Our classes generally meet every week for six to ten weeks, giving you time to get to know our faculty and your fellow students, and to feel comfortable asking questions.
Canto is the place for our littlest singers to start making music together in this new 10-week course! With fun songs and musical games that teach them how to listen and blend with others, we put a strong focus on learning healthy singing skills by using our voices independently and as part of a group.
This class is a great introduction to our Youth Chorus program, which starts at age five.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Have a foot-stomping, hand-clapping, drum-beating good time! Drum Buddies is a great first music or ensemble experience for young beginners. Students will gain an understanding of rhythm in a fun way – using hands, feet, household objects (plastic bowls, coffee cans), and percussion instruments. Drum Buddies will be different every session so students can take it multiple times in preparation for starting private lessons.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
This 10-week course for one- to four-year-olds (and their families!) introduces kids to the joy of playing instruments, singing, and movement. With the help of simple songs, little ones will make new friends as families learn how they can continue the musical bonding at home.
This program was designed by music therapists and child development experts, and is taught by our own early childhood music specialists.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Adaptive Music Exploration is taught by board-certified music therapist Kylie Elliott. Designed to foster curiosity and inspire a love of music, this class welcomes all students who thrive in alternative, student-driven learning environments. Over the course of 10 weeks, students aged seven to ten will use a variety of instruments to approach music making in a supportive, engaging format. This small class is tailored to meet the interests and needs of each student.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Learn the basics of guitar playing: proper technique, simple melodic lines, basic chords, and strumming. Play along with familiar songs in a variety of styles. No previous music background required. Introduction to guitar tablature and basic note-reading included.
Students must supply their own acoustic or electric guitar for this class. For young players, our teachers recommend nylon strings as they are softer and easier on the fingers.
Beginners with no previous experience learn the basics of playing piano and music reading skills, plus engaging group activities using supplemental rhythm instruments and movement.
We are now offering a class for students ages 5 1/2 to 6 and 7 to 9 who have taken Beginner Piano and would like to continue learning in a supportive environment. This course will begin with a brief review of concepts before moving on to the rest of the material in the Hal Leonard Book 1 Piano Lessons and Book 1 Piano Theory Workbook.
A piano or touch-sensitive keyboard is required for at-home practice. For a keyboard, a full-size instrument with 88 keys is recommended, but an instrument with 61 keys is acceptable.
Ukulele is the perfect precursor to guitar study for young children but also a fun and versatile instrument in its own right. Students will learn instrument basics and simple songs to play with their classmates, culminating in a sharing of their new skills for their families. Students must purchase a soprano ukulele for this class. We recommend brands like Cordoba, Kala, Fender, or Donner.
Have a foot-stomping, hand-clapping, drum-beating good time! Drum Buddies is a great first music or ensemble experience for young beginners. Students will gain an understanding of rhythm in a fun way – using hands, feet, household objects (plastic bowls, coffee cans), and percussion instruments. Drum Buddies will be different every session so students can take it multiple times in preparation for starting private lessons.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Fun with mallets! With instructor Kelsey Olden, learn how to play simple, fun songs on xylophones, glockenspiels and handbells. These easy-to-play instruments help children focus on rhythm and melody to learn musical concepts in a playful manner, leaving them inspired to get creative and improvise!
This class is great for students who have already taken Drum Buddies, or students who are looking for an introduction to percussion instruments in preparation for Rhythm & Tunes or Private Lessons.
Instruments are provided. No additional equipment is needed!
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Find your groove in our drumming class for beginners! Develop basic drum technique, coordination and listening skills as you play together through different styles of popular music. No previous music or drumming experience required.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Every second Tuesday. Bluegrass is a wide ranging genre with an open, inviting community of musicians. This monthly class focuses on the core elements of bluegrass music, common progressions, licks, and etiquette to help you get started quickly. Open to all guitar, dobro, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and double bass players. No bluegrass experience necessary, but basic technical proficiency on your instrument is a plus.
To continue the fun, join our open jam (admission separate) after each class!
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Every second Tuesday. Learn the skills you will need to have fun playing in a traditional Irish session! Students will receive step by step instruction on how to learn tunes in the traditional way—by ear—and to give the music its Irish flavor using ornaments and bowing patterns. Come share this unique musical journey with your fellow musicians!
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Explore the fundamentals of playing traditional Irish fiddle with Boston-based musician Noah Kelly! You’ll learn a variety of standard and new Irish and Celtic fiddle repertoire that will prepare you for session playing anywhere in the world. In addition to learning essential repertoire, Noah will cover fundamental music theory concepts, tips and tricks for putting sets of tunes together and understanding the musical and social dynamics of an Irish session.
In 2023, Noah spent a year living in Limerick, Ireland while completing his masters degree in Irish traditional music performance from the University of Limerick. He has taught in Boston and Ireland and finds tremendous enjoyment in helping students achieve their goals in learning the fiddle. As a full-time musician, Noah can regularly be found playing at Boston’s most iconic Irish pubs such as The Burren, The Druid, and more. He is also a skilled guitarist, tenor banjo and Irish bouzouki player!
Students must have at least two years of fiddle or violin playing experience, and are welcome to take the class repeatedly. Ability to read music is not required as music will be taught by ear in the traditional fashion.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Every second Tuesday. Jazz improvisation is about stretching your imagination, with the confidence and chops to back it up. This class explores the fundamentals of jazz improvisation, focusing on a new song each month. We’ll break it down and build it back up, playing and improvising together at the end of each session. Open to all instrumentalists ages 16+.
To continue the fun, join our open jam (admission separate) after each class!
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Schedule a visit! To do so, fill out and submit this preview form.
Contact our Class and Ensemble Manager for further inquiries.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Refine your skills in masterclass-style sessions, featuring coaching by rotating faculty from our piano department!
You’ll perform prepared pieces in our world-class hall and receive feedback on playing skills and musicianship from instructors and peers alike. The seminar will also feature discussions on improving performance skills such as memorization, musical interpretation, recital and competition preparation, and piano repertoire. Recent sessions of the class have featured student presentations of Beethoven sonatas, Chopin mazurkas, and other repertoire of a similar level.
For intermediate and advanced students ages 10-17 with at least three years of private classical piano instruction.
This class is open to piano students who study piano at Groton Hill or with other teachers outside of the school.
Get hands-on exposure to the world of percussion instruments! You’ll learn fundamental rudiments and technique using drum pads, then apply those skills across a wide range of instruments–including snare drum, auxiliary percussion (triangles, cymbals, tambourine, etc.), mallet percussion (marimba, vibraphone, xylophone), and timpani. Designed as an immersive and collaborative experience, this course is an excellent supplement for students in their middle school band program or a Groton Hill ensemble. Each 10-week session will introduce new instruments, so students can enroll for one session or all three!
Fall: snare drum and auxiliary percussion
Winter: snare drum and mallet percussion
Spring: snare drum and timpani
No percussion experience is needed. Beginners are welcome, as are students who have started in their school band and are looking for more guidance and experience.
Lead with empathy. Perform with confidence. Make powerful choices feel natural.
In two Saturday sessions with Bebe Wood (Mean Girls, 2024), we’ll begin to trust and embrace our emotional instincts by getting to the core of the scene and learning how to stay grounded as performers and scene partners.
We’ll explore connecting to characters through your own experiences, deciphering the writer’s intention through detailed text analysis, and accessing the very real impact we have on one another as scene partners.
Stay inspired, socialize with fellow players, and develop healthy practice habits!
For intermediate to advanced students, each half-day retreat is a fulfilling, focused intensive, where we’ll work on technique, performance skills, practical theory, and personal goals. This hands-on, collaborative program will help motivate you in your lifelong aspirations as a pianist.
These retreat sessions are designed to provide a rewarding and enduring experience that you can take with you into the practice studio to achieve a higher level of playing and satisfaction. Each session begins with coffee and social time, leading into an introduction of the day’s theme, and individual and group practice following. There will be multiple sessions over the course of the year, each focusing on a different topic.
Previous sessions featured topics including “The Art of Practicing,” “Exploring and Nurturing Our Physical Connection to the Piano,” and “Expression and The Art of Musical Phrasing.”
Never had the chance to learn guitar? This 10-week class welcomes you into a supportive group environment where you can begin learning together. You’ll be taught the basics of proper technique, simple melodic lines, basic chords, and strumming. Instructor Aaron Jay Myers will lead you through familiar songs in a variety of styles as you are introduced to guitar tablature and note-reading.
Students must bring their own acoustic or electric guitar. No previous music experience required.
We are now offering a class for students who have taken Beginner Guitar Adult and would like to continue learning in a supportive group environment. This course will begin with a brief review of topics covered in the beginner class before moving on to new concepts of technique, chords, and strumming patterns.
Have you always wanted to play the piano? Join a like-minded group of adults in this casual weekly class. You’ll learn the basics of keyboard technique and music reading, and learn to play easy songs in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.
A piano or 88-key keyboard is required for at-home practice.
If you’ve taken Beginner Piano Adult I and want to continue your learning in a supportive group setting, we are now offering Beginner Piano Adult II, which will begin with a brief review of concepts from Beginner Piano Adult I before moving on to the rest of the material in the Faber Adult Piano Adventures Book 1.
Students must have recently taken the Beginner Piano Adult I group class and have the Faber Adult Piano Adventures Book 1.
A piano or 88-key touch sensitive keyboard is required for at-home practice.
If you’re just starting out or have only had a little experience with the ukulele, our beginner class will give you a strong foundation in the basics – note-reading, tablature, chords, strumming patterns, and more.
If you’ve got the basics down, but want to continue working on your ukulele skills, our intermediate class offers a more advanced option for adult players. Sessions will be tailored to student needs. Learn new meters, strumming patterns, chords, and chord progressions.
Come jam with us! Bring your uke and have some fun. Ukulele Club will cover basic instrument technique including chords, strumming, and singing while playing. The Club will cover a wide variety of song material across styles and eras of American popular music.
Students must have their own ukulele for this class. We recommend brands like Cordoba, Kala, Fender, or Donner. A good quality beginner instrument will cost in the range of $60-75.
Discount will be automatically applied at checkout.
Calling all musical theater enthusiasts! Join Scott Murphy on Thursday mornings for a 10-week exploration of your favorite songs from the stage, culminating in an evening performance for family and friends. Every student will work on several songs, solos, and group numbers, focusing on musical style, acting, and stage presence. No experience needed, singers of all experience levels are welcome.
Join us on a deep dive into the core elements of music that speak to us across genres and discover why they resonate.
Whether it’s a ‘Classical’ sonata, a Bach prelude and fugue, or a jazz or popular standard, much of the music we love shares the same essential building blocks: harmony, melody, rhythm and phrase structure. Through meaningful listening and analysis, we’ll explore the myriad ways in which composers and songwriters craft music, closely examining one or two pieces from a particular period or genre in each session. This course is designed for anyone with a passion for music, no matter your experience level.
Unlike many other instruments, hand drums are easy to learn. After you’ve taken this class, you’ll be ready to join a drum circle and feel right at home! Designed for adult beginners, faculty member Dave Curry will teach you how to produce a good sound, read and write drumming notation, and play in a group setting. Class time will be a mix of structured learning and jam time to experiment!
This class will focus on the West African djembe drum, which will be supplied by the instructor (though you’re welcome to bring your own if you have one).
Want to experience an inside look at Drum Circle I? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Once you’ve learned the basics of djembe drumming, take the next step and put your skills to practice in level two! While playing a variety of hand drums, including congas, bongos, frame drums, and dunduns, you’ll collaborate and make music together as a group. This class is designed for adults who have taken our Intro to Hand Drums class or who have a similar or higher experience level. Class time will be split between structured learning and jam time.
The Community Drum Circle is an ongoing class with new material every session, so students are welcome to take it as many times as they’d like for a new experience each time! Drums will be supplied by the instructor (though you’re welcome to bring your own if you’d like).
Broaden your hand drumming skill set in our Hand Drumming Ensemble, designed for dedicated drummers! We’ll learn and perform elaborate, multilayered rhythms from West Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Brazil, and beyond, which will introduce us to a wider range percussion instruments. Students should take the Intro to Hand Drums course and at least one session of the Community Drum Circle, or have other sufficient previous experience and can demonstrate the ability to learn more complex drumming material.
The Hand Drumming Ensemble is a year-long ensemble, but new students are welcome to join throughout the year! Students are encouraged to provide their own drums, but instruments will be supplied by the instructor as needed.
Class sessions are open to prospective students! Experience a close-up look at our Hand Drumming Ensemble. Submit this preview form to schedule a visit.
Improve your vocal skills and confidence for any and all outlets of expression, from casual singing to choir performances!
Designed for adults of all ages and skill levels, each class focuses on actively using your voice, including practical exercises to help you improve your skillset while exploring new repertoire. Students will also receive supplemental materials for outside study to deepen their understanding of vocal anatomy and theory, so they can keep learning at their own pace. Whether you are prepping for private lessons, joining a local choir, or simply want to keep your voice in shape, this supportive environment provides the tools to keep you singing for a lifetime.
Finding Your Voice is an ongoing and continually evolving course that students are welcome to repeat, as the content will be updated to keep it fresh for returning participants.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Many guitarists achieve impressive technical proficiency without ever truly grasping the global language of music. This class will help you bridge the gap, moving beyond the limitations of tabs and licks to build a comprehensive understanding of how music works—both on the page and on the neck.
In this active, instrument-in-hand course, we explore the mechanics of music by connecting music theory directly to the fretboard. We’ll introduce the core concepts in note-reading, develop strategies for sight-reading, master the logic of intervals and scales, and build the skills to interpret lead sheets and standard notation in real-time.
Whether you’re looking to advance your own self-guided learning or want to communicate more confidently with other musicians, you’ll leave this class with the “map” to your instrument and a professional edge in any genre.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Ages 16 and up.
Every second Tuesday. Bluegrass is a wide ranging genre with an open, inviting community of musicians. This monthly class focuses on the core elements of bluegrass music, common progressions, licks, and etiquette to help you get started quickly. Open to all guitar, dobro, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and double bass players. No bluegrass experience necessary, but basic technical proficiency on your instrument is a plus.
To continue the fun, join our open jam (admission separate) after each class!
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Every second Tuesday. Learn the skills you will need to have fun playing in a traditional Irish session! Students will receive step by step instruction on how to learn tunes in the traditional way—by ear—and to give the music its Irish flavor using ornaments and bowing patterns. Come share this unique musical journey with your fellow musicians!
Explore the fundamentals of playing traditional Irish fiddle with Boston-based musician Noah Kelly! You’ll learn a variety of standard and new Irish and Celtic fiddle repertoire that will prepare you for session playing anywhere in the world. In addition to learning essential repertoire, Noah will cover fundamental music theory concepts, tips and tricks for putting sets of tunes together and understanding the musical and social dynamics of an Irish session.
In 2023, Noah spent a year living in Limerick, Ireland while completing his masters degree in Irish traditional music performance from the University of Limerick. He has taught in Boston and Ireland and finds tremendous enjoyment in helping students achieve their goals in learning the fiddle. As a full-time musician, Noah can regularly be found playing at Boston’s most iconic Irish pubs such as The Burren, The Druid, and more. He is also a skilled guitarist, tenor banjo and Irish bouzouki player!
Students must have at least two years of fiddle or violin playing experience, and are welcome to take the class repeatedly. Ability to read music is not required as music will be taught by ear in the traditional fashion.
Every second Tuesday. Jazz improvisation is about stretching your imagination, with the confidence and chops to back it up. This class explores the fundamentals of jazz improvisation, focusing on a new song each month. We’ll break it down and build it back up, playing and improvising together at the end of each session. Open to all instrumentalists ages 16+.
To continue the fun, join our open jam (admission separate) after each class!
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Dive deeper into traditional Celtic music! In this weekly group class, you’ll explore the nuances of Irish music as it applies to fretted instruments such as acoustic guitar, mandolin, or bouzouki. Irish jam leader and faculty member Eamon Sefton will lead you through strumming patterns, chord progressions, harmonies, alternate tuning, and more.
Students should have a good foundation on guitar, but do not need any experience with Irish or Celtic music. Music is taught by ear, so reading music is not required. However, students should be comfortable playing open position chords and have familiarity with basic chord progressions.
Join our Jazz and Percussion Department Chair and professional drummer Dave Fox for relaxed discussion and analysis of some of the most consequential and enjoyable recordings in the history of jazz. Open to music lovers of all experience levels!
Monthly on Fridays, October–May. This workshop is open to any intermediate to advanced adult pianists who would like to play something they’ve been practicing for a group of enthusiastic, supportive adults, and receive feedback if they choose.
Want to experience an inside look at this class? Fill out our preview form to schedule a visit!
Have you always wanted to learn to read music? Do you wish you understood the basic building blocks of music? Do you want to increase your playing ability and the ease in which you learn and perform music? Our introductory Music Theory Fundamentals course will guide you through all the basic elements – notes, pitches, intervals, scales, rhythm, melody, harmony, chords, and more. In-class exercises and at-home assignments will reinforce the lessons learned each week.
For current members of the Groton Hill Rock Choir only, this 10-week course introduces new singers to the skills they will need to feel confident as a member of the choir. Using songs from the Rock Choir setlist, topics covered will include the basics of reading music, healthy vocal technique, blending voices, rehearsal etiquette and more!
The class is conveniently scheduled immediately before the Rock Choir rehearsal on Wednesdays.
Songwriting doesn’t have to be a solitary effort. Beginners and experienced songwriters alike are welcome to join instructor Scott Murphy in this exploration of songwriting essentials. By focusing on storytelling and musicality, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the craft and your own creative process.
For both Songwriting I & II: Students will learn piano and chords specifically for songwriting, no prior piano or musical experience required. Students are welcome to use other instruments, such as guitar, for their songwriting during the class and at home.
Songwriting I is for students who are interested in writing their own songs but don’t know where to begin. We will analyze song structure across various styles and decades, and focus on topics centered around the musicality of language, lyric-writing, song form, building chords and chord progressions, rhythm and groove, making melodies, and writing effectively for the voice.
Songwriting II dives deeper into the craft, offering students the chance to give and receive feedback. In each class, you’ll get to share your work, listen to the work of your peers, and answer questions each writer has for the group about their song-in-progress. There will be a variety of weekly topics for discussion, as well as optional writing assignments.
Come jam with us! Bring your uke and have some fun. Ukulele Club will cover basic instrument technique including chords, strumming, and singing while playing. The Club will cover a wide variety of song material across styles and eras of American popular music.
Students must have their own ukulele for this class. We recommend brands like Cordoba, Kala, Fender, or Donner. A good quality beginner instrument will cost in the range of $60-75.
Discount will be automatically applied at checkout.
We offer personalized, one-on-one lessons in over 35 instruments, as well as amazing ensemble opportunities.