My son just started SOR with private lessons/Group101 and has been involved in the the last two…read moresummer camps. He absolutely loves it and loves the fact that he's learning to form chords already and getting to play songs he knows in a group setting. Earlier this year, my husband and I were in the very first 2 adult band sessions learning and performing songs live from the 80s and 90s. You might want to have some basic instrumental/vocal experience for the adult sessions. We really hit the ground running and were playing full songs by first session but don't let that stop you. Everyone, including the instructors, are incredibly supportive. Highly recommend the programs here for the young and older. It's a complete blast.

The manager is very friendly and she will answer any questions you have…read more My son's teacher was also very friendly and outgoing, but he walked in the door right at the time of the lesson, and had to spend some of the time setting up. The teacher should be prompt and be setup before the start time of the lesson... not a good first impression with me and I'm the one paying. My son has only had one lesson so far, so this rating will definitely change as we go on.

I am writing from the perspective of a professional musician with many years of teaching…read moreexperience. Last January, I joined the faculty of The Music Loft at both locations, Herndon and Ashburn. I love teaching here! At the time, I was also teaching at two other local music schools, but I recently decided to teach exclusively at The Music Loft because I believe in the educational values and approach. A few ways that The Music Loft stands out: 1) It is very family friendly, which is in the best interest of the student. Parents are welcome to relax in the comfortable waiting room, which allows the opportunity for excellent communication with the teacher about the progress of the student, and what to focus on at home. Parents hear first-hand about breakthroughs and accomplishments of their young musicians. There are also toys and books to keep younger siblings entertained. Parking is ample, so there is no struggle to find a space. As a parent myself, I think that this is much less stressful than simply dropping off a child for 30 minutes. 2) The Master Classes, unlimited elective classes every 8 weeks, provide the students with new kinds of music education experiences in a group setting. Students also become acquainted with the school's other instructors. I appreciate the chance to create classes on a variety of topics. We also have some master classes for adults! 3) The faculty is diverse, both in style (classical training as well as rock, jazz, etc.) and age. Some of us are fresh out of school; some choose to teach over other kinds of work because they love it; some of us have extensive experience in teaching and performing. There is enough variety so that students can find the type of teacher that can help them reach their educational goals. Or, if they start on one instrument, but prefer to switch to another, they can continue studying at The Music Loft. 4) The Music Loft is for everyone! Instruction is offered for the youngest beginner (usually around 5, if the student seems to be interested and ready) through adults who might be first-time learners or returning to music study after a long hiatus. I appreciate the variety of ages and levels of ability in my students. 5) The Music Loft also does instrument rentals and also stocks some instructional materials, both of which are a great convenience for families. Come in for a *free* trial lesson or two and meet us in person!

Though the reacher we had was great. The school is run by some I don't care bunch. They refused…read morerefund for several hundred dollars. Be very careful dealing with them!

I highly recommend Notes N Beats. My son received his first…read moreguitar over our R&R (foreign service family living in West Africa). I had a challenging time finding a company that wanted to work with us. This was not the case with Notes N Beats! They truly cared about getting the most hands on experience while we were home. I received a warm welcoming from the owner, Ritu. She listened to our situation and was flexible to make it work. She was extremely responsive and organized. Our instructor, Curtis, is outstanding!! He sets the right pace & makes each class fun & educational. Each week I see dramatic improvement & it is thanks to Curtis's talent as a gifted musician & educator. My son looked forward to every lesson. Because of Curtis & his teaching approach, my son wanted to continue facetime lessons when we returned to West Africa. Ritu & Curtis were more than happy to accommodate. We are so grateful to have found Notes N Beats.

Love the staff and their dedication to teach music. Veena strives to get the kids talent out by…read moreproviding them different opportunities like competitions, recitals .Veena and her notesnbeats team collaboratively works for kids success in this musical journey.

My friend and I came into the store (both college students) and were decently uneducated on the…read morefundamentals of how a guitar works. I forgot their names (so sorry) but the two workers there helped us so much, answered all of our questions, and tolerated us playing different guitars for a couple hours. I came in to get my strings replaced and the man there (great drip by the way) explained everything in detail. We had such a great experience, and I will for sure be coming back with any further issues and questions with my guitar journey! P.S. Go on a Friday since that's when the cool people are there :)

Very helpful; found what I needed for my instrument and helped me replace it. Specifically the A…read morestring on my violin.

Hello people reading this! This is a bit of an atypical review, because I'm reviewing this business…read morefrom the view point of an employee. I've been teaching at Minton's Music for about 5 1/2 years now - and I love it! Even if you're not a prospective teacher, but a prospective student you may enjoy reading this. I have so much to say, so I'll just list it below: 1. Being a teacher here is so fantastic because of a big thing - all you have to worry about is teaching. I don't have to deal with scheduling or technical business work. If you've ever private taught on your own, you know that stuff can be time consuming, frustrating, and just generally take away from the experience and joy of teaching music. 2. Now, if you like having full control over every aspect of private teaching (everything else other than teaching), then this place isn't for you. The people at the front desk do all that other stuff for all the teachers and clients. To me, that's freeing and I love it. To those who want to control all that comes with it... you're not gonna enjoy it. 3. I cannot stress enough the fact that all I have to do is teach - and that means a lot, like: You want your students to learn from a specific series, a specific piece, etc? Just ask the front desk and they'll order the music and deliver it directly to the store. You need some highlighters? Ask the front desk, you got it. Any little knick knack you need to teach, they'll either have it or get it for you. This means a lot for your out of pocket expenses - as in you don't have any, unless you want to get your pencils on your own. 4. There is no standard curriculum - as in you, the teacher, gets to choose what books your students use, or what songs they play. There IS a standard that all teachers have to follow - and that's teaching how to READ music, not just play. Teaching by rote (not talking about ear training, which is a good skill to teach/learn) is not tolerated. As far as I know, all of the teachers currently working at Minton's have either a Bachelors degree or Masters degree in music. 5. Being able to talk intellectually with my fellow teachers about music or teaching techniques is great. It begins to feel more like a team than you on your own. But, if you don't want to chit chat with the others, it's not like you have to. I just personally enjoy that fact. We're all there for the same reason: the joy of music and the joy of teaching it. 6. Twice a year they set up recitals. You get to have an outlet for your students right there in house, on the stage in the back of the building. It's pretty low stress, and it's enjoyable to see your students show off their abilities! 7. They started doing I.P.R.'s (individual progress reports). I really like these because it's just a simple jotting things down about the student's progress. Plus part of it is to come up with a goal for the semester, which you and your student comes up with. I love goals - having something concrete to strive for. Also, if the student does well throughout the semester, they get invited to a pizza party! Now with all that, hopefully you can see that this really is more of a school than a music store. They do sell some things, but the teachers don't handle any of that so it's always good to call first and see if they have what you need. If they don't, I have heard them say to clients where you might be able to find it, which I think is pretty nice. I know they work with Music and Arts to rent instruments, but other than that, they really are just selling the teacher's time and knowledge. I bring this up because I grew up in Ashburn, and there was always a general thought that you wont get the best teacher at a music store (sorry to all those other stores, but that was/is how I feel) - only private teachers who teach out of their home were the good ones. So when I got my degrees and I needed a place to teach, I didn't want to be lumped into that category - because I know my stuff, and my goal has always been to be a private teacher in this area that every student wants. The classical musician in me always wants to be the best of the best. So when I heard about Minton's Music, I was a bit wary (because it's a store front). But, once I stepped into the store I realized that this store isn't the same as the others. It isn't a place where they just hire anyone with any type of music ability or background. They hire the best trained and qualified people, and once I realized that, I was honored to be considered one of them. Again, it really isn't a music store - it's a music school. So don't let the fact that it's a store front fool you. I have about 50 students that I see throughout the week right now, and I'm loving every minute of it!

Terrible ownership. Had the audacity to deny a refund after firing my teacher, and threatened to…read moresue if I continued lessons with him. The contract is exploitative and their business practices are questionable. The teachers do not enjoy working there. The prices are outrageous. They clearly exclusively want to sell to parents who want to get rid of their kid for a few minutes.

I went to the store for the first time today and bought several piano books. The young guy who…read morehelped me was very friendly. He assisted me finding the books and courteously left me alone when I wanted to flip through the pages. He also reminded me of the great return policy the store offers. The girl at the cashier's desk is also very pleasant. I'll gladly come back when I need other music related merchandise.

This company is awful, just awful!!!! This is my first experience renting an instrument, so I had…read moreno clue what to expect or how in-demand my child's instrument would be, so I decided to initiate a rental agreement early in the summer to hopefully guarantee securing my child's instrument for the school year. I completed the rental online on June 30th, paid the first month's rental fee, and I followed my child's music teacher's instructions to choose a "Fall Delivery" of the instrument, rather than an immediate delivery, and have it sent to the school. Much to my surprise, as soon as I submitted my rental agreement, I began receiving several emails indicating that the instrument order was being processed and then was shipped to the school despite my choosing "Fall Delivery". I immediately began calling customer service and no one ever answered. I called several times a day, throughout the day, for several days. When I called, I was kept on hold for at least 30 min, sometimes up to 1 hr 15 min, with no one ever picking up the phone. I used the "contact us" form on the Music & Arts website several times, with no one ever contacting me back. I get an email on July 2nd stating that my child's instrument was delivered to the school. I still try to call Music & Arts customer service, because this is a real problem and I am pissed off by now because 1) I asked for "Fall Delivery", 2) it is delivered to the school in the summer, 3) no one in customer service is taking my calls, and 4) I have no idea what to do because I do not intend to be charged rental fees when I did not order the instrument for a delivery so early and have no intention on using it over the summer. I then go to my local Music & Arts store to speak to an associate about my issue. What started out as a wonderful service addressing my issue, goes downhill quickly, as well. At first, the associate seemed attentive, answering my questions, validating to me that my situation is indeed an error and they will work to get me answers since I cannot get anyone on the phone in customer service. I communicate with the associate via phone, email, or in person, just fine on July 2nd, July 3rd, July 7th, and July 9th. Over this time period, I receive 3 different reasons from the associate why my child's instrument was delivered early. 1 - Music & Arts had a system wide freeze in late June, 2 - my child's school info was entered incorrectly in your system, 3 - my child's school has a Summer Program for which instruments were delivered early. This WHOLE time, the instrument is still at the school because the associate advised me not to take possession of the instrument until they can get direction for me. After the communication on July 9th, when I ask the associate what the next steps are and how I can cancel my rental contract and initiate a refund, and here's where things go silent. I ask via email on July 10th, follow up on the email on July 14th, and July 16th. I then come to the store on July 18th and speak to the manager, who I need to re-tell this whole fiasco that I had been dealing with for close to 3 weeks. He helps me by canceling my contract when I return the clarinet to the store. Later I realize I never received my rental deposit refund and call customer service on Aug. 15th. A representative finally picks up. I explain my story, again, and they proceed to tell me that I wouldn't be getting a refund because I returned the instrument more than 10 days after its delivery and their policy states that a refund would only be granted if returned within 10 days. I tried to explain that I set it up for a Fall delivery and it was immediately delivered to the school (not my problem) and I was told not to take delivery until there is further direction for me (and which I never received) because it was not my error that the instrument was delivered in July. By now I am extremely angry and got loud with the representative. However, I immediately realize I'm in the wrong by raising my voice and I apologize. The representative has the nerve to tell me with a rude attitude that "because I am angry and yelling at her, that it is making her angry." I have a right to be angry because I want my refund and it is being denied over something that was 100% not my fault!! I realize my faults in this conversation, but customer service representatives should not talk to clients that way. Overall, this was the most horrid, time consuming, and stressful experience I have ever dealt with in a business. At this point I am over Music & Arts and I highly advise anyone looking to rent from them to run in the other direction.

Fantastic school. I can not say enough good things about the teachers, the theory, and approach to…read morelearning to love music. I have a 5 year old and this school is setting the foundation of musicality for a lifetime.

I had the best experience of my life at OPUS. I came into this very nervous because I have never…read moreplayed an instrument; but Marisela made it so easy for me to learn. I felt so comfortable asking questions and the environment felt very positive. I am very happy with my time I spent here. I would've continued staying but I just moved. I am hoping to possibly figure out remote lessons. I definitely would recommend anyone who is new or trying to freshen up their skills go here!

Ms. Nicole offers private violin lessons as well as early childhood music classes and my family has…read moreparticipated in both! She truly loves teaching and is able to create a relaxed and inviting environment for all. For children ages birth-4, I highly recommend her early childhood class which will introduce children to musical patterns and let them try out a few instruments. For children 4+ who want to study the violin, she is great at tailoring studio lessons to your child's learning style.

I am an advanced/beginner adult-student and recently started taking classes from Nicole in only a…read moreshort time she has helped me a great deal. She knows exactly how to target improvements and get you to the next level. She has a very relaxed, yet professional demeanor and really makes good use of class time. The violin is not an easy instrument, but Nicole's teaching can certainly get you to that next level and to a richer, more vibrant sound.

The Music Loft has been a highly respected and valued business and part of the Herndon community…read morefor many years. My oldest has been taking piano lessons there for 6 years now and only ever has good things to say about both the lessons and instructor. I now also have my youngest starting drum lessons and can't believe the smile that's plastered on his face at the end of each lesson. This is a kid who'd prefer to play video games more than anything so it's like he's a different person once he goes to his lessons. The instructors live and breathe music and you can always tell how much they enjoy sharing their love of music by the way they talk to you about lessons, music history, performances, etc. Many, if not all, have degrees related to music and come with years of experience performing and teaching. Some even continue performing locally and internationally throughout the year while teaching at TML. In other words, taking lessons here all but guarantees that the instructor is qualified educationally along with performance experience that backs up their instructional knowledge. The owners and admin staff are the nicest and most personable people you can interact with for a busy music studio. I've always appreciated their willingness to help whenever I need a schedule modification or with any other logistical issue I might have. These folks will treat you like family from day one and are always quick to respond kindly. They do provide a free trial lesson with zero pressure to sign up. My son did a trial piano lesson several years ago but it wasn't for him so we didn't push and TML understood that. They're not the type of business to convince you to take lessons if music or a specific instrument isn't for you (or your child). They're worth a try especially if you're on the fence about starting lessons.

They saved my upright bass. Great work on my bridge and strings. The strings and bridge was…read morereplaced.