Sample Communication with Studio Families

The following is an example of guidelines that could be sent out to your studio families.

In light of the recent global health alert, I want to make clear our policy about what to do to protect our health, as well as the health of each student in the studio. The nature of the teaching we do necessitates occasional very close proximity to our students. This means it is easy to pass a virus from one to another. In addition to washing hands frequently (especially before lesson!), we would like to ask you to observe the following:

If your student is sick, or showing signs of getting sick, do not bring them to their lesson. This includes, fever, aches and pains, coughs, sore throats, fatigue, and runny noses.
If there is any concern, we can have lesson via Skype. This includes performance class. We are able to connect multiple students via internet to watch and perform from their homes. Though they won’t have Mrs. Lee, they can play with the recording accompaniment track.

Other precautions:

Wash your hands before lesson! (This is a good habit, even without health scares—clean hands protect your instrument, too.) Experts recommend to lather with soap for 20 seconds (Sing “Happy Birthday” twice or the “ABC” song).
I know it is allergy season, and sneezing is not always an indicator of sickness. As a precaution, the CDC has recommended that sneezing be done into tissues, not your elbow, as that does not prevent particle spread of the virus. I have put Kleenex in the studio for this reason. Parents, please come prepared and have students tuck tissues in their pocket or sleeve to have handy. Discard used tissues immediately.
The alcohol hand sanitizer is not healthy for many students with sensitive skin, and the non-alcohol sanitizer does not fight the virus. For this reason, I am not stocking up on hand sanitizer. The bathroom is nearby and I invite everyone to make use of the soap and water found therein.

This is what SHAR said about instruments:

One question that has come up recently from you, our customers, is how to implement safe practices with your instrument to prevent further spread of COVID-19. We recommend the following:

Wash your hands before and after each practice session. While this is good practice in general, it is especially important given current events. If you are using a hand sanitizer, please make sure your hands are completely dry before handling your instrument as the alcohol in the hand sanitizer can dissolve the varnish on your instrument. This is the most effective and simple way to prevent the unnecessary spread of the virus.
Refrain from sharing your instrument with others. In the same way that the CDC is recommending social distancing, similar practices should be implemented with the use of your instrument. By not sharing your instrument with others, you lower the percentage chance that you can spread or receive germs.

Another question that has been asked recently is “How can I disinfect my instrument?”

One important thing to note is that current instrument cleaners and polishes are not designed to have disinfecting properties. Their primary purpose is to dissolve dirt and rosin build-up on instruments. They do not carry a high enough concentration of alcohol to be deemed an effective disinfectant.

We also caution against the use of household cleaners and other chemical disinfecting products on your instrument and bow. The disinfecting agent in most of these cleaners is alcohol, the primary solvent used for most varnishes. The use of these products can potentially cause damage to your instrument.

The best course of action is to implement preventative measures as described above.

Trina Carey Hodgson is well known in the Suzuki community, invited to teach at workshops in the United States, Europe and Asia. Currently a registered Teacher Trainer, she has been involved in the Suzuki movement since her youth. She received pedagogy training with Tanya Carey, Rick Mooney, Gilda Barson, and Irene Sharp. Her two children, raised in the Suzuki Style, are pursuing their desired career paths in engineering and music respectively. Mrs. Hodgson is an active performing cellist in Los Angeles with a wide range of performing experience. Having studied at the Eastman School of Music, University of Illinois and the University of California, her primary teachers include Tanya Carey, Ron Leonard, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, and Paul Katz. Mrs. Hodgson uses accelerated learning techniques in her trainings and believes that together we can make a positive impact on the world through music. Her approach strives to model Suzuki’s call to excellence.

Send a message to Trina Carey Hodgson