the Candyman
Strings & Things
the Candyman
Strings & Things
Musicians Workshop Series
505-983-5906
Letter to Students
Dear Student ~
We are delighted that you have enrolled as a student here at The Candyman Music Education Center! We are committed to helping you build a life-long relationship with music.
The scope of this handbook is to provide information aside from our Tuition Payment and Cancellation Policies. This handbook will answer many questions regarding our lesson programs and music education center. Topics such as business hours, student showcases, what to do in case of inclement weather, holidays, how to succeed as a music student and other details about our program are outlined in this document.
It is our goal to keep the lines of communication open with our student base and build a solid cooperative foundation in our music education programs. Plato once said that music "is a more potent instrument than any other for education." We agree! We believe that regular attendance and a reasonable commitment to the instructor and a commitment to self, through the learning and practicing process is essential to student success.
The Candyman's Music Education Center has a dedicated staff during most business hours, Monday through Friday from 10:00 to 5:00pm. Our amazing and professional retail staff is available to handle many student inquiries 7 days a week as well, making it convenient for students to talk to someone during store hours. Our staff doesn’t work on commission and provides stellar customer service helping our students with quality instruments, literature, accessories, and equipment.
We look forward to serving you and thank you again for choosing us to help achieve your musical goals. If you have any questions about music education here at The Candyman, please contact us at (505) 699-7513 or lessons@candymansf.com.
Programs Offered
Private Instruction
Our teachers provide music education across the musical spectrum! Individual lessons are available for voice, piano, harp, guitar, bass, drums, violin, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, accordion, trumpet, trombone, sax, flute clarinet and more! We also have opportunities to learn theory, arranging, composition, technique, performance and more for students of all ages, styles and levels.
We are able to accommodate most interests, instruments, ages, and skill levels. If you don’t see your instrument of choice, just ask us about it! Chances are we have a teacher that can accommodate. For example, we had a request for a washboard lesson and one of our teachers is more than capable to teach washboard lessons! The student is incredibly happy and has performed in our student showcase.
Group Instruction
In our group classes, ensembles, jams, workshops and clinics, you’ll play music with others right away! You’ll meet new friends while improving as a musician and learning new skills. Be sure to be on the lookout for announcements about our new offerings on our website (candymansf.com). While you’re there, make sure to sign up to receive our announcements.
Teachers
The Candyman music teachers are the best in town! They are professional musicians as well as seasoned teachers. They rely on continuity of lessons for their livelihood and strive to make lessons fun and productive to ensure student retention.
Please note: Teachers' availabilities will vary.
Hours
Music Education Center Hours
Office Hours
10:00 - 5:00
Retail Store Hours
Monday thru Saturday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sundays: 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Lessons may be taken between the hours of 9:00am and 9:00pm every day of the week.
A dedicated education staff member is available in the 2nd-floor business office Monday – Friday between 10:00am and 5:00pm. If an education staff member is not available to personally take your call or visit, you may speak with any retail store staff member during retail hours.
After-Hours Lessons
Students taking lessons outside retail store hours will enter and exit through the back door of the building.
Please note: A security gate will be locked promptly at closing. Students ending a lesson after closing will exit out the back door. The Candyman utilizes a sensitive alarm system with motion detection. Please do not throw or drop anything from the second floor or lean over the walkway when taking lessons after hours. (In the event the gate is not secured after hours, students and teachers should not walk past Studio 2 toward the front of the store.)
Holidays & Store Closings
The Candyman is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Easter, and New Year's Day.
We may also close early on Christmas Eve, Independence Day and New Year's Eve. Any lessons falling on these holidays may automatically be rescheduled to the following week and students will not be charged.
Inclement Weather
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The Candyman education program runs on Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) snow-day schedule. Tune into local radio or television programming or check the SFPS website to verify closings due to inclement weather.
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The Candyman schedule is not affected by SFPS 2-hour delays, but does include early release.
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Lessons canceled due to snow days and early releases will be credited to the student's account and will be applied to the following month’s invoice.
Restrooms
Restrooms are located on the first floor of The Candyman toward the back of the store. Restrooms on the first floor may be used after hours.
Photos/Video
Occasionally we post photos of lessons and videos of student performances on our website, Facebook page, YouTube channel and marketing collateral. Please contact us if you DO NOT wish to have a student's image posted or printed.
Student Portal
All new students enrolling in our private lesson program are automatically provided access to their online Student Portal. An email with instructions and login credentials are sent to any student who has taken a trial lesson and signed up for recurring lessons.
If a student has not received this email or has lost their login credential, they may request a new email to be sent.
Teacher / Student Communication
To avoid confusion with billing and availability, we ask that all communication regarding scheduling be made through The Candyman Education Department and not between student and teacher.
How should I communicate with my teacher?
We encourage open communication between student (and parent/guardian) and teachers! Parents should plan to check in with the teacher at the lesson start/finish to discuss student progress, assignments, etc.
It is up to the sole discretion of each Teacher to provide students with personal contact information for communication between lessons.
Communication about lessons administration, billing, and scheduling must be handled by The Candyman's music education center administrators.
How should I communicate with The Candyman Music Education Center Staff?
The educational staff may be contacted by phone at 505-699-7513 or email at lessons@candymansf.com.
A dedicated education staff member is available Monday thru Friday from 10:00am to 5:00pm. If an education staff member is not available to personally take your call or see you in person, you may speak with the retail staff. Most inquiries are followed-up the next business day.
Do I need my own instrument or does The Candyman rent instruments?
The Candyman does rent some instruments. For violin rentals, please contact The Violin Shop of Santa Fe at www.violinshopofsantafe.com.
We do suggest that students own, rent, or borrow their instrument, so they can practice at home.
The Candyman provides digital pianos, drum sets, and guitar/bass amps, but all other instruments should be brought to the lesson.
Student Showcases
The Candyman will host free Student Showcases for anyone enrolled in lessons at The Candyman. The showcases offer an opportunity for the students to prepare and perform music in front of a live audience. Oftentimes with their teacher! This is an important step in a student’s musical journey and enhances their individual learning experience. Performances are photographed and posted on The Candyman Facebook page, unless otherwise notified by the student.
Signups are required in order to perform at the Student Showcases due to time constraints and other planning purposes. For more information and to sign up for student showcases, visit www.candymansf.com/sign-up-for-the-student-showcase.
Commitments
Student Commitment to the Teacher
Student will:
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Arrive at lessons on time. (Students arriving late don’t get the benefits of a full lesson.)
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Practice!
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Share talents with family and friends.
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Practice!
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Enjoy making music. Keep a positive attitude and work hard. Have fun with the lessons!
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Practice!
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Work on the material assigned by the teacher.
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Bring to each class any materials/instruments/gear that the teacher has requested.
Teacher Commitment to Student
Teacher will:
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Arrive to the lesson on time.
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Be prepared for each lesson making sure to have all photocopies ready and a lesson plan prepared for every lesson.
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Never create a general "mold" that all students must follow. They will devote time outside of the lesson to create a truly unique lesson experience that balances what the student wants to learn and what they believe that the student needs to learn.
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Give The Candyman ample notice to cancel or reschedule a lesson with a student. Cancellations will be kept to a minimum.
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Be sensitive to maximizing teaching time and minimizing superfluous conversation.
The Candyman’s Commitment to Student & Teacher
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The Candyman will provide clean and comfortable studio spaces for students and teachers.
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The Candyman will provide chairs, music stands, metronomes, drum sets with cymbals, practice pads, pianos, amplifiers and CD players with auxiliary inputs for media players for all lessons as applicable.
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The Candyman will host free Student Showcases.
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The Candyman will provide professional and friendly administrative support.
Parents – Help Your Child Succeed in Their Music Lessons!
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A parent's attitude and involvement is vital to their children's success in music. It is important that your child be encouraged to set aside a regular time to practice without interruption, and that they attend their lessons on a regular basis. Good habits encourage success, and well-placed praise helps children flourish.
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Music needn't be a mystery. Basic musical concepts can be difficult for a child at first, but fairly easy for an adult to comprehend. Taking the time to understand what your child is learning can provide invaluable support to their education. Ask what your child is working on - our teachers welcome your involvement!
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We encourage you to nurture your child's interest in music by attending quality musical events with your family and listening to recordings at home. Encourage your child to perform often and to make music with others. How about a Friday night concert for the family or when friends or relatives visit!
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Music can teach children valuable lessons in perseverance, steady progress, self-discipline and time management. If your child encounters difficulties in learning or practicing, please discuss it with your teacher. Parent-Teacher communication is very important. Remember our teachers are here to help!
Contact Information
The Candyman Music Education Department
Monday through Friday
10:00AM to 5:00PM
505-699-7513
If an education staff member is not available to personally take your call or see you in person, you may speak with the retail staff or call 505-983-5906. Most inquiries are followed-up the same day or next business day.
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What if I need to suspend my lessons temporarily?Notifications to suspend lessons can be made 2-lessons before the invoice cycle on the first of each month. Suspended lessons are not able be guaranteed the same time slot when the student returns.
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The Candyman Salutes 1969 Festival Event MissionFestival Mission To raise funds for The Candyman Scholarship Fund providing access to The Candyman’s high-quality musical education programs to lower-income students, especially in the creation and performance of music relevant and resonant to students’ lives. Access to these programs assist youth participants in growing musically, emotionally, intellectually and socially. To raise funds for Soldiers Songs and Voices in order to support outreach opportunities including providing instruments, music instruction and songwriting lessons free of charge to armed forces veterans as a form of post-conflict care. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Candyman Strings & Things, Making Lives Better Through Music Since 1969.
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The Candyman Salutes 1969 Festival Event GoalsFestival Goals The festival will provide opportunities for local bands to showcase their talent in a compensated capacity. Local bands will perform songs that celebrate 1969 and/or the iconic Woodstock (the first carnation of the festival is also turning 50 this year!). The festival will host vendors, exhibitors and stakeholder groups showcasing and promoting their products, services and/or initiatives: Soldier Songs and Voices information booth. Local food trucks Exhibitor booths (TBD) To showcase bands from The Candyman Summer Rock Camp and Rock School programs. To showcase musical acts by participants from Soldier’s Songs and Voices and present the President of Soldier Songs and Voices with a special award. To pay homage to The Candyman’s founder (who passed away in 2009) by a special presentation to his daughter, Sarah. Festival-goers will have the opportunity to: Enjoy local music that celebrates the diversity of Santa Fe and the music of 1969. Enter the festival at no charge. Donate to the charities (through in-kind donations). Participate in several interactive fundraising activities including raffles, silent auctions, pay-to-play games, and more to benefit The Candyman Scholarship Fund and Soldiers Songs and Voices Santa Fe Chapter. Speak with sponsors/vendors and learn about their products and services. Tour a pop-up musical instrument museum. Take photos in a VW Bus photo booth and other interactive photo booths. Participate in a hands-on musical instrument petting zoo. Kids play in a special children’s area. Participate in a costume contest for prizes. View a large video screen displaying sponsor images, testimonial videos, historical photos and more. Experience educational exhibits and demonstrations.
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About the CharitiesThe Candyman Scholarship Fund View Website Music education is a priority for us and we want to do our part to help keep music a viable part of every child’s education. As you surely know, a struggling economy and budget cuts have affected the funding of arts and music programs in nearly every school in our area and around the nation. With our nationally acclaimed Summer Rock Camp, Rock School and private lesson programs, we have picked up where the schools have struggled to provide, especially in the creation and performance of music relevant and resonant to students’ lives. We have raised and contributed almost $40,000 for our scholarship fund while building community support to assist lower-income students who might not otherwise be able to attend one of our programs. We believe music to be of the utmost importance in the well-being of all, especially kids, and want to assist as many as possible in the joys, challenges and community-building that music-making entails! We feel this festival event, The Candyman Salutes 1969, will not only bring awareness to music education but will also make it possible to support and help assist lower-income music students. Soldiers Songs and Voices View Website Soldier Songs and Voices (SSV) offers a "creative arts for recovery" program for US military veterans, as a form of post-conflict care. They provide free music lessons, instruments and songwriting workshops for any veteran, of any branch of service and any era. Along with the other SSV chapters, they contribute to the research on the effect of music on the brain and how music can be used to address military trauma. SSV was founded as a 501(c)(3) public charity in 2011 by Dustin Welch in Austin, TX. Since that time the organization has grown to eight chapters, including four in Texas and one each in Florida, Oregon, Arkansas and New Mexico. Additionally, SSV hosts an annual, week-long songwriting retreat for veterans on a south Texas cattle ranch. SSV Santa Fe was founded in 2017 by Daniel Johnsen and currently offers four workshops a month, focused on music instruction, group play and songwriting. In 2019, they plan to host several songwriting intensive workshops, led by professional singer/songwriters who work regularly with other SSV chapters. While music has long been believed to have therapeutic power, recent advances in neuroscience allow researchers to map the effects of music on the brain (learn more). SSV is contributing to the growing body of research that indicates music is not a supplement to therapy, but is in itself a proven method to retrain and re-educate the brain. One day at a time, one veteran at a time, one song at a time...
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Why do I have to provide an email address?The Candyman relies heavily on email communication to convey and document student activity. In addition, The Candyman uses lessons management software that automates many tasks (including automatic email invoicing, lesson reminders, announcements, etc.). Phone and in-person communication is also utilized; however, email correspondence is used as record of conversation, bookkeeping documentation, scheduling, and reference purposes. If students do not have an email account and/or will not agree to use email as a primary source for The Candyman music education programs, The Candyman cannot be held responsible for verbal miscommunications. No credits or reschedules will be given to students who dispute information left on voice mails, verbally discussed over the phone or in person, without email backup.
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Why can't I pay for my lesson on lesson day?The Candyman ensures teachers will be compensated for lessons taught or scheduled by receiving payment prior to the lesson. The Candyman had absorbed thousands of dollars in unpaid tuition and, unfortunately, we were forced to institute this policy across the board due to the recurring issue.
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Why am I charged a late fee if I don't pay my invoice on the 1st?When a student is signed up for Auto-Payment, and the payment is automatically processed, the administrative process is greatly reduced. If a student’s account becomes past due, (perhaps to a change in credit card information or an expired credit card) a staff member's time is warranted to research the account, communicate with the student, possibly putting lessons on hold, rescheduling the student once payment is received, updating payment information, etc.
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The Candyman Salutes 1969 Music FestivalSponsorship LevelsIn addition to the items listed with each sponsorship level, all sponsor names and logos will be synonymous with our festival and will enjoy a wealth of brand exposure opportunities including being featured on The Candyman Salutes 1969 Music Festival website, print material, social media posts, email campaigns, and more. Whole Note Sponsor $5,000 Prime placement of banner (on stage) Multiple corporate introductions/words of thanks during festival Backstage VIP access Full-page advertisement in program Ten festival T-shirts Hall of Fame Display In-Store at The Candyman and at the event Half Note Sponsor - $2,500 Preferred placement of banner at festival Corporate introduction/words of thanks during festival Half-page advertisement in program Five festival T-shirts Hall of Fame Display In-Store at The Candyman and at the event Quarter Note Sponsor - $1,250 Ideal placement of banner at festival Words of thanks during festival Quarter-page advertisement in program Three festival T-shirts Hall of Fame Display In-Store at The Candyman and at the event Eighth Note Sponsor - $500 Favored placement of banner at festival Business Card-sized advertisement in program Sixteenth Note Sponsor - $250 Placement of banner at festival Mention in program