Several years ago, when I was running my music school in Seattle, I made a shift — moving away from a strictly 1:1 lesson model and toward a more community-based way of learning music. At the time, it felt like a risk. What happened next completely changed how I teach.

Here’s what led me there:

• Some of my strongest students earned full scholarships to Berklee College of Music, and when they returned, they shared that most of their learning happened in groups and ensembles, with only brief weekly private check-ins.

• I ran an experiment with a few of my most challenging students and placed them in a group class together. Once we found our rhythm, they began to outpace students who were doing only traditional private lessons.

• After years of touring and performing, I noticed something consistent among great musicians: many of them learned primarily by playing with other people, not just through lessons.

• Mixing experience levels created something powerful — beginners were inspired by advanced players, and advanced players grew by learning how to listen, adapt, and communicate musically.

What happened when the community model took hold

• Practice became more consistent — and felt less like a chore

• Learning became more fun and engaging

• Students experienced fewer plateaus and more creative momentum

• Performance anxiety dropped as confidence grew through shared experience

I don’t expect this next iteration to unfold exactly the same way — there will always be surprises. But based on the work you’ve been doing and the growth I’ve seen, this feels like the right time to try something new together.