Group Piano classes are the core of Musically Minded Academy. We are expanding into all of these other instruments listed on the table above, but we have been offering piano lessons since we converted from a Piano Studio to a music academy in 2007. Piano is a great instrument because it is polyphonic, meaning that you can play many sounds at once. Most musicians end up learning to play the piano and, in fact, all of our music teachers play this instrument!

The clarinet is a great instrument of choice for anyone that has never played an instrument before because it easy to learn and even easier to handle, making it perfect for children and young players. Of course, things start to get complex when elements like dynamics, tuning, and tone are added to the picture, but the concepts in clarinet are easy enough to grasp especially when one is attentive and dedicated to the process of learning.

The flute is one of the oldest instruments around, and one of the most diverse. It is virtually ubiquitous in every culture of the world. Learning the flute means learning how to take care of the body. Among many health benefits, it notably promotes good posture, proper and healthy breathing, core strength and control, and finger dexterity. Flute requires a high degree of patience and discipline, which happen to be necessary attributes for academic excellence and good work ethic. The flute is easy to maintain and transport. You don’t have to worry about reeds, temperature, or humidity. Simply put it together and go. The flute is the closest to the voice when it comes to how sound is produced.

The trumpet is a rather loud instrument compared to some of the other options, like clarinet or flute. This means they can carry over drums and other amplified instruments like electric guitar. In a band, the trumpeters and other brass instrument are often the lead players. The fingering of a trumpet is complex, so if you want a challenge, this is a good instrument to choose. The trumpet is easy to assemble — all you need is a mouthpiece and the horn. No need to deal with reeds or worry about temperature. This is a sturdy instrument.

The violin produces a great range of sound with interesting dimensions. Violinists can change the color or force of the note by the tension and speed of the bow, by plucking the string (pizzicato), and also by using the body of the instrument as percussion in more modern styles. Violin is can fit in any style of music — in an orchestra, as a solo instrument, in chamber music as well as pop and rock, bluegrass, indie and folk music, and beyond! Unlike keyboard instruments, string instruments require and impeccable ear to produce good intonation, so earning violin is great for developing musicianship. Playing the violin is a physically demanding feat as learning to play it requires learning a whole body position to even produce a sound. We have offered string lessons are years at the Academy, but this is the first time that we are offering group lessons and we are so excited!

The Saxophone has a fingering system that is relatively easy to understand. It is one of the easier of the woodwind instruments when it comes to producing the correct tone. The saxophone is played in all kinds of music from Rock to Country to Classical and Jazz and many more! Most composers and music teachers recommend learning on the alto sax because of its medium size that almost anyone over the age of 10 can handle well, and has the most material to learn from. Want a challenge? Choose the Baritone Saxophone! Of all of the saxophone sizes, this one is the biggest and the hardest to play. So why do people choose it? Because they love that “honk” — the ability to play those low intense, deep sounds. It is a large instrument and thus is higher priced than the other saxophones. Although it makes it easier to create sound, its loose mouthpiece makes accuracy more difficult to control as going from the highest to the lowest notes requires much more muscular strength. Amateur saxophonists don’t need to be rocket scientists to learn to play it.