Private Lessons begin September 2!
We are proud to offer:
Traditional instruction at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels
16+ instruments: piano, guitar, voice, percussion, strings, winds, and brass
30, 45, or 60-minute weekly lessons, with a new monthly billing option
Recital opportunities each semester
Financial Aid via teacher nomination
Our highly-trained instructors all hold degrees in the instruments they teach, ensuring that you and your family will receive the best instruction available. All faculty and staff have passed clearances to work with minors as required by the PA Department of Education.
Each 18-week semester culminates in a Solo Recital, typically hosted at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Waupelani Drive. Hop on stage and share your new skills with friends and family in a supportive atmosphere. Students are also invited to perform throughout the year at community events.
Conveniently located off of West College Avenue, The Music Academy is a spacious education facility featuring 9 studio classrooms, each with well-maintained pianos. We aim to create a nurturing, family-friendly environment where all students are encouraged to acheive their personal best.
TRIAL LESSONS: $45/lesson; 30-minutes each
WEEKLY LESSONS: Your assigned instructor will help recommend the best lesson length based on your age, level, and musical goals, also factoring in your schedule and budget preferences.
30-minutes: $47/lesson, billed monthly*
Single Semester (18 lessons): Total of $846
Full Year (36 lessons): Total of $1,692
45-minutes: $63/lesson, billed monthly*
Single Semester (18 lessons): Total of $1,134
Full Year (36 lessons): Total of $2,268
60-minutes: $84/lesson, billed monthly*
Single Semester (18 lessons): Total of $1,512
Full Year (36 lessons): Total of $3,024
REGISTRATION FEE: Due once per academic year to all students, both new and returning; charged at the time of booking.
$50 for first family member
$15 for second family member
Waived for any additional family members
*Important Note: TMA's new monthly payment plan is a convenient way to spread out the cost of tuition via monthly installments. It is important to understand that this is not a 'pay-as-you-go' arrangement. Our strict withdrawal policy still applies. Monthly payments will still continue for the entire term, even if the student decides to cease taking lessons. Learn more.
Before booking, please confirm your lesson day/time with your assigned instructor. If you still need a teacher assignment, book a Trial Lesson or complete a Contact Form.
Create an account with Opus1, our new web-based registration portal. See here for login instructions and important billing changes: LOGIN INSTRUCTIONS.
Follow the Link below & complete your initial payment.
Helpful tips:
Use a DEBIT CARD to avoid the 3% surcharge!
We still accept checks for full-semester payments; just reach out for help.
ACH/Bank Account auto-draft is also available for future payments.
FALL 2025: September 2 to January 24
SPRING 2026: January 25 to May 8
Weekly Lesson Commitment: The Music Academy acknowledges that learning a musical instrument requires time and dedication; therefore we operate on an academic calendar from September to June, with students attending one lesson per week at a recurring day and time. At-home practice between lessons is crucial for success.
Minimum Enrollment: Each student must enroll in a minimum of one semester (18 lessons), culminating in a Solo Recital opportunity each semester. For best results, we encourage a full academic year of lessons (both Fall and Spring semesters, for a total of 36 total lessons), allowing students to truly commit and flourish in their musical journey. We now offer monthly auto-billing to ease the burden of tuition costs over time.
Key Dates: Please make a note of first/last lesson dates, holidays, school closures, and Solo Recitals. Rest assured that our calendar is designed such that each student receives exactly 18 lessons per semester, regardless of which day of the week their lessons fall.
Sibling/ Family Discounts: Use the link above to enroll your first student; then:
Please reach out to the Director for assistance with:
Alternative Payment Methods: We still accept check, money order, and Bill Pay; however, these options are only available when paying in-full, up-front for the entire semester. They not eligible for monthly payments or partial payments.
Single Semester enrollment (as opposed to default Full Year enrollment)
Bi-weekly lessons, or other special scheduling as approved by the instructor
Applying Faculty Discounts or Scholarships/Financial Aid
In these cases, the Director can manually enroll you in your lessons, after which you must log-in to agree to Terms & Conditions and apply payment. Your initial payment must be received by the time of the first lesson
Our Location: 3060 Enterprise Drive, Suite 114, State College, PA 16803
Next Steps:
Bring your instrument and all assigned materials to every lesson.
Rent or purchase your instrument in advance of your first lesson. Your instructor can provide vendor recommendations.
View the 2025-2026 Calendar to make a note of key dates such as holidays and recitals.
View all lessons and classes by Day or Month; see all bookings for family in one place.
See subscription history, review terms, view and pay upcoming invoices.
Add Bank Account and apply to future invoices to avoid 3% Credit Card Fee.
*TMA's new monthly payment plan is a convenient way to spread out the cost of the full semester or full year's tuition over equal monthly installments. It is important to understand that this is not a 'pay-as-you-go' arrangement. By agreeing to this method, you acknowledge that monthly payments are a method of fulfilling your full financial commitment for the term over time. This means that whether or not the student continues attending lessons, our strict withdrawal policy still applies. Tuition for the entire term remains due and monthly payments will continue as scheduled. This policy ensures consistency for all clients and faculty, and allows us to reserve your student's place, plan staffing, and maintain the quality of our programs. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Even with the monthly payment plan, our withdrawal policy still applies.
TMA Withdrawal Policy: The Music Academy acknowledges that learning to play a musical instrument takes time and dedication. A student may book up to two Trial Lessons with a new instrument or new instructor before enrolling in a term (Fall/Spring semester, Full Academic Year, or Summer Session). Once officially registered for a term, TMA does not offer refunds, even if a student decides to cease taking lessons for any reason. Unusual circumstances, such as a long-term illness or moving from the area may be considered. Even with the monthly payment plan, our withdrawal policy still applies. This means that whether or not the student continues attending lessons, tuition for the entire term remains due, and monthly payments will continue as scheduled for the remainder of the term.
No, The Music Academy offers this arrangement as a convenience and service to our clients and does not disincentivize the monthly plan by adding additional fees. We recommend using a DEBIT CARD to remove the 3% card surcharge. (If you choose to use a credit card as your preferred payment method, this will incur an additional 3% fee). A Please note that in the self-booking process, the very initial payment must be paid with a debit or credit card. After the first payment is made, the preferred payment method can be updated to Bank Account for all future invoices, if preffered. We do not accept check, money order, or bank Bill Pay for monthly payments; those methods are only available to students who wish to pay for the semester in full. We no longer accept Venmo payments.
Yes! To pay in full, please reach out to TMA's Director and request an invoice for the entire term. You may pay this balance with a check, or pay online with credit card or Bank Account.
Please note that we are not able to accept monthly payments via check, money order, or Bill Pay; those options are only available if you are paying for the term in full. We no longer accept Venmo for any services.
Using a DEBIT CARD will remove the 3% surcharge fee! After the intial payment is made with a card, you may also switch to Bank Account for future monthly billing, if that is preferred.
*When booking a trial or enrolling in a monthly payment plan online, the initial payment must be made using a debit or credit card. This policy is enforced by Opus to protect The Music Academy, as ACH (bank account) transactions require up to five business days to clear, whereas credit card payments are authorized instantly. After the first payment is completed, you may update your preferred payment method to a bank account.
We no longer accept Venmo for our services, but it is still possible to pay by check! Here is an overview of our Payment Methods:
Online Options:
Credit Card - incurs 3% fee
Debit Card - no additional fee
Bank Account - no additional fee (first payment must be paid with credit card; all future invoices may be made with Bank Account)
Alternative Payment Options - Available only when paying upfront, for the entire term in full. Please inform the Director if you wish to pay using the following methods.
Check
Cash
Money Order
Bank "Bill Pay" -
Note: Since we now offer the monthly payment plan, we no longer offer the two-payment plan.
Yes! We offer prorated billing to students who enroll after the semester has already started. When self-booking, select your first lesson date as agreed upon by your instructor. The system will automatically bill you based on the number of lessons in the upcoming month, plus your registration fee. All future invoices on the 1st of each month will reflect the number of upcoming lessons scheduled in that calendar month. Your subscription will end at the conclusion of the term.
By default, our system enrolls each student in the full academic year (September to June). If you wish to only enroll in a single semester (Fall or Spring), please communicate with with the TMA Director before enrolling. If you have enrolled in the whole year in error and wish to end your subscription early, this request must be made in writing before December 1, 2025.
Trial Lessons: Payment is due at the time of booking via Opus1. We no longer accept check, cash, or Venmo payments for Trial Lessons.
Weekly Private Lessons:
If self-Booking in the Monthly Payment Plan via Opus1: Initial payment is due at the time of booking. This covers the first month of lessons as well as the annual registration fee. Future invoices will be auto-billed on the 1st of the next month for lessons scheduled in that upcoming month. Auto-billing will conclude at the end of term. (January 1 for Fall Semester; June 1 for Spring Semester). If auto-billing is not successful, and payment is not received within 7 days, a $20 late fee will be applied. If the balance is not paid by 14 days, future lessons will be suspended until payment and all fees are received. Lessons missed during the suspension will be forfeited and not eligible for make-up lessons.
If opting for Full-term payment (Semester or Year): Full tuition and registration fee are due by the time of the first lesson. If payment is not received within 7 days, a $20 late fee will be applied. If the outstanding invoice is not paid by 14 days, lessons will be suspended until payment and all fees are paid. Lessons missed during the suspension will be forfeited and not eligible for make-up lessons.
If the Director manually enrolls a student in lessons (either monthly or full-term): First payment is due by the time of the first lesson. If payment is not received within 7 days, a $20 late fee will be applied. If the outstanding invoice is not paid by 14 days, lessons will be suspended until payment and all fees are paid. Lessons missed during the suspension will be forfeited and not eligible for make-up lessons.