Nova Melody Music Studio (“we”, “us”, “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information of our students and their families. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and what choices you have.
This Policy is provided for information only and does not constitute legal advice. By contacting us, booking a lesson, or using our website, you agree to the practices described here.
1. Who we are
Nova Melody Music Studio is a music school located in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada. We provide piano, violin, and viola lessons for children, teens, adults, and seniors.
If you have any questions about this Policy, you can contact us at:
Email: novamelody.studio@gmail.com
2. Information we collect
We only collect information that we reasonably need to provide and manage music lessons and to operate our studio.
2.1 Parent / adult student information
When a parent or adult student contacts us, books a lesson, or joins our mailing list, we may collect:
- First and last name
- Email address
- Phone number (optional but recommended)
2.2 Student information
For students (children, teens, or adults), we may collect:
- First name
- Age
- Instrument of interest (piano, violin, viola)
- Basic information about prior musical experience (for example: years of lessons, instruments played, repertoire, goals)
For child students, we do not require the child’s last name to be entered in online booking forms.
2.3 Technical and usage information
When you visit our website or booking pages, certain technical information may be collected automatically, such as:
- IP address
- Browser type and settings
- Date and time of visit
- Pages viewed or actions taken on the site
This may happen through cookies and similar technologies used by tools such as Google Analytics and Meta/Facebook analytics.
2.4 Video recordings (CCTV)
For safety and security, our lesson areas may be monitored by video surveillance cameras. These recordings are used only for security and safety purposes (for students, parents, and teachers). They are not used for marketing and are not sold, published, or shared with third parties, except if required by law or in connection with a safety or security incident.
Recordings are typically retained for approximately 2 years, unless we need to keep a specific recording longer because of an investigation or legal requirement.
2.5 Lesson photos and videos (for marketing)
From time to time, we may wish to take photos or short video clips during or around lessons for marketing and promotional purposes (for example, website or social media posts). We will only do this:
- with the verbal or written consent of a parent or legal guardian (for child students), or
- with the consent of the adult student or the person who brought the student to the lesson.
You may refuse or withdraw this consent at any time, and we will respect your choice.
3. How we collect information
We collect personal information in the following ways:
- When you fill out an online booking form (for example, through the embedded Google Calendar appointment scheduler)
- When you contact us by email, phone, social media, or messaging apps
- When you provide information in person at the studio
- When you join our email mailing list or agree to receive updates
- Automatically, through cookies and analytics tools on our website (see Section 9)
4. How we use your information
We use personal information only for purposes related to music lessons and studio operations, including to:
- Respond to inquiries and communicate about lesson scheduling, changes, or cancellations
- Create and adjust an appropriate learning plan and repertoire for each student
- Send invoices, payment reminders, and receipts to parents or adult students
- Maintain internal records of students, lessons, and progress
- Send important updates about studio policies, holidays, recitals, or similar events
- Provide and improve our website and marketing based on anonymous analytics data
- Send optional email updates and promotions (for example, new programs, schedule changes, seasonal offers) where you have consented to receive them
You can opt out of promotional emails at any time by using the “unsubscribe” option in the email or by contacting us directly.
We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties.
5. Legal basis (Canada)
We collect and use personal information primarily based on:
- Your consent, for example when you voluntarily submit information through a form, email, or in person; and
- Legitimate interests, such as operating our music studio, scheduling and delivering lessons, ensuring the safety of our students and teachers, and managing payments and records.
You may withdraw your consent for certain uses (such as marketing emails or lesson photos) at any time, subject to legal or contractual limits, by contacting us.
6. How and where we store information
We store personal information mainly in digital form using services such as:
- Google Calendar (for scheduling lessons)
- Google Sheets or similar tools (for student and lesson records)
- Gmail or other email services (for communication and invoicing)
We currently accept payments by e-transfer, and payment details are used only for processing and record-keeping; we do not store full banking information for students or families.
Access to these systems is limited to teachers and administration who need the information to perform their duties.
7. Sharing your information
We may share personal information with third-party service providers who help us run our studio, such as:
- Email and calendar providers (e.g., Google)
- Website hosting and booking platforms
- Analytics providers (Google Analytics, Meta/Facebook analytics)
- Accounting or record-keeping tools, if used in the future
These service providers are only allowed to use the information as needed to provide their services to us and are not permitted to sell or use it for their own unrelated purposes.
We may also disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect our rights, safety, or property, or that of our students and staff.
8. Data retention – how long we keep information
We keep personal information for as long as it is reasonably needed to:
- Provide lessons and manage student records
- Maintain accurate business records
- Meet legal, tax, and accounting requirements
In practice, this generally means that we may keep records relating to students and payments as long as needed for tax/accounting purposes and for a reasonable period afterwards. When information is no longer required, we take steps to delete or anonymize it within a reasonable time.
Video surveillance recordings are kept for approximately 2 years, unless a specific recording is needed longer for safety, legal, or investigative reasons.
9. Cookies, Google Analytics, and Meta/Facebook tools
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:
- remember certain preferences;
- understand how visitors use our site;
- help us measure the effectiveness of our marketing.
We use third-party tools such as:
- Google Analytics – to collect aggregated information about website traffic and usage patterns
- Meta/Facebook analytics or pixels – to understand how our online ads perform and to reach people who may be interested in our services
These tools may set cookies in your browser and may collect information such as your IP address and which pages you visit. The data is generally used in aggregated form and does not identify you personally to us.
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. You can also learn more about how Google and Meta/Facebook handle data by reviewing their respective privacy policies.
If we add additional analytics or advertising tools in the future, we will update this Policy as needed.
10. Children’s privacy
We understand the importance of protecting children’s privacy. For minor students, we generally collect contact information from parents or legal guardians, and we ask for only the minimum information about the child that we need to provide lessons (such as first name, age, instrument, and musical experience).
We do not knowingly collect more information about children than is necessary. If you believe we have done so, please contact us and we will review and adjust our records.
11. Your rights and choices
You have the right to:
- Ask what personal information we hold about you or your child
- Request corrections if the information is incomplete or inaccurate
- Request that we delete certain personal information, subject to legal or administrative requirements
- Withdraw consent for optional uses, such as marketing emails or the use of lesson photos/videos in promotions
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at novamelody.studio@gmail.com. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.
You can also unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by using the “unsubscribe” link in the email.
12. Physical guidance and boundaries (informational)
To support healthy posture and safe playing technique, our teachers may occasionally use light physical guidance during a lesson (for example, adjusting hand position or upper back posture at the piano or with a string instrument).
- Teachers may only touch a student’s hands, arms, or upper back for technical correction.
- We always ask the student and, in the case of minors, the parent/guardian for consent before using any physical guidance.
- Students and parents can say “no” at any time or change their mind later; we will respect this, and lessons will continue with verbal instructions and visual demonstration only.
- Physical guidance is never required to take lessons at Nova Melody Music Studio.
This section is provided for transparency about our teaching practices and does not involve the sale or disclosure of personal data.
13. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, tools we use, or legal requirements. The “Last updated” date at the top shows when the latest version took effect.
We encourage you to review this Policy periodically. Continued use of our website, booking tools, or services after any changes means that you accept the updated Policy.