Piano

Dana Marie Chavarria grew up in Arlington, Texas where she studied piano with Betty Capshaw and Dr. Vivian Siao from the age of 7. She performed in numerous piano festivals and competitions through the Texas Federation of Music Clubs and participated in the National Piano Guild Auditions through grade school. During this time, she taught private piano lessons. She began studying organ with Dr. H. Joseph Butler while studying music at Texas Christian University. She received a Bachelor of Music degree in Church Music and a Masters of Music in Organ Performance from TCU. She currently serves as church organist for University Baptist Church in Fort Worth and has taught piano and works as the administrative assistant at Arlington Heights Music Academy since 2009.

Along with her music career, Dana also serves as a Human Resources Officer in the United States Army Reserve after serving 26 months of active duty including a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq in 2006-2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Dana currently resides in Fort Worth with her husband, Adrian and baby daughter, Emma Kathryn. She enjoys decorating and DIY projects, yoga, and attending music performances and art events in Fort Worth with friends and family.

PAYMENT POLICY

Registration at AHMA is for the school year. For your convenience, a nine-month payment plan is available. Our automated payment system withdraws a monthly payment from your account or charges your credit card on the 2nd of each month (September through May) or once a semester. Early withdrawal before the end of a semester does not terminate responsibility for payment of tuition. (See withdrawal policy below.)

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

A 30-day notice is required for early withdrawal. One of the two following conditions will apply: (1) Refunds for withdrawal from classes during the semester will be limited to the tuition for remaining classes minus four week’s tuition. (2) For those making payments in quarters, one payment will be due upon withdrawal.

MAKE-UP LESSON POLICY

Musikgarten – Because these young students need the security of having class with the same group of students each week, class lessons missed cannot be made up during another class. No refunds or credits will be given for missed class lessons. Private lessons may not be made up except in the case of illness or emergency, and then only if we are notified by 2:00 PM the day of the lesson to be missed. To cancel a private lesson call your teacher at 817-731-2612. Leave a message if he/she is unavailable. No refunds or credits will be given for missed class lessons or un-rescheduled private lessons. No makeup lessons will be given after the next AHMA school session starts. Please remember that tuition purchases instruction time, training and experience. Your lesson time is reserved for you even if you don’t use it.

Parent Participation

Parental supervised practice is of utmost importance! Parents are partners in the learning process. Gentle encouragement is needed for the student to feel the delight of successful learning. It is very important that a student feel successful at the tasks he or she is attempting. Please encourage daily practice. Younger children should not be expected to do all of their practicing alone. Sing songs together, practice rhythm and note reading exercises together, practice the assigned pieces together. Try to set aside the same time every day for practice sessions, and make it a goal to practice each piece multiple times each day. Practice time is rewarded through our Practice Points program. Students can receive small prizes throughout the year, and end-of-year awards are also given out.

BAD WEATHER POLICY

Bad weather closing of AHMA will coincide with Fort Worth ISD. Information on school closings is available from radio/TV. Due to scheduling difficulties, bad weather days cannot be made up.

Special instructions:

Students and parents arriving early should enter through the front entrance and wait for their class in the waiting room (foyer). Parking is available in front and behind the school. Please do not park in the driveway! This blocks students and parents who wish to park in back from entering and exiting.