Private Music Lessons From Certified Instructors In The Comfort Of Your Own Home
Frequently Asked Questions
Registration and Fees
You can pay for your lessons online through our secure online payment portal.
Deciding to learn a musical instrument can happen upon you at any point in your day, week, month, year or life. When that happens, we are here. You can register for lessons with Music at Home at any time during the year. We’re open all year round and there are no restrictions on when you are able to register. If you’re interested in registering now, please click here for our registration page.
You can find information on all of our pricing for registration, music lessons and more on our website or by calling the phone number on our website.
To contribute to and to help us cover our administration costs, you are required to pay a one-time registration free. Since we understand that you may have a desire for learning multiple subjects at one time, you only need to pay one (1) registration fee regardless of how many subjects you will take. The registration fee never expires, even if you decide to return to learning after a break.
Our prices are all subject to VAT as per UAE Federal Decree-Law No. (8) of 2017 on Value Added Tax.
From the date you purchase the package, you have six (6) months to begin your lessons. Any packages that have not been started within six (6) months of the purchase date will become invalid.
The price of your lesson package includes the fee’s for your actual lessons. All other materials such as books, examination fees, concert fees, transfer fees, accessories and instruments are not included.
From time-to-time, we introduce promotional rates on packages. If you purchased a package before the introduction of a promotion, you are not eligible for the promotion since you bought the package before the promotion started. However, if you don’t want to miss a promotional rate, you can purchase the package for future use and we will be happy to keep that promotional package on hold for you until you complete your existing package.
We are happy to be able to offer multiple promotions and provide you with the opportunity to choose which one (1) is best for you. A promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion.
All packages including promotional packages, come with set terms and conditions which are provided to you, physically or online, before registering for lessons. If you need more flexibility in your package, we recommend that you upgrade to a longer package, which allows for more flexibility. If you have a promotional package, we recommended that you upgrade to a non-promotional package since our promotional packages do have strict terms and conditions due to them being offered at a highly discounted price. We cannot override any package terms and conditions.
To learn a musical instrument and to feel the true joy of progression, our teachers do not recommend a single lesson. To have a full learning experience, we offer a minimum of four (4) lessons in our basic packages.
Congratulations on taking multiple examinations! Your dedication to your talent and passion is commendable. To support you on your journey and to help reduce that pre-exam stress, you are only required to pay one (1) examination administration fee for multiple examinations. Good luck from your entire Music at Home family.
Well done for nominating yourself to participate in one of our concerts and for performing in multiple subjects. The pinnacle of all student’s progression is being able to take to the stage to perform for an audience. To help reduce that pre-concert anxiety, you are only required to pay one (1) concert administration fee for multiple performances. Break a leg!
All of our packages can be transferred to another student. This means that you can transfer your entire package to a friend or family. We do not have the option of refund – once paid, all one-time fees and payments for music lessons are non-refundable. Please refer to Transfers and Conversions for further information.
Please refer to Returns, Exchange and Refund policy for further information.
Scheduling
To guarantee you a regular time and day slot, we book your lessons on the same day(s) and time(s), each week, for the duration of the package. Lessons will be scheduled according to your availability and the availability of your preferred teacher.
Since we follow strict scheduling, we unfortunately cannot accommodate irregular time slots in our schedule. If you cannot commit to a regular schedule, our Melodica branches and online lessons offer the flexibility to attend on an irregular basis.
If your scheduled lesson time works for you now, you can start your lessons immediately.
If you need to change your lesson schedule, in the future, please contact the Music at Home Co-Ordinator with a proposed day and time. Please request your schedule change a minimum of one (1) week before the schedule change begins. We do our best to accommodate your request as per your availability and the teachers availability however we cannot guarantee that a schedule change will be possible.
We do our best to keep your lesson schedule consistent but occasionally there may be an unlikely situation where we need to change your lesson schedule. You will be notified in advance if your lesson schedule is going to change and will be provided with alternative dates and times.
Cancellations and Make-Up Lessons
Sometimes you may have to cancel a lesson due to an emergency. As soon as you are aware that you cannot make it to the scheduled lesson, please contact the Music at Home Co-Ordinator. We will try to re-schedule your lesson to a different time on the same day. Alternatively, if your package is eligible and your cancellation is made within twenty-four (24) hours of your lesson, we will be happy to provide you with a make-up lesson in the same week as the cancelled/missed lesson or before the next lesson.
Since your lesson timing is blocked for you, we regret that we cannot offer a refund or make-up lesson if we are not notified twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the cancellation – this lesson will be forfeited.
The number of cancellations that you’re permitted to make, depends on the lesson package that you have purchased. Details can be found on our price list, our website and on your receipt. You can also contact the Music at Home Co-Ordinator for further information.
If you are eligible for a make-up lesson as per the terms and conditions of your package, please contact the Music at Home Co-Ordinator to schedule it. The make-up lesson must be taken in the same week as the cancelled/missed lesson or before the next lesson.
To offer you flexibility with make-up lessons, if you cannot make it to your make-up lesson in the same week as your cancelled lesson, we are happy to offer you a make-up lesson in the following week, before your next scheduled lesson. Please remember that all make-up lessons must be used within the package expiration date and cannot be carried forward beyond this date.
If you or your teacher cannot find available time for a make-up lesson, we regret that your lesson will be forfeited.
If you can’t make it to your scheduled make-up lesson, please notify the Music at Home Co-Ordinator immediately. We regret that make-up lessons cannot be made-up again.
So that our entire Music at Home family has the opportunity to enjoy a day off on the public holiday, if your lesson falls on a public holiday, your lesson may be subject to cancellation. You will be notified in advance of this cancellation by the Music at Home Co-Ordinator and at the same time, a make-up lesson will be offered in the same week or before your next lesson.
The weather is something that we would love to control but unfortunately cannot. If you can’t make it to your lesson because of bad weather, please notify the Music at Home Co-Ordinator as soon as you know that you cannot make it and to book a make-up lesson.
If your teacher is unwell and cannot make it to work, we may need to cancel your lesson. If we have to cancel your lesson, we will contact you immediately with as much notice as possible. We will do our best to book you with another teacher if they’re available but if they’re not then we will book you for another suitable time.
Freezing and Package Expiry
Since it’s important to continue your learning journey, we are happy to offer you the opportunity to continue your lessons whilst on holiday by taking online lessons.
If you don’t have your instrument with you on holiday and if your package is eligible, freezing will be permitted with a written request to the Music at Home Co-Ordinator. Please remember to submit this request a minimum of two (2) weeks before the requested freezing period begins. To check if your package is eligible for freezing, please check with the Music at Home Co-Ordinator or have a look on the price list.
We all like to go on holiday during the hottest months of the year. If your package is eligible, putting lessons on hold for either July or August can easily be done by calling the Music at Home Co-Ordinator. If your package is not eligible, lessons can be put on hold for both July and August upon submitting a return-flight ticket copy.
If your holiday falls during July or August then your lessons can be put on hold for more than two (2) weeks. If the holiday does not fall during July or August, we cannot provide any additional freezing period since the package must be used before the package expiry.
We recommend that you take your lessons with another teacher if your music teacher is on holiday so that you continue to learn and progress during this time. We will match you with another teacher who will have access to your progress history and we will be able to pick up exactly where your teacher left off. You can take your lessons at home or you can also you’re your lessons at your nearest branch.
Alternatively, we can freeze your lessons until your teacher returns however we do not recommend this option.
We hope that you have somewhere exciting booked for your holiday. We do recommend that you continue your lessons, even during your holiday. However, if you do not have access to an instrument or internet, do not panic, we can freeze your lessons as per the terms and conditions of your package.
We know that your children can get cabin fever during the summer holidays especially if you the parent, is still working. We are therefore happy to offer our fun and educational camps during winter, spring and summer school holidays.
If you miss two lessons without providing any notice, the Music at Home Co-Ordinator will call to make sure that you are ok. If we cannot get a hold of you, we will release your scheduled time slot to other students. If and when you decide to return for your lessons, the Music at Home Co-Ordinator will book you a new time slot as long as the package is within expiry. Please understand that we cannot offer any refund on missed classes since the time slot was reserved for you.
Lessons and Learning
We offer lessons for students of all ages and skill levels. The minimum age to begin lessons is four (4) years old.
No matter how extraordinary a teacher is (and trust us, ours really are!), a great practice routine is crucial for progressing in any subject or instrument. We encourage our students to develop a rigorous practice routine with the help of their teachers that will enable them to progress much quicker.
The more often you take lessons, the greater chance you will have of increasing your skill more quickly. Our teachers recommend that students take lessons a minimum of twice per week or more given the availability of the student and teacher.
We offer teaching for adults, children and anyone looking to improve their skills on an instrument. Our teachers recommend forty-five (45)-minute lessons for our adult students and thirty (30) minute lessons for our younger students.
We are very proud of our qualified teachers who make Music at Home by Melodica the leading source for music lessons in the UAE. Our teachers are all selected from well recognised colleges and universities, around the world and come with recommendations from our current teachers. The #1 qualification all of our teachers have, is passion for music and a love for teaching it to others. We background check all of our teachers for criminal and other history.
Maybe you saw a teacher you liked from our website. Maybe you have been given a recommendation from a friend. If you know of or have seen/met a teacher you’re interested in working with, please let us know at the time of lesson registration and we will try our best to accommodate you by scheduling your lessons with them. We cannot guarantee that you will be assigned that teacher due to a factors such as schedule availability, your experience or level, experience, age or goals, to name a few.
Since everyone learns at different rates and in different learning styles, one-on-one lessons have led to our students greatest success. We do not offer lessons whereby two students or siblings can take a lesson at the same time. In our experience, students learn better with a one-on-one approach. Siblings who have separate lessons will however be able to practice and perform together, what they have learnt, at home. The best part of playing an instrument, is playing it with others.
Unfortunately sometimes you may meet someone that you don’t gel with due to having different personality types. This is perfectly normal and in this situation, we will try our best to accommodate you with another teacher. We always do our best to ensure the satisfaction of both our students and teachers. When it comes to music and learning, a great connection with your teacher is absolutely crucial.
Our teachers are well experienced in working with a diverse group of individuals with different needs. We can definitely provide adapted lessons to accommodate any individuals who learn differently than others. When booking your assessment or registering from lessons, please ask which teacher is specifically experienced to help your child.
While we do have some teachers who are talented enough to be able to teach more than one subject, we unfortunately don’t offer the ability to combine lessons for multiple subjects. If you’re interested in studying more than one subject, we encourage you to purchase a package for each subject.
The progress you make depends on a variety of factors including your natural ability and time spent practicing. We encourage all of our students to learn and play at a pace that is comfortable for them but also pushes their boundaries as a musician. With that being said, we are focused on meeting the specific needs of our students and progress will vary for each student.
Some things are out of everyone’s control however we are dedicated to making sure our students receive their lessons. In the event of an Act of God, Force Majeure or government closure situation, Music at Home will provide an alternative method for lesson delivery.
Parent feedback and support is crucial to your child’s progress. You will be updated on your child’s progress in a multitude of ways. You are requested to meet the teacher five (5) minutes before the end of every face-to-face and online music lesson. This provides you with an opportunity to be updated on progress, struggles and homework. You will also receive a quarterly Report Card with an update on development and progress.
Your learning environment is just as important as the lesson itself. Try to put yourself in an environment that is quiet, without distraction, comfortable and sparks your curiosity and creativity.
Although it’s possible to learn an instrument without reading music or notes, it’s extremely difficult. That is why we are here – to make it easier for students to learn notes through our carefully crafted syllabus. The students’ syllabus will make their learning journey much easier and interesting.
Renewals
If you know that your package is going to expire, we recommend that you renew it before going on holiday. We don’t want you to be stressing about securing your favourite teacher and time slot whilst on holiday. To keep things easy, simply renew your package before you go on holiday and you’ll get to stay with the same great teacher and schedule. To renew your package, please co-ordinate with the Music at Home Co-Ordinator.
If your package is about to end, we recommend that you renew it as soon as possible in order to give you a greater chance of keeping your teacher and time slot. Package renewals must be made a minimum of two (2) lessons before the expiry of your existing package.
We will do our best to reserve you the same lesson schedule but times cannot be held without payment. Please make sure that you follow up with the Music at Home Co-Ordinator to renew your package as the expiry date approaches. If you are interested in securing a fixed time for a longer period of time, we do offer longer packages.
Transfers and Conversions
We’re really sorry to see you leave and we wish you the best of luck in your travels. Before you leave the country, we’ll do our best to ensure that you’re able to take all of your lessons. If you’re unable to attend all of your lessons before you leave you can still take them online even after you have left. If you don’t want to continue with online lessons, you can transfer your remaining lessons to a friend or family member but please remember that we do not offer refunds on lessons. Please contact the Music at Home Co-Ordinator immediately if you’re planning to move.
Part of taking lessons is learning more about your instrument and we understand that your first instrument might not be the right one for you. We are happy to offer our students the possibility of switching to another instrument. To switch to another instrument, please co-ordinate with the Music at Home Co-Ordinator.
We love that you’re enthusiastic to learn more than one instrument and we encourage that. However, we cannot split a package into multiple subjects between more than one student. We recommend purchasing two packages if you’re interested in learning two subjects.
We are very sorry to hear that you’re no longer interested to take your lessons as we always hope that our students continue with their love for learning a musical instrument. In this situation, we recommend that you transfer your remaining lessons to a friend or family member so that they may have the opportunity to experience the joy of playing a musical instrument. We unfortunately cannot convert a lesson package into a purchase for an instrument or product.
We love hearing that you’re enjoying your subject and want to spend more time learning your instrument. To increase your lessons time, please contact the Music at Home Co-Ordinator who will assist you in upgrading your package.
We understand that your schedule can change and we are here to support you when that happens. To convert your twice-a-week lesson package to a once-a-week package, please contact the Music at Home Co-Ordinator.
Congratulations on the move! We hope that your new home brings joy and lots of new memories. To transfer your lessons to a different branch, please contact the Music at Home Co-Ordinator who will be happy to transfer your package.
The UAE is home to many nationalities, many of whom live a transient life. Sometimes we have to say ‘goodbye’ to our amazing teachers and staff. If your teacher is leaving we have many other amazing teachers who you will be able to continue your lessons with. If your teacher is going to leave, the Music at Home Co-Ordinator will notify you immediately.
Due to operational factors, it may be necessary for us to discontinue a subject at your branch. If your branch is discontinuing your subject and if you wish to continue lessons with the same subject, you can continue your lessons at the nearest branch that offers it. If you’re interested in changing your subject, you can continue your lessons but in a different subject. Please contact the Music at Home Co-Ordinator for more information on changing your subject.
We are very sorry if your branch is closing however sometimes there are factors, which are out of our control, that may require us to close a branch. If your branch closes, we are happy to transfer your lessons to your nearest branch.
Learning an instrument takes time and commitment and for some it’s more difficult than others. We highly encourage parents to be involved in every step of their children’s musical learning journey. If your child isn’t interested in taking lessons anymore, we recommend that you support them through their learning difficulties and encourage them to overcome their adversity. As always, our teachers and staff are also here to help you and your child overcome difficulty.
School Policies
Your point of contact for all communication, within the school, is the Music at Home Co-Ordinator. If you have any questions with regards to scheduling, re-scheduling, making payments or absences, for example, please direct all communication to the Music at Home Co-Ordinator. We unfortunately cannot be held responsible for communication made directly with the teachers since the teachers are not trained on these aspects and may give you the incorrect advice or answer.
Examinations
Melodica is proud to be an official exam center of internationally-recognised examination boards such as ABRSM, Trinity, and RAD (Royal Academy of Dance UK).
Exams can be somewhat stressful and a lot of students do get nervous – we have all been there and we all know how it feels. Exams are not mandatory and we will never force you to take an exam however your teacher will strongly encourage you to do so, and we support them in this regard, to prepare you and support you through exams. When you enroll for exam, you will show an increase in progress and skill level since you are focusing on specific concepts and knowledge in order to pass the exam. We are also sure that you will feel an over-whelming sense of achievement and pride when you pass and receive your certificate.
We like to make it as easy as possible to register for exams. We therefore do all the work for you including registration and co-ordination with the examination boards. For all examination-related matters and since Melodica is the only point of contact with the examination boards, please raise any concerns to your teacher or the Music at Home Co-Ordinator.
We love that you are motivated to reach a higher grade however if you are not prepared and your teacher does not have enough time to prepare you, you will not recommend for you to take a higher-grade exam. We will only register you for an examination that is a higher grade and subject, if you have the necessary skill level and a recommendation from your teacher.
If you did not practice for the exam then you may not get the desired outcome or grade that you had hoped for. We will continue to monitor your exam preparation and progress and ensure that you are as prepared, as much as possible, without the desired practice. If you don’t meet the requirements for the exam due to missed lessons, lack of practice or failure to follow your teachers advice, we do reserve the right to remove our school name from the exam mark sheet.
In the event of an Act of God, Force Majeure or government closure situation that causes the examinations to be cancelled, which until 2020 we did not expect to ever happen, the examination fee will be retained and the student will be re-enrolled in the next examination session.
We are sorry to hear that you do not want to participate in your exam anymore. Have you spoken to your teacher about why you want to withdraw? Upon registering for the exam, all payments received for fee’s are sent to the examination board. All registrations and fee payments are therefore final. There are some very exceptional circumstances where examination boards will permit a partial refund as per examination board policies. Please discuss your concerns with your teacher or Music at Home Co-Ordinator for escalation to the Head of Music.
For ABRSM examinations and to ensure that you are comfortable, if you are taking an exam in violin or vocal, you must attend extra lessons to practice with accompaniment. The number and duration of these extra lessons depends on the teacher’s recommendation and must be booked and paid separately.
To make sure that you are prepared for your RAD ballet exam and most importantly if you are taking a graded examination, you must attend class twice per week starting from the November before the examination date. If your teacher recommends that you also take extra practice lessons, before your examination, then it’s recommended that you take additional private lessons.
The examination boards set the dates and times for the examination so as soon as we know the exam schedule, we will let you know. The examination boards normally announce the exam schedule no later than two (2) weeks before the exam date. Please note that the examination may fall on a weekday or weekend, morning or late afternoon.
This is unfortunately out of our control. The examination board does not allow you to change your exam date once the schedule has been released.
If you need to apply for a special arrangement, you must submit supporting evidence, to the Music at Home Co-Ordinator, before the last day of registration. The examination board may not accept any special arrangements received after this time.
Concerts and Recitals
The greatest part of all musical journeys is being able to showcase your talent and newly learned skills on stage and with other musicians. We’re proud to provide all students with the opportunity to perform on stage from the World Trade Centre to beach festivals, community centres to flagship malls and government-organised events.
Our recitals are hosted semi-annually before the summer school holidays and during the winter. In between these recitals and concerts, we provide many other exciting performance opportunities for you to perform, in person and online.
Of course! All of our students and teachers are welcome to perform in our concerts/recitals and have a lot of fun doing so. To put our adult students at ease, we separate our adult students from our younger students when organising the concert groupings.
We do not pressure you or any of our students to participate in recitals or concerts but we highly encourage it. An important part of taking lessons is being able to showcase your newly learned skills in front of others. Not only do we teach at Music at Home but we help our students overcome their fear of performances by fostering a friendly and family-oriented concert environment where students are encouraged to do their best.
We put a lot of effort and organisation into our recitals and concerts so that the experience is enjoyable for everyone involved. So that our recitals and concerts are a success and run smoothly, we do have to implement a strict lateness policy. You must aim to arrive at the concert venue a minimum of thirty (30) minutes before the concert start time to register your attendance. Students who are late, may miss the performance. We do try to accommodate late arrivals however we cannot guarantee that a replacement time will be offered due to venue timing limitations.
To perform in Dubai, you must have a DTCM permit but don’t worry, we will apply on your behalf. All we require from you is a valid passport copy, valid Emirates ID copy (if applicable) and a recent passport-sized photograph. A photo taken with your phone camera is also fine, as long as it is passport-sized and looks like a passport photograph with a clear, white background.
Students are nominated for the concerts, by their teachers, based on the skill level of the student and the health and safety restraints of the venue and stage.
We work very hard behind the scenes to get all concert/recital schedules completed and announced one (1) week before the concert date.
If you’re unable to make it to the scheduled concert day and time please notify the Music at Home Co-Ordinator immediately. Due to venue time slots and venue restrictions, it is not possible for us to change the schedule dates or timings. Please note that the concert/recital may fall on a weekday or weekend, morning or late afternoon.
We understand that you may be excited to perform and would like to practice on the stage before the start of the concert/recital, however due to venue restrictions and safety precautions, we cannot permit our students to use the stage to practice beforehand. Our teachers will be there to sound check everything before the concert starts and will be there to assist you with any tuning or practice requirements.
Performing on stage is your moment to shine! In order to deliver your best performance, we recommend that you do not miss any class leading up to the concert combined with extra practice at home. Your teacher will be at the concert on the day for any guidance or moral support.
Although it’s unlikely, our concert/recital schedules are subject to change once they’re released. Things outside of our control like an Act of God, Force Majeure, interruptions or cancellations by the event organiser, weather conditions, prayer timings and more, could cause a schedule change. If necessary, the concert/recital will be rescheduled to a different day and/or time. If the event or concert must be cancelled, we will retain the concert fee and the student will be re-enrolled in the next concert.
Performing on stage is your moment to shine and we want you to look as good as you feel. We ask all our students to comply with the theme of the concert. This will be communicated by the Music at Home Co-Ordinator.
Here are a few important things you will need on the day of your concert: your own book or music sheet, your own instrument, a lot of positivity and courage and a whole bunch of family and friends to cheer you on.
We love to document the talent shown in our concerts and recitals and may take photos and videos during performances. For our major concerts, we may even have a professional photographer. Small disclaimer: these photos and videos may be used for marketing, social media and other publications as required.
Affiliation and Regulation
We are very proud to be registered and governed by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
Material and Equipment
Since home lessons are held in your home and not held in one of our schools, you will be required to have your own instrument to take home lessons.
We understand that buying your first instrument can be intimidating as there is a lot to learn, but that’s what makes it fun! Our teachers are available to answer all your questions and are here to help you find your perfect instrument. As you progress in your knowledge and skill, our teachers will always be here to help you upgrade your instrument.
Once you start your lessons and after an evaluation by your teacher, you will be recommended an initial book package to use. Any books or other materials that are recommended to you, will be available for purchase inside the school.
© 2020. Melodica All rights reserved.