROCK BAND – ages 6 yrs and up
TBA

AUGUST 2017

July 31-August 4 (Performance on August 5th at Skylark 5:00)

• BEGINNING ROCK BAND – ages 6-11 yrs
• M-F 9:00-11:30
• ADVANCED ROCK BAND – ages 12 yrs and up
• M-F 12:00-2:30

August 7-18 (Performance on August 19th at Skylark 5:00)

• BEGINNING ROCK BAND – ages 6-11 yrs
• M/W/F 10:00-12:00
• ADVANCED ROCK BAND – ages 12 yrs and up
• M/W/F 12:30-2:30

August 21-25 (Performance on August 26th at Skylark 5:00)

• BEGINNING ROCK BAND – ages 6-11 yrs
• M-F 9:00-11:30
• ADVANCED ROCK BAND – ages 12 yrs and up
• M-F 12:00-2:30

ALL AGES ROCK BAND – ages 6 yrs and up
TBA