School of Rock is a really incredible place, full of wonderful staff and students. We decided to…read moretry it out for our son because he was feeling very isolated during the pandemic. The staff at School of Rock have amazing abilities when it comes to the performances they are able to elicit from the kids. I imagine that trying to coordinate a group of 10-17 year olds into a cohesive band must be akin to herding cats, but School of Rock clearly has some good tricks up their sleeve. School of Rock has been the one positive, steady thing that has kept our son afloat during the pandemic. His experience there has greatly improved his self-confidence and we've seen a huge advancement of his abilities in less than a year. School of Rock is a wonderful community of musicians that really know how to support and encourage kids. They meet kids on their level and work with what they've got.

My child loves it here. She participates in the performance program and enjoys it immensely. She…read morewas growing bored with basic guitar lessons and school of rock provided the opportunity to transition to a band experience. The teachers have been great at finding a good balance of abilities and challenging her to learn new skills. She has found a new love for music. I highly recommend them!

I've been getting lessons from George for about a month. He's low ego, patient and seems most…read moreexcited to keep me having fun with music that I like and to get me better at playing it. Glad to have found him!

Half a year ago, I picked up a bass guitar (something I've alway wanted to do), and taught myself…read moresome basics from online videos. After a few months of doing that, I started hitting a roadblock, without a clear direction on how to improve. I started looking for an instructor that could help me take my playing to the next step and beyond. That's when I found George. We started off our first lesson learning the fundamentals, which was very helpful for correcting bad habits that I had developed. We progressed quickly from there, and I've seen very noticeable improvement in my technique and ability. One thing that stands out is that George custom tailors the lessons to each individual student. For example, I grew up playing classical piano, with exposure to music theory; George is able to play on this area of expertise. After each session, he sends out a detailed summary of the lesson, along with exercises and things to practice for our next session. He's very encouraging and supportive - I feel comfortable talking to him about any aspect of my learnings, and emailing him outside of our lessons when a question comes up. It's difficult to imagine a teacher more enthusiastic and supportive than George, and I'm looking forward to continue developing my skills with him. If you are considering taking lessons with George, I highly recommend it.

I grew up in a musical family…read more I was a reluctant classical piano student for 10 years. On one hand, I was fortunate to have had lessons from one of the most renowned organists/pianists in the Washington, DC, metro area. On the other hand, I had little love for the keyboard or the music I was assigned to play. Nevertheless, I learned to appreciate good music and good musicians. The same year I quit the piano, a Gibson J-45 acoustical guitar arrived at Christmas. Like many teenagers, I day-dreamed about playing professionally without understanding what that required. Other things in life got in the way of guitar playing and the Gibson got sold. Forty years later, my wife and I were attending an art auction. The first item up for bid was a guitar with two months' worth of lessons. I made an opening bid... my wife gave me a surprised look... I didn't expect to win... I did. That's how I got started with Lyle Long - purely by chance. It's been one of the most satisfying, educational experiences in my life. I've studied under some exceptionally talented music teachers. Lyle stands at the top of that list for two reasons: his talent as an exceptional guitarist; but more so, because of his exceptional teaching skills. He has an uncanny ability to get to the essence of issues that frustrate music students. He does this on both an emotional and technical level. He has the unusual gift of being able to connect with both adults as well as young children. It is truly amazing to watch (or experience first-hand) how he translates complex music theory into easily understood concepts; guides students to understand these concepts with achievable techniques based upon their current skill levels; diagnoses errors and corrects habits; all of which combine towards building a strong foundation of confidence. For young people especially, I think acquiring confidence in something that they can value (and others value) is critical. I came to my first lessons with a lot of uncertainty about my technical capabilities and knowledge. Lyle literally started by returning me to a very basic level and showed me how much of the theory and techniques that I had learned many years earlier had actually gotten in the way of making me a better musician. I sometimes leave my lessons with thoughts about how very different my music life would have been if I'd had Lyle Long for a teacher forty years ago. If you are considering musical instruction for yourself, or for your children; at levels anywhere between beginner to professional, I highly recommend Lyle Long. You will not regret your decision.

Performance High is a game changer! I found Adrienne on YouTube when I did a search on Stage Fright…read moreand found her video incredibly insightful. I took her advice right before my first performance in well over a year and actually ENJOYED the on stage experience! I figured if she could make such a difference in my life through a YouTube video (that I admittedly watched a few dozen times), imagine what I could learn by becoming a client? I've had almost a decade of private vocal coaching so I know high quality instruction when I see it. Performance High offers so much more than vocal technique though. I recently started performance coaching lessons with Justin Long and I am seriously mind blown. There are very few schools that offer the curriculum available here. Schools which dispense knowledge in a practical manner that is useful AND AFFORDABLE to an indie artist like myself. Did I mention I live in the Bay Area of California so our sessions are in video conference via Facebook chat/Google/FaceTime??? The distance isn't even an issue because technology closes the gap. With regards to my sessions with Justin, the breadth and depth of his expert instruction is thorough, easy to comprehend, logical, and compassionate. He exceeds my expectations (read: value=more bang for your buck). I always leave super excited to implement his methods!!! Performance High rocks on every level possible!!!

My grandson started taking Piano Playtime classes at the Schlessman Y Academy (his daycare) when he…read morewas almost 3. He is now going to kindergarten able to read music, play songs using hands on both the treble and base clefts and loves his piano lessons. I highly recommend the DaVinci Center and Danielle Miller for your young person who is just learning about music or is already a proficient musician. Everyone we have ever interacted with there is wonderful!

Maria is an amazing teacher and a wonderful person.  She is so committed to the development of…read moremusical ability, and appreciation of music.  I have never met a more kind and patient teacher.  She is never strict or gets stuck on mechanics.  She keeps her lessons creative and instructive and never boring.

Dwayne is a phenomenal guitar instructor. He is patient, dedicated, and very skilled. Above all, he…read moreis a genuinely kind-hearted human being. Dwayne has the experience and unique ability to assess your current skill level and instruct in an efficient and effective manner. His commitment and instruction is impeccable - he knows how to get you to that next level.. I have even learned how to practice in a useful way to improve my techniques and playing abilities. But again, what really stands out about Dwayne is his compassion and empathy. He is not just a great guitar instructor, but a great human being. He once continued our lesson for an hour and half to ensure I understood the part I was learning. After teaching for dozens of years... to have that kind of patience and dedication is a godsend. If you are having any thoughts about pursuing guitar- make Dwayne your guy. You won't regret it!

I have been learning from Dwayne to play guitar since I was in high school. I can't imagine…read morelearning from anyone else! Dwayne is patient and encouraging,giving you the time you need to learn and making it enjoyable. As a person, Dwayne is friendly, considerate, and interested in having fun playing great rock songs. He covers the very basics, but he doesn't make it boring where all you do is practice scales you are not really interested in. He teaches you to play. He understands your experience and knows how to select songs that are both fun and challenging. If you are interested in learning to play lead guitar (electric and acoustic) Dwayne will teach you at a pace that suits you and at an affordable price.

The Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras provide a variety of opportunities for young musicians to…read moredeepen their musical skills and passion and to engage the community through performances of the highest possible artistic level. Like most youth orchestras, this is a non-profit organization set up to further supplement the band or orchestra experience in public or private schools. Kids who participate in this really enjoy music and appreciate the fact that their peers practice and want to play and explore challenging and beautiful pieces together. Here's what I love about this group - Unlike some club sports (soccer, etc), this group encourages and even requires kids to remain involved with their school musical organization (thus they don't strip players from the schools). - The instructors/conductors are OUTSTANDING, they are funny, patient, really insightful and creative. They play a fair share of world premieres, pieces composed by local composers or kids, great classics, etc. I don't know how they did it but GBYO has a terrific staff starting from their manager Brian Jack, a super friendly, funny and thoughtful world class bassoonist. - The rehearsals are on Monday night and are fun, but efficient. This organization recognizes that students are busy and have a lot to do and really honors their time. They have a growing mentor program so not only do the kids play in a full ensemble, sectionals (for example wind and brass break off to play their own pieces), but they even break down to small groups led by U of Colorado mentors (often graduate students). There are also chamber opportunities, etc. - Performances are usually in the Macky. This is kind of a cool, exciting venue for the kids to play in. - They key players into all kinds of playing and listening opportunities around Colorado. Anyway, we're super psyched that we found this organization. GBYO rehearsals are easily my child's favorite part of the week.

It has been a while since I have been to a symphony and even then, I have only been to one when I…read morewas living in Europe in my early 20's. Looking for new experiences, my husband and I decided to make 2013 the year of the symphony. As luck would have it, our friends had access to season tickets and we were invited along for the season. Last night we had our first symphony 2013 experience and it was fantastic. No pun intended as it was the 'Francois Fantistique' production last night. Debussy, Bizet and Berlioz were the featured composers and it was a really wonderful evening. I will be the first to admit that I really enjoy listening to music but really know nothing about it so if I get the terminology wrong it is solely my own ignorance and not a reflection of the experience! The conductor explained Berlioz's symphony to the audience using humor to explain the love story. I really like the conductor and thought that he explained things really well including using small snippets of the music to show what Berlioz used as a "beating heart," "the lady," "cackling witches," and "slithering snakes." I would not have picked up on that without an explanation but knowing what to listen for, I anticipated those sounds and was excited to know what they meant along with being able to follow the story line a bit better. It was a really wonderful evening and as such I am eagerly awaiting the rest of the season this year!

This is a wonderful orchestra! Excellent musicianship…read more I especially like how approachable the Boulder Symphony is for children. Two members of the symphony has visited our strings class at Shepherd Valley Waldorf School where my child is learning violin. Kids get in free, and ticket prices for adults are reasonable. They are very friendly and engaging with the audience. I highly recommend this orchestra for anyone who appreciates great music.