Bay Chamber Music School

A cornerstone of the Midcoast community.

Founded in 2011, Bay Chamber Music School is a place where people of all ages and diversities have the opportunity to participate in a music-making community.

In addition to a first-class music education, Bay Chamber students and their families also enjoy complimentary tickets to select performances throughout the year, bringing together our Music School community with professional performers from around the world.

Summer Group Classes

Fingerstyle Guitar Intensive with Jeff Weinberger

Saturday, July 19 from 10:30AM-12PM

This workshop is for those who love fingerstyle guitar music and wish to gain the right hand facility and fretboard knowledge to fully conquer this style. We'll first check in with some solid basics to ensure proper right hand technique and then launch into some real world examples in the styles of the greats across several genres. For confident beginners and intermediates. Class Fee: $20

Ukulele Intensive with Jeff Weinberger

Saturday, August 30 from 10:30AM-12PM

This deep dive into ukulele is designed to take the confident beginner or intermediate player to a higher level of proficiency and enrichment. By studying right and left hand techniques, good practice habits, music theory and fretboard knowledge, we will plan a strategy together for you to improve your playing in an efficient, yet fun program. Loaner instruments available with advance notice. Class Fee: $20

Programs at a glance

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Over 350 lessons are taught each week by our 23 professional faculty, along with a wide range of ensemble and chamber music opportunities.

Scroll down to read about the following classes!

Private Instruction
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Music is a part of a complete education. To that end, we offer private lessons for all levels, from beginning to advanced. Private lessons are offered in Composition, Piano, Voice, Guitar, Ukulele, Winds, Brass, Percussion, Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass. We are committed to making music education affordable and accessible to all through our scholarship program. Please submit the general inquiry form so we can learn more about your interests!

Please note, participation in our chamber music program depends on availability of participants and coaches and scheduling compatibility. Please fill out the form to let us know you are interested in participating in the Fall 2025 semester and we will follow up or email susan.m@baychamber.org for more information.

Chamber Music
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In the spirit of collaboration, our chamber ensemble program provides an opportunity for experiential learning. Participants can play in small ensemble settings such as trios, quartets and quintets. Interested musicians of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate.

Chamber Music classes are offered to students who are fully enrolled in private lessons for $175 per semester.

Jazz Ensemble
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Explore jazz in a fun supportive environment by using simple jazz/blues tunes to learn the key components of jazz, rhythm, harmony, melody, improvisation and group interplay. Come to learn what jazz is all about or to expand your existing knowledge. Tuesdays from 6 7:30PM. 

FEE: Participation in the 13-week session is $195. For all others, the cost is $260. Participation is limited, please email susan.m@baychamber.org for more information.

Suzuki Twinklers
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The Suzuki Twinklers class is for children learning to play violin using the Suzuki method. Recommended for students currently in Suzuki Book 1 who have learned to play "Twinkle." Children will learn to play with other children, develop musical and technical skills, and play fun musical games. Please email susan.m@baychamber.org for more information.

Youth Choir & Youth Choir Intensive
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Youth Choir with Sierra Lary

This one-hour class focuses on the fundamentals of singing and choral singing. Songs will be sung in unison, and will feature a variety of musical styles from American folk songs, musical theater, and world music. No music reading required. Monday from 3:30-4:30PM. Ages 7-12 welcome. FEE: $180 for 12-week session

Choral Intensive with Sierra Lary

The choral intensive is a 30-minute addition to our Youth Choir class for more advanced singers, ages 7-12. Songs learned will be in 2 part harmony, and introductory rhythm and solfege techniques will be taught. Familiarity with basic music reading is highly encouraged, but not required. Children must be part of the Youth Choir to participate. Monday afternoons following the Youth Choir rehearsal from 4:30-5PM. FEE: $240 for 12-week session (this fee includes the Youth Choir above).

Ukulele Ensemble
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Taught by Jeff Weinberger, this group will explore many styles of music in arrangements that allow for very simple parts to fairly complex ones. It all depends on your comfort level. The goal is to learn some basic ensemble playing skills, rehearse a diverse repertoire and at the end, give a performance for family and friends. All levels of proficiency and types of ukulele are welcome. No audition necessary. Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30PM. FEE: $180 for a 12-week session. Please email susan.m@baychamber.org for more information about our Fall 2025 semester class.

Fingerstyle Ukulele Class

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Taught by Jeff Weinberger, we explore proper right hand technique and then have fun exploring several styles using this skill set. We’ll cover essential picking patterns as well as how to apply them to some actual songs, from simple folk songs to sophisticated classical pieces. Mondays from 6:15-7:15PM. FEE: $180 for 12-week session. Please email susan.m@baychamber.org for more information about our fall semester class.

Recording 101
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This 10-week course covers the basics of sound engineering including microphone selection, setting levels, mixing and track editing. Students will learn everything needed to create a professional sounding recording of any musical genre! This class is team-taught by Mike Whitehead and Nate Martin. Thursdays from 6-7PM.  FEE: $150 for 10-week session. Please email susan.m@baychamber.org for more information.

Beginning String Orchestra with Sarah Glenn
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In this ensemble, we will learn music with multiple parts. Students should be at the end of Suzuki Book 1 or beyond, or at a similar level, and should be primarily learning their music by note reading. All string instruments are welcome! We will play a variety of music including classical, fiddle and some popular music. Tuesdays from 5-6PM. FEE: $180 for 12-week session.

Classical Guitar Ensemble
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Led by Jeff Rojo, the Guitar Ensemble welcomes classical guitar players looking to improve their sight reading, technique, and musicality while exploring repertoire that covers music from the Renaissance to the present day in a group setting. Participants are expected to have experience reading music and basic understanding of scales and arpeggios. Please email susan.m@baychamber.org for more information.

Bay Chamber Music School’s chamber music program is made possible, in part, with support from the Associated Chamber Music Players.

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