FAQ: Trials, Fees and Lessons | Kara Music Academy

Read this first

Kara is not for every family, and that is fine.

A trial costs a teacher real time. Two minutes here saves you both a wasted hour.

Kara suits families who

want steady progress over months and years, not a taste of music for a month
will keep a regular weekly slot for their child
want an instrument taught properly, by teachers who perform
are happy for scheduling and payment to go through admin

Kara may not suit families who

want to try lessons for a single month and then decide
expect to arrange lesson changes directly with the teacher
need the lowest monthly price above everything else
cannot commit to a regular weekly time

Section 1

Getting started

What age can my child start?

It depends on the programme. Children from birth to age 3 can join Poco a Poco, our early childhood programme. From around age three, children can begin private lessons, and the right starting age varies by instrument.

Some instruments suit small hands and short attention spans better than others. Your child's teacher will tell you honestly at the trial whether now is the right time. Sometimes waiting a year is the right advice, and we will say so.

Does my child need an instrument at home?

Not for the trial. Your child plays an instrument in the studio, so there is nothing to buy or borrow beforehand.

For regular lessons, yes. Progress happens between lessons as much as in them, so your child will need something to practise on at home. What that should be depends on the instrument, your child's age and their level. Some instruments, the harp above all, are expensive and easy to get wrong, so please speak to us before you buy anything.

What if my child has never played anything?

That is completely fine. Beginners are welcome. You do not need to read music, and your child does not need any prior lessons or any sign of natural talent. The trial teacher is matched to your child's age and interest, and it is their job to make the first lesson work for a beginner.

What helps most is curiosity, and a family willing to keep a regular weekly slot.

Can adults learn?

Yes. Kara teaches both children and adults, and adult beginners are welcome. The trial lesson and the way we place students work the same way. It is never too late to start an instrument, though we will be straightforward with you about what to expect and how much practice it takes.

What happens at a trial lesson, and what does it cost?

The trial is a thirty-minute lesson with a teacher matched to your child's age and interest. It costs Rp 200,000. Your child plays, you watch, and afterwards we talk honestly about whether the instrument suits them.

If we recommend a placement, we confirm the teacher, schedule and rate with you in writing before anything is agreed. If you enrol within 7 days, the trial fee is credited to your first month.

How do I book?

Use the trial page, or message Kara admin on WhatsApp at 0853 8554 5425. Tell us your child's age, the instrument you are curious about and which location or online option suits you.

Section 2

Lessons and scheduling

How long are lessons, and how often?

Each lesson is 30 minutes, one to one with your child's teacher, on a fixed weekly slot. The monthly fee covers four sessions, following the academy calendar.

Where do lessons take place?

We teach at four places: Surabaya West (Dian Istana, our main campus), Surabaya East (Dharmahusada), Jakarta (Pluit), and online. Online lessons are live and one to one, and are open to students anywhere in Indonesia. Which instruments are taught at each location is confirmed when you book. Details are on the locations page.

Can we reschedule a lesson?

Yes, within limits. You can reschedule up to twice a month, and each request must reach us at least 24 hours before the lesson. A teacher's hour is reserved for your child, and these limits keep the timetable fair for every family.

What if something urgent comes up on the day?

Same-day rescheduling is allowed only in two cases: a medical emergency, supported by a doctor's letter, or the bereavement of an immediate family member. Other reasons do not qualify for a same-day change.

This is not rigidity for its own sake. A late change leaves a teacher's time empty and cannot be filled by another family, so we keep same-day changes for genuine emergencies.

What if we are late?

Please arrive on time. Lessons never run over, so arriving late shortens your child's lesson rather than moving the end time. If you are more than 15 minutes late without letting us know, the lesson may be counted as an absence.

What happens on public holidays, Lebaran and Christmas?

Lessons that fall on national holidays, Lebaran and Christmas or New Year are rescheduled, not lost. Your monthly fee still covers four sessions per the academy calendar.

Who do I contact to change a lesson?

Always Kara admin, never the teacher directly. That keeps the timetable, your records and our payment records in one place, and it leaves teachers free to teach. Message admin on WhatsApp at 0853 8554 5425.

Section 3

Fees and commitment

What do lessons cost?

Prices are per month, for four 30-minute lessons.

Harp: from Rp 1,400,000
Classical (violin, cello, piano): Rp 900,000
Contemporary (voice, drums, guitar): Rp 750,000

For harp, your rate depends on which teacher your child is matched with, confirmed before you enrol. We explain how in the trial consultation, so there are no surprises. The trial lesson is Rp 200,000, credited to month one if you enrol within 7 days.

See the pricing page

Why does Kara cost more than other music schools?

It does cost more than many schools, and we would rather say so plainly than dress it up. The difference comes down to what your fee pays for.

Every lesson is one to one. Your child's thirty minutes belong to them, not to a group. Every teacher is a performing musician, working inside a formal career ladder with class observation and structured induction, so teaching quality is managed rather than assumed. Progress is documented: students receive semester reports and build a credential portfolio, so you can see where your child is and where they are going. And for the harp, we run the largest faculty in East Java, which is a specialist resource that is hard to find.

All of that has a cost, and it is built into the fee. If what you want is the lowest monthly price, or a light introduction to music, a different kind of school may serve you better, and we would rather you chose well than joined us disappointed. If you want steady, serious progress with people accountable for it, this is what the fee is for.

What is the three-month minimum, and why do you have one?

When you enrol, we ask for a commitment of at least three months. The first weeks on any instrument are the hardest, and they are when it is most tempting to stop. Progress needs continuity, and a fixed weekly slot for your child needs stability on our side too.

If you are unsure whether your child will take to an instrument, that is exactly what the trial lesson is for. Use it, and enrol only when you are ready to commit.

When is payment due?

By the 10th of each month. The monthly fee covers four sessions per the academy calendar. Payment goes through Kara admin, never to a teacher directly.

Can we take a break, for example for exams or a long trip?

Yes. You can hold your child's slot on leave. Leave costs 5% of the monthly fee for each month, and it is what keeps the slot reserved for your child while they are away.

If you would rather pause or stop altogether, follow the notice rule in the next answer.

How do we pause or stop?

Give Kara admin two weeks' notice before the end of the month. Notice goes through admin, not the teacher, and the three-month minimum applies from the day you enrol.

Section 4

The harp specifically

Why does the harp start from Rp 1,400,000?

The harp is a specialist instrument with a small pool of qualified teachers in Indonesia. The instruments themselves are expensive to buy and to maintain, and harp teaching at Kara includes a progression path with teachers at different stages of experience.

That is why the price says from. Your rate depends on which teacher your child is matched with, confirmed before you enrol. We talk it through at the trial consultation.

Do we need to own a harp?

Not for the trial, and please do not buy one before you have spoken to us. Harps differ a great deal in size, type and price, and buying the wrong one is an expensive mistake.

For regular study your child will need something to practise on at home. What that should be depends on their age, size and level, and their teacher will advise you.

Lever harp or pedal harp?

Kara teaches both. Lever harps are more compact and are often where students begin. Pedal harps are the larger concert instrument, with pedals that change the key. Which suits your child depends on their age, size and goals, and the teacher will make a recommendation at the trial.

How young can a child start the harp?

The harp can be started young, but the right time depends on your child's size and reach as much as their age. Smaller harps exist, and the teacher will assess this at the trial rather than apply a single rule.

Where can a harp student go from here?

Kara's harp programme is a progression, not a series of unrelated lessons. Students can move on to more senior faculty as they develop, with a clear path from a first lesson to advanced study. It is the reason the academy exists. Read about the harp programme

Straight answers before you book.