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Welcome to the School of Musical Traditions

The School of Musical Traditions is a private music lesson studio dedicated to the instruction of the world’s many musical styles and traditions. We are well-versed in the art of teaching music and take great delight in getting to know each of our students and their individual learning goals and styles.

We are delighted to make your acquaintance!

Woman playing cello

About

In addition to teaching a wide array of instruments, our teachers specialize in folk traditions from the US and around the world, jazz, blues, rock, pop, and classical music.

For students who are ready to create and share their own material with the world, we offer instruction in songwriting and recording & production.

Woman playing piano on pier

Learn

Many of our students work one-on-one with a teacher whose expertise matches their learning goals. With lessons available online every day of the week, we will match you with a teacher who fits both your style and schedule.

Our workshops and classes allow students to learn from the finest musicians in the region.

Man playing guitar in front of wall of guitars

Connect

We are always accepting new students! Email, call, or fill out our lesson request form and our admin team will assist you.

All instruction is online at this time. We look forward to re-opening our studios in Takoma Park and Rockville, MD as soon as it is safe to do so!

Highly recommend School of Musical Traditions. Our son has been taking guitar lessons for over 6 months now. Communication has been very good. Our son enjoys the lessons and his teacher is very knowledgeable. Staff are professional and courteous. Great place for lessons for people of all ages.

M. S. Powers

News & Blog Posts

Youth String Band: Playing Together, Pandemic Style
Hello musical friends and neighbors! I’m Jonathan Vocke—banjo, ukulele, guitar, mandolin, and violin teacher for the School of Musical Traditions. We are very excited to announce that we will be offering—for the first time EVER—an in-person/virtual hybrid youth string band class! Before we go any further, let us assure you that we are taking COVID-19 very seriously here at the school and we will be implementing a number of safety precautions for the in-person workshop meetings. So what is a youth string band? For starters, string band—also known as “oldtime music”—is a popular form of folk music that most commonly accompanies square dances and that sort of thing. In the youth workshop, we will be learning a set of 3...
  • February 25, 2021
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Our Third and Final Anthology of Practice Tips From Your SMT Teachers!
It doesn’t matter how old you are or how long you have been playing music—it can always be a challenge to sit down and practice your instrument on a regular basis. But have no fear… our SMT teachers are here! As a means of helping our beloved music students stay motivated, we asked our teachers to share their top tips for how to practice on a regular basis and make the most of your music time. Over the course of the last month, we have published two collections of practice tips (here are the links to our first and second collection)—so now without any further ado, here is our third and final anthology of teacher tips! To Start Us Off,...
  • February 17, 2021
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