Online music lessons and group classes at CMC are community classrooms for reaching new heights of your musical development. CMC’s entire course catalog is available online unless otherwise noted.
As we study the songs of great electric blues artists, we’ll learn the chord voicings, progressions, and signature licks being played. Using these songs as a vehicle, we’ll examine various blues grooves and styles. We’ll explore soloing techniques as we work on notated solos of some of the greats and also, work on rhythm accompaniment with a focus on feel and “settling into the pocket.”
Ages: Adults and older teens (high school students)
Instruments: All and voice
Musical Styles: The music of the “Three Kings:” B.B., Albert, and Freddie, as well as: Jimmy Reed, Magic Sam, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and other blues masters
Prerequisites: This workshop is centered around the guitar but is open to other instruments, too. Basic knowledge of chords and some playing experience is required.
Class size: 2–5 students
Location, Days and Times: Mission District Branch, Wednesdays, 7:30–8:30pm
Instructor: Larry Dunn
Tuition: $532 Fall (14 weeks), $456 Winter (12 weeks), $380 Spring (10 weeks), $304 Summer (8 weeks)
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
For enrollment, please make an appointment with CMC’s registration team.
Deep Listening is a meditation practice that uses listening/sounding, movement and dreaming modalities to explore and connect to ourselves and the world around us. It was developed through the life’s work of composer Pauline Oliveros. Deep Listening is a rewarding practice that is equally playful and profound. It can be practiced by anyone, alone or in a group, but is most powerful as a group practice. This workshop will explore listening (utilizing the interplay of attention and awareness to deepen the listening experience), movement (listening deeply with the body) and dreaming (24-hour listening). Participatory exercises will include: sonic mediations and deep listening practices, a gentle movement practice, and awareness of dreams (no sharing of dream content is required). Deep Listening is for musicians as well as participants from other disciplines and interests. Previous musical training is not required but musicians from beginner to advanced typically find benefits like deeper connection to their creative sources and inspiration for their music work. Regular practice can also help with performance anxiety and general anxiety.
“The key to multi-level existence is deep listening – listening in as many ways as possible to all that can possibly be heard all of the time. Deep Listening is exploring the relationships among any and all sounds whether natural, technological intended or unintended, real, remembered or imaginary.” —Pauline Oliveros
Ages: Adults
Instruments: Open to any instrumentalists (most exercises will use voice only)
Prerequisites: None
Class size: 4–12 students
Locations, Days and Times: Mission District Branch, Sundays, 2:00–3:30pm
Instructor: Rachel Condry
Tuition: $469 Fall (14 weeks), $402 Winter (12 weeks), $335 Spring (10 weeks), $268 Summer (8 weeks),
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
For enrollment, please make an appointment with CMC’s registration team.
Directed by acclaimed percussionist, educator, and entrepreneur, Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy, the online workshops will be open to participants of all ages and backgrounds—no musical experience needed. Participants will learn the foundations of rhythm, ways to improve rhythmic time and feel, essential hand drumming techniques, vocal percussion, and approaches to improvisation. Sessions will feature interactive performances and Q&A with guest artists. This is a workshop series meeting over six Sundays per series. Students can enroll in individual drop-in sessions or for the whole 6-week session . This workshop will be hosted online via Zoom. A link will be emailed to workshop participants before the classes. For questions about material or prerequisites, email the instructor.
Ages: Adults and older teens (high school students)
Instruments: Percussion
Musical Styles: Indian music and drumming
Prerequisites: No experience needed. Previous knowledge of Indian rhythm or drumming techniques welcome.
Class size: 2–10 students
Location, Days and Times: Mission District Branch, Sundays, 10:00–11:00am (Zoom); Winter series dates: January 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21, and 28*
Instructor: Rohan Krishnamurthy
Tuition: $150 entire series (6 weeks), $35/each for single drop-in sessions.
*Series enrollment for winter 2021 will be available through February 1.
For enrollment in the entire 6-week series, click here to register online.
OR purchase an indivudual drop-in session here (and click “select a date” for desired class)
Learn to play the exciting music of the Middle East, Turkey and Eastern Europe including Klezmer and Balkan styles. We will study Arabic music scale systems and maqams in the context of selected tunes. Improvisations (taqsims/preludes/doinas) will be approached according to traditional practices. There will be an annual performance in December.
Ages: Adults, older teens (high school students)
Instruments: Traditional or Western strings, winds, keyboard, hand percussion, voice
Musical Styles: Middle Eastern, Turkish, Eastern European
Prerequisites: For intermediate to advanced players. Students new to this style of music are encouraged to take private lessons with the instructor prior to joining the ensemble.
Class size: 2–5 students
Location, Day and Time: Mission District Branch (off-site), TBA*
Instructor: Shirley Wong-Frentzel
Tuition: $532 Fall (14 weeks), $456 Winter (12 weeks), $380 Spring (10 weeks). Class does not meet during the summer.
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
*This class will not meet Spring Quarter 2021
Come on all you fiddle, banjo, guitar, and mandolin players. Learn some traditional fiddle tunes in an informal setting. Old-time music is the unique blend of Scotch-Irish, African, and Native American music that forms the roots of bluegrass and other American string band styles. This class is geared towards people who have never played old-time music before but have some ability on their instrument, and interest in the style. Though this music is traditionally taught by ear, we will provide some charts and a certain amount of instrument specific instruction as a way to attune your ears and instruments to the groove of old-time. Playback recordings will be provided to support learning—highlighting the different roles of the instruments in an old time string band.
Ages: Adults
Instruments: Guitars, banjo, fiddle, mandolin
Musical Styles: Old-time music
Prerequisites: Knowledge of your instrument and an ability to learn music by ear and/or by reading music.
Class size: 4–10 students
Location, Day and Time: Mission District Branch, Mondays, 11:30am–12:30pm*
Instructor: Taught by Tregar Otton and Erik Pearson
Tuition: $532 Fall (14 weeks), $304 Winter (8 weeks), $380 Spring (10 weeks), $304 Summer Quarter (8 weeks)
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
For enrollment, please make an appointment with CMC’s registration team.
*This class will not meet Spring Quarter 2021
Have uke, will travel! Ukulele is one of the most portable instruments, so grab your instrument and join us for a beginner’s course on how to play ukulele in a relaxed group setting. This class will cover the principles playing chords, strum patterns, songs, and some basic note reading so you can play along with anyone, anywhere.
Ages: Adults
Instruments: Ukuleles
Musical Styles: Various and responsive to student interest
Class size: 8 students
Prerequisites: No playing experience necessary, but you’ll need to bring your own ukulele
Location, Day and Time: Mission District Branch, Wednesdays, 8:15– 9:15pm
Instructor: Erik Pearson
Tuition: $532 Fall (14 weeks); $380 Winter (10 weeks); $380 Spring (10 weeks), $304 Summer (8 weeks)
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
For enrollment, please make an appointment with CMC’s registration team.
Do you play some ukulele but have always wanted to sing while you play? Do you like to sing but want to accompany yourself on the ukulele? This fun intergenerational Zoom Class is for ages 10 to 90. Great repertoire for all!
You’ll learn to improve your rhythm, get in tune (both your instrument and your voice), extend your range, sing and play more precisely, and to prepare a song (or few) to perform for your friends and family!
Ages: Adults and kids (elementary, middle, high school)
Instruments: Ukuleles
Musical Styles: Various and responsive to student interest
Class size: 3–8 students
Prerequisites: No experience is necessary.
Location, Day and Time: Tuesdays, 4:00–5:30pm
Instructor: Beth Wilmurt
Tuition: $532 Fall (14 weeks); $456 Winter (12 weeks); $380 Spring (10 weeks), $266 Summer Quarter (7 weeks)
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
For enrollment, please make an appointment with CMC’s registration team.
If you’d like to be matched with other students in a small music ensemble or receive coaching for an existing group, please fill out a Chamber Music Inquiry Form.
