Studio Policies & Expectations
Revised August 2026
If you're reading this, you likely already know a little bit about our studio, but just so we're on the same page, allow me to more formally introduce myself and provide a bit of background knowledge about who I am, my journey, how the studio came to be and the career I've been blessed to enjoy in music to-date.
Hi, I'm Justin T. Swain, the Owner of The Swain Studio. For more than a decade I've served the music education community of Central Ohio as a Teaching Artist for Opera Columbus, to providing thousands of hours of lessons to students of all ages and ability levels, to later co-owning a music school which employed over twenty individuals and provided private music lessons for over five hundred students over the course of three years. I've served on the full-time voice faculty of Ohio University for four years, and also taught voice lessons as a graduate student at The Ohio State University during my dual-Masters program. I also recently served on the part-time voice faculty at Otterbein University as the Instructor of Commercial Voice and also the BFA Musical Theater majors.
Since June of 2025 I've shifted my focus back into facilitating private music lessons with highly qualified, vetted, and trusted teachers who I've hand-selected based on their education background, strength as teachers, specialties, and because they're genuinely good people.
Welcome to The Swain Studio!
Born and raised in Columbus, OH, I've managed to make music my full-time career. I grew up in the Hilltop neighborhood of inner-city Columbus, attendedCSCC and Ohio State for my undergraduate and first round of graduate studies in music, and have continued my education in both vocal performance and fact-based voice science and pedagogy through a number of certificate programs in Vocology and Vocal Pedagogy, workshops, and conferences. In 2024 I was named a NATS Intern, which afforded me the privilege of studying under and being mentored by Mike Ruckles (NYC/Broadway Vocal Pedagogue) at Florida State University through a ten-day residency of mentored teaching, reflection, and pedagogy intensive. The NATS Intern program is the premiere training program offered by the NationalAssociation of Teachers of Singing, the oldest organization in the United States devoted to the art of teaching voice.
At present, I am in the third and final year of my Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Vocal Pedagogy with a specialization in Voice Science & Research at the Shenandoah Conservatory and am taking a step away from teaching full-time within the academy to pour back into my own professional development and that of those around me.
I've enjoyed performing extensively with regional opera companies and have enjoyed a unique career existing within many different professional spaces in varied capacities. I'm delighted to now shift my focus back toward helping other highly qualified individuals connect with students and provide mentorship as they grow their studio rosters and develop their own teaching practices.
Whether you're a seasoned veteran performer or are just getting started in your musical journey, studying with me, or one of the instructors I have hand-selected to be on faculty, I'm excited to welcome you to The Swain Studio and to help you along the way in your artistic endeavors!
If at any point you need to get in touch with me about your experience, don't hesitate to reach out via email. Cheers to you and your future successes in the arts!
Lessons are offered Virtually and In-Person and are offered in 30 and 60 minute increments. The Swain Studio operates on a lesson membership model where students receive weekly lessons regardless of whether there are four of five instances of lessons taking place in any given month for a single flat rate fee.
Pricing varies depending on the student's applied instructor's ranking which is commensurate with their education level and professional experience:
Tuition Information
Assistant Instructor Pricing |
|---|
| 30-Minute Lessons: $150/mo |
| 45-Minute Lessons: $225/mo |
| 60-Minute Lessons: $300/mo |
Associate Instructor Pricing |
|---|
| 30-Minute Lessons: $170/mo |
| 45-Minute Lessons: $255/mo |
| 60-Minute Lessons: $340/mo |
Master Instructor Pricing |
|---|
| 30-Minute Lessons: $195/mo |
| 45-Minute Lessons: $295/mo |
| 60-Minute Lessons: $390/mo |
Students may require from time to time additional materials (purchase of sheet music/lesson books, registration fees in competitions, etc) to be successful in their studies.
Lesson tuition is paid month-to-month on the first of each month for that month's scheduled lessons via ACH / card on file. In the instance of enrolling in lessons after the first, billing is prorated for the remainder of the month based on the remaining number of days in that month from the date of the initial assessment lesson.
When enrolling in lessons beyond two weeks out from the start date of weekly lessons, advanced payment for the following billing cycle is due to reserve the weekly lesson time. Please see the final page of this packet for the ACH acknowledgement/agreement.
Lessons take place weekly and tuition is not prorated for missed lessons. Students/families must reschedule any missed lessons via the online scheduling system.
For more detailed information about billing, rescheduling/canceling lessons, scroll to Tuition Payments and Associated Fees & Policies.
In order for continuous progress to be made and t ensure regression doesn’t take place between lessons, students enrolled in weekly lessons are expected to attend their standing appointment on a weekly basis.
In the event that an instructor needs to miss a lesson for any reason, a service credit will be applied to the student account. Service credits rollover automatically into the next tuition period and do not expire until a student withdraws from lessons.
If a student must miss a lesson for any reason, a service credit will be issued to the student’s account with 24 or more hours of advanced notice. It is up to the student to coordinate a make-up lesson with their instructor based on mutual availability as listed in Opus1.
The Swain Studio and its affiliated teachers do not offer refunds for missed or unused lessons.
Make-Up lessons may be scheduled with the student’s applied instructor only at a time mutually agreed upon by both the student and instructor via the Opus1 scheduling website only.
In the event of a student missing significant lessons, they will be subject to dismissal from the studio as instructors are only compensated when they teach lessons. Failure to regularly attend lessons means that instructors are not compensated for time that has been reserved for a student.
Attendance Policies
Students are expected to show up as their full, authentic, unapologetic selves on any given day. What does that mean in practice?
Some lessons are going to be more productive than others, and that's alright and to be expected. Part of being a singer or music-practioner, is knowing that, for better or for worse: our body is our instrument. If we're stressed, tired, or not feeling at our best, our music-making will be impacted. That is a normal and understood part of the music-making process.
If you (or your child) are in a mood, having a tough day, or are feeling not quite up to the task, that's perfectly alright and completely understandable. Some days you might not feel like driving to have a lesson (if you're someone who normally does), and perhaps Face Time, Zoom, a series of texts back and forth, or a quick phone call are more your speed. That's totally fine. We care more so about the well-being and healthy development of a love of music and music-making and will do everything we can to foster a passion for the creative process, even on difficult days.
Part of what we do as artists is practice vulnerability on a regular basis. That's pretty tough. Some days we're going to be at 100% capacity, and those days are great when they happen, but more realistically, you're either going to be distracted by something on your mind, tired from being at work all week, or just going through a tough patch. Thanks for being brave, showing up, and for your willingness to make music together, and entrusting your (or your child's) musical enrichment to me.
Student Expectations
It is our hope that you will hold your budding musician accountable for practice (daily being ideal, but certainly not realistic for all situations or even week-to-week at times) outside of lessons. Private music instruction is a privilege and luxury afforded to few, and we genuinely want all students to get the most out of their lessons. A lack of, or inadequate at-home practice time a strong musician does not make. A forceful approach to practice should also be avoided. If you're having difficulty getting your child to practice, send your instructor or Justin (justin@theswainstudio.com) a message!
As we've enjoyed teaching a wide range of ages and ability levels, we understand many different learning styles and challenges different age groups face during the learning process. Ask us for our recommendations!
Parent/Guardian Expectations
When possible, teachers will provide at least 24 hours or more notice for any planned absences. In the event that an instructor is feeling under the weather, they will communicate this to students/ guardians as soon as possible.
Teachers/ the studio will remain highly communicative, encouraging, and supportive throughout the learning process and maintain a commitment toward personal and professional growth and development of their own pedagogy in practice.
Teacher Expectations
By attending lessons students and their families assume all reasonable risks involved in private music instruction.
The teacher and/or studio will not assume liability for illness, accidental injury, and the student/guardian understand that shared surfaces will be regularly maintained, and the safety and cleanliness of the lesson space will be taken into consideration at all times.
Travel to/from lessons are at the sole responsibility of the student/guardian.
Liability Wavier
At the time of studio-wide events or certain celebratory/milestone moments, photos and/or video may be collected to document said event.
In the case of photos or video captured and used for marketing purposes, students/guardians who do not wish to be displayed publicly may request at any time for their image/video to not be used or pulled from use/display. No questions!
Media Release
All studio members and/or their guardians are encouraged to engage in the studio's social media endeavors and offerings. There is a "Members Only" Facebook Group reserved for students/guardians past and present where various announcements are made regarding lesson vacancies, class offerings, etc.
Important News & Updates will be sent out via email. I may also send a text message in addition to an email to ensure that all necessary parties receive the latest happenings of the studio.
Feel free to follow The Swain Studio on Facebook, Instagram, and at www.theswainstudio.com!
Don't forget to submit student accomplishments via our student Ovations form on the website. All forms received will be featured via social media and in-studio to celebrate your successes! Ask your instructor or the studio owner for more information.
Social Media, News & Updates
All official studio business communication will take place through email, either from the instructor's business email, the studio owner's email, or through the scheduling system's automated texts/emails.
As a courtesy, we ask that texts/calls take place prior to 8pm. If an instructor is able to respond outside of normal hours, they will make reasonable accommodations to do so but are not obligated to respond except from the hours of 12-8pm.
Major studio announcements (policy changes, upcoming events, etc) will generally be sent via email, with cross-listings on social media (Members Only FB Group, Instagram, etc) as deemed appropriate.
Justin T. Swain, the studio owner/manager may be reached at justin@theswainstudio.com.
Studio Communication
Tuition may be paid to The Swain Studio are accepted through our scheduling service provider, Opus and are processed through Stripe.
ACH / Card on File (Recommended)
On the first of each month the full tuition amount is automatically debited from the card / band account on file in the scheduling software. This should be set up at your earliest convenience upon account creation. If your billing statement is not paid by the first, we will manually process your payment via your saved payment method on our scheduling system.
By placing a card on file you acknowledge that you will be automatically debited for your lesson tuition one week prior to the first of the month. Tuition is due in-full by the end of day on the first of each month for that month's upcoming lessons.
We do not accept cash, checks, or payments through any other means.
Tuition Payments
All lessons have a fee associated with them, including Assessment Lessons. To reserve your first lesson, you have 48 hours to submit an electronic payment directly to the studio via debit card /ACH. Failure to do so will result in the cancellation of your scheduled assessment lesson.
New students and students returning after a six-month break are required to pay a $35 New Student Registration Fee. This fee is added to the account ledger after your assessment lesson is conducted and you opt to enroll in weekly lessons.
Studio Recitals require a $25 participation fee per student. This fee covers booking and rental fees for recital spaces, and, when necessary, a collaborative pianist to support student performances. Instructors who attend recitals are also compensated for their time, and leftover funds go toward studio improvements and future studio events.
For all tuition payments received five days or later from the due date of monthly tuition, a $20 late fee is automatically applied to the account ledger. It is recommended that you submit payment for the month ahead as soon as your invoice is automatically generated.
Students whose tuition payments are received late more than two successive billing cycles are subject to dismissal from the studio.
When it's time to withdraw from lessons, whether to pause lessons for a bit or permanently, we require for an advanced notice of two weeks. Simply email lessons@theswainstudio.com to process your withdrawal.
Associated Fees & Policies
Please feel free to reach out at any time should you have a question or concern regarding any facet of your experience in lessons with one of our instructors.