Programme Structure
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Below is our full list of Terms and Conditions. You’ll be asked to agree to these when completing your enrolment through our music portal, Opus1. Upon agreeing you have committed to these terms.
SOLE sessions run continuously throughout the year, with a one month break over the Christmas and New Year period. By learning year-round, students benefit from greater consistency, stronger skill development, and continued progress without the setbacks that can occur during extended breaks.
Following an initial 12-week commitment period, enrolments continue on an ongoing subscription basis, subject to SOLE's withdrawal policy.
For administrative and planning purposes, the year is divided into four terms. Each approximately 12 weeks and adhere to school break to allow for subscription pauses for private students, see below for more on this.
Sessions do not run on public holidays unless otherwise advised by SOLE.
Enrolment is with SOLE Music Academy rather than an individual mentor. While we aim to provide consistency wherever possible, mentors may change from time to time.
Music Portal & Communication
Students and families can access our Music Portal via our website by clicking Login in the top right corner of www.solemusicacademy.co.nz
Your Music Portal allows you to:
View your schedule and upcoming sessions
Access session notes and resources
Manage bookings and payment details
Cancel sessions and use makeup credits
Book additional sessions with your preferred mentor
Communicate directly with your mentor via the chat function
Request a Zoom session when required
View academy events and calendar information
Administrative enquiries should be directed to solestudio@solemusicacademy.co.nz
Our team aims to respond within two business days.
Performance Opportunities
SOLE provides a range of performance opportunities throughout the year to help students build confidence, develop stagecraft, and share their progress with others.
Open Mic Nights are held regularly and are open to all students. Students may perform as often as they wish. These events are ideal for first-time performers, students looking to gain stage experience, or those wanting to share original material. You can register via your music portal. Entry is by koha.
Performance Evenings are held at SOLE at the end of each term. All group singing students perform, while solo performers are selected by mentors based on readiness and ensuring opportunities are shared fairly amongst students. Family and friends are welcome to attend. Entry is $5 per person.
SOLE Showcase is our annual flagship performance event. Held at a professional venue with a live band and production team, this ticketed event provides selected students with the opportunity to perform on a larger stage. Auditions are required.
Emerge Shows are held throughout the year for students enrolled in our Artist Development Programme, providing opportunities to showcase original work and gain experience performing in live music venues.
Payment
Session fees are charged in advance in an ongoing monthly subscription on the 1st of every month. Your subscription secures your place in your allocated session and covers your weekly lessons throughout the year, excluding the Christmas closure period.
Your card will be automatically charged on the 1st of each month, based on the type and number of sessions you or your child are enrolled in for that month. If you join part-way through the year, charges will begin from your start date and then continue on the 1st of every month.
How to pay? Once you have set up your music portal account, you can add your preferred card details.
Session prices include GST and credit card fees.
For new students, a one-off registration fee of $35 will be added to your first monthly bill. If you return later, you won’t be charged this fee again.
For all members, a small music resource fee of $5 is added every month to support the high-quality resources we provide to all members – including access to professional music platforms, sheet music, backing tracks, creative tools and plugins for songwriting and production, live sound gear, and professional equipment.
If you change your session type or number of sessions, your monthly fee will be updated from the following month.
We’re unable to offer refunds.
A $20 administration fee may be applied where a scheduled payment is declined and remains unpaid.
Each student is allocated one reschedule per term, provided you have cancelled the session on your music portal with at least 24 hours notice prior to the scheduled session. You will automatically receive a credit on your account.
If a student is unwell, please notify SOLE by email before 9:00am on the day of the session. Students may either:
Use their one allocated reschedule for the term; or
Attend their session online via Zoom. Zoom sessions can be accessed through the Music Portal by locating the scheduled session and selecting "Join Online".
How to book in a credit? Login to our music portal, click ‘use’ to book any makeup credits online with your usual mentor or any other available mentor online.
Important notes:
Your makeup credit expires after 3 months.
A rescheduled session cannot be rescheduled again. If you miss the reschedule, it will be forfeited.
If your mentor is unwell or unavailable, we’ll arrange a fill-in where possible. If that’s not available, you’ll receive a makeup credit.
SOLE reserves the right to reschedule, move online, or cancel sessions where circumstances beyond our control make delivery of a session impractical. Where a session is cancelled by SOLE and cannot be rescheduled, a makeup credit will be issued.
Changes to Schedule
SOLE understands that family commitments, sporting activities, and changing schedules can arise throughout the year. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate requests for alternative lesson times where availability permits. To request a change to your schedule, please email our administration team at solestudio@solemusicacademy.co.nz
As mentor schedules and student places are confirmed in advance, changes to a student's availability after a term has commenced do not constitute grounds for cancellation or withdrawal from a subscription. Where a suitable alternative session or session time is available, SOLE will work with the student to amend their schedule.
Where a suitable alternative time is not available, the student's existing session and subscription will continue. In limited circumstances, SOLE may approve a temporary pause where the student has provided reasonable availability options and SOLE is unable to offer a suitable lesson time due to mentor availability. Any such pause is at SOLE's discretion.
Subscription Pauses
Private students who are at school may pause their subscription for up to 2 weeks for holidays or travel. At least 7 days' written notice is required for each pause request. This does not affect the 1 month break over Christmas holiday as the academy is closed.
Private students who are not at school may opt to pause their subscription during the year for up to 4 weeks. This can be used consecutively or separately. At least 7 days' written notice is required for each pause request. This does not affect the 1 month break over Christmas holiday as the academy is closed.
Group session enrolments continue year-round and places are reserved within the group. As places are limited, subscriptions cannot be paused for holidays or absences.
Withdrawal from Subscription
Following the initial 12-week commitment period, students may withdraw by providing written notice at least 14 days before the start of the new term to solestudio@solemusicacademy.co.nz
As session schedules and mentor commitments are confirmed in advance, withdrawal requests received after this date will take effect at the end of the following term and fees for that term will remain payable.
Fees remain payable during the notice period and no refunds will be provided for lessons scheduled within this timeframe.
Fees for courses, workshops, holiday programmes, and other fixed-term programmes are non-refundable once commenced.
Cancellation & Reschedule Policy
General
Safety, Conduct and Confidentiality
SOLE is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment. All teachers, mentors, and staff working with students are police checked in accordance with New Zealand safety checking requirements.
Students are expected to attend sessions prepared to learn, treat SOLE's premises, equipment, mentors, and fellow students with respect, and refrain from attending if unwell. All studio spaces are monitored by CCTV for the safety and wellbeing of our community.
SOLE respects the privacy of students and families. However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where information disclosed raises concerns about the safety or wellbeing of the student or others. In such circumstances, SOLE may share relevant information with appropriate staff, parents, caregivers, or external agencies where necessary. This is permitted under the Privacy Act 1993 when disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat.
SOLE reserves the right to suspend or remove a student whose behaviour is unsafe, disruptive, abusive towards other students or mentors or has a significant negative impact on the learning experience of others. Where this occurs, any refund or credit will be at SOLE's discretion.
Any concerns regarding another student, mentor, or member of the SOLE community should be reported directly to the SOLE Director or the SOLE Manager immediately.
Sound recordings & Promotional Use
Students are encouraged to share and celebrate their work. However, any recordings or productions created as part of a SOLE programme must receive approval from the SOLE Director before public release.
SOLE may photograph, film, or record students during sessions, performances, and events and may use this content for promotional, educational, and marketing purposes.
If a student or parent does not wish for photos, videos, or recordings to be used, they must notify SOLE in writing. While we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate such requests, we cannot guarantee exclusion from all group photos, videos, or event recordings.