How long does it take to learn to play an instrument?  It is often said that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in something.  While that may not be entirely true, if you want to get good, frankly, you have to practice a lot… correctly… and every day… even a couple of times a day!  Learning to play the guitar and read music is basically like learning a new language.  The more you practice, the more often you practice, and the more you practice accurately, the faster and farther you will progress. 

Practice doesn’t make perfect… PERFECT practice makes perfect!

Younger students tend to learn more quickly than older students, but learning an instrument is a long-term commitment for both child and parent.   For young beginners, start with focused practice of around 15-20 minutes per day and set a goal to work up to 30 minutes per day.  Depending on the age and attention span of the child, you can divide that daily practice time into several shorter segments.  Parents should also encourage “playing” time as well as “practice” time.  Your teacher will also use age-appropriate music games to help make practice fun and encourage steady progress. 

As you progress to more difficult material, you will need more time to practice.  If you plan to major in music in college, you should expect to practice at least one hour per day.  For casual adult students, daily practice is encouraged, but may not be realistic for students with families and busy work schedules.  You should practice as much as possible, with the goal of at least 30 minutes, 3-4 times a week.  Remember, you set the pace.  You will progress as much as you practice.

These are skills that will stay with you for a lifetime.  Be cautious of learning bad habits, such as poor posture and finger position, as this will only slow your progress.  This is why having a live teacher to provide individualized feedback is so important.  All students can hit a plateau in their progress more than once during their musical journey.  Persistence is key to pushing through to the next level.  As tedious as learning the fundamentals of music, such as scales and note reading may be, these fundamentals are crucial to developing life-long enjoyment of your instrument.

Our professional teachers provide individualized learning, both in-person and online, for children ages 5+, teens, adults, and seniors.  About 20% of our students are adults, and many are discovering or rediscovering the joy of making music in their retirement years.  We also offer Kindermusik for ages 0-4.

While the maturity level varies from child to child, most children age 5 or older have an adequate attention span for a 30-minute lesson. CMS recommends piano or violin for beginners, because these instruments give access to the full range of the musical scale, allowing the student to develop a solid foundation for future musical development. This allows students to learn to read notes on both the treble and bass clefs and to develop hand/eye coordination.

CMS generally recommends that voice students be at least 12 years old. However, after an interview lesson and at the discretion of our voice teachers, we may accept younger students for private voice lessons.  Certain instruments, such as guitar and brass instruments are typically not appropriate for students under age 10, but with the teacher’s recommendation, CMS may enroll younger students.

Check out this great article about the stages of musical education.

We offer private lessons in strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and voice.  View all instruments or browse group classes and ensembles.

Private lesson students must supply their own instruments to practice regularly at home in between their weekly lessons. If you are not familiar with the instrument, please discuss the student’s needs with the teacher before purchasing or renting an instrument. Contact the CMS office for rental recommendations and information on discounts for CMS students.  CMS has a limited number of donated instruments available for rent. 

In the case of a piano, if space is an issue, a high-quality keyboard with at least 66 weighted keys is a good option for young beginners. A weighted keyboard will cost a little more, but the keys will feel more like a regular piano and allow for better volume control.

The teacher will determine the student’s goals/abilities and recommend study materials. Students are responsible for purchasing and bringing music books and/or study copies. Most teachers will recommend a method book (Suzuki, Alfred, Faber, etc) that students or parents can purchase online or at a local music or book store.  Occasionally, the teacher will purchase the music for him/her, rather than asking you to go to the music store. It is the parent’s responsibility to reimburse the teacher for the purchase.

A limited selection of replacement or supplemental instrument supplies may be purchased in the CMS office for an extra cost. If supplies are not in stock, students are responsible for obtaining necessary supplies for instrument functionality as per their teacher’s instructions.

Anytime! CMS offers open enrollment and monthly payment plans for private lessons.

Generally, the day and time of your interview lesson will be the same as your on-going weekly lesson schedule.  Once you are established with a teacher, your lesson will always be at the same time, once a week, unless there is a school holiday or you request a change.

Students prepay for lessons on the first of each month.  Payments are automatically charged to the debit or credit card on file.  Financial aid is available for approved students 18 years of age and younger whose families cannot afford the full cost of tuition.

Interview Lesson, 30 minutes – $39

Annual Registration Fee – $49, per family, per calendar year

Monthly Tuition Payments

• • • • 30-minute lessons – $156 per month
      • 45-minute lessons – $230 per month
      • 60-minute lessons – $304 per month

All lessons are automatically billed at a standard monthly rate, based on an average of four lessons per month (a total of 48-weeks per calendar year).  If the student enrolls in the middle of the month, CMS will prorate the first tuition payment. CMS will automatically charge monthly tuition payments on the first day of each month to the debit or credit card on file in your online student account. CMS accepts all major credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, & Discover, as well as electronic check payments (ACH).

Learn more about Tuition Payments

Scheduling private lessons is complex, and lesson days/times/teachers cannot be easily changed once students have committed to their times. CMS provides no refunds or credits for missed lessons, except for narrowly defined “excused” absences.  A maximum of two excused absences are stored as lesson “credits” in the student’s online account for up to 90 days.

CMS schedules regular makeup lesson days monthly, on Saturdays, throughout the year, as well as before Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, Spring Break, and July 4th, all subject to each teacher’s availability. Please inquire or check the school calendar for upcoming dates.

In-person students may request to use a lesson credit for an online lesson, subject to the teacher’s approval, within the same notification timeframes as listed above.

Learn more about Lesson Cancellations & Makeups

Congratulations on your role in the play! Students enroll in lessons on an on-going basis with a monthly payment plan. CMS supports your performance aspirations, but cannot guarantee that the student’s existing lesson day and time will still be available upon the student’s return. A Request for Withdrawal Form must be completed by the student or parent and submitted to the office at least 15 days prior to the withdrawal. There are no credits or refunds given for missed lessons.

If you are sick or have a last-minute scheduling conflict, please contact the main CMS office at 610-435-7725 or email us as soon as possible so we can notify your teacher that you will not be at your lesson.

Scheduling private lessons is complex, and lesson days/times/teachers cannot be easily changed once students have committed to their times. CMS provides no refunds or credits for missed lessons, except for narrowly defined “excused” absences.  A maximum of two excused absences are stored as “lesson credits” in the student’s online account for up to 90 days.

CMS schedules regular makeup lesson days monthly, on Saturdays, throughout the year, as well as before Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, Spring Break, and July 4th, all subject to each teacher’s availability. Please inquire or check the school calendar for upcoming dates.

In-person students may request to use a lesson credit for an online lesson, subject to the teacher’s approval, within the same notification timeframes as listed above.

Learn more about Lesson Cancellations & Makeups

Performing in front of a live audience is an important part of the Community Music School experience and is key to developing well-rounded musicians. CMS encourages students of all levels and ages to perform when they are ready, with permission from their teacher. Numerous free performance opportunities are available, including both in-house recitals and community programs. Thanks to our generous donors, all CMS recitals are free and open to the public; there is also no fee for students who perform.  View the schedule of upcoming student recitals and performance opportunities.

Financial aid is available only for students up to age 18, or for students who are 18 or 19 and completing their senior year of high school.  Students over 18 living with a disability and receiving primary income from SSDI and/or SSI may be eligible.

In accordance with Federal Poverty guidelines, CMS awards tuition assistance to each family on a sliding scale, based on household income, size, and other factors.  Parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must provide a complete and accurate financial overview by submitting the Financial Aid Application via Google Forms and attach all required documents. Financial aid is limited to 30-minute private lessons and group programs (classes, ensembles, and camps).  To maintain their financial aid award, students and/or their parents or guardians must follow the code of conduct outlined in the Financial Aid Policy.

Please refer to the Financial Aid Policy & Application for full details.

Yes, CMS awards a limited number of merit-based scholarships to selected students. Visit Gala Audition & Recital for details.

Please complete our Inquiry Form and someone will contact you to discuss your options.  The interview lesson must be paid in full at the time of scheduling, even if you intend to apply for financial aid.

If you have a question, you can call the office at 610-435-7725 or email us.   We look forward to helping you on your musical journey!

Learn more about the Interview Lesson.