Carry on the tradition and make music a companion for life!

If you believe that music, poetry and storytelling are essential forms of human expression that must be taught and passed forward to the next generation, you’re in the right place. Rooted in folk tradition we learn and play in small, friendly groups, master a repertoire of enduring folk songs, and write some new classics too. With a focus on learning to play by ear rather than reading sheets of music, we hope playing music will become your go to social pass time because when you learn to play an instrument, you have a companion for life.

Through our after school program, children aged 7 – 14 can study fiddle, guitar, ukulele, banjo, tin whistle, mandolin, bass, percussion and more. Each session consists of 10 weekly 45 minute lessons. Teachers Oona Grady, James Gascoyne and Dan Costello will be leading the students in an ensemble format. Ensemble instills the camaraderie that is at the center of the Folk tradition. Ensemble encourages learning to hear and listen musically, and enables students to experience the interdependence of each note and strum within the group. 

Musicians from around the world have been coming together to learn banjo, fiddle, guitar, songwriting, percussive dance, and voice online with some of the folk world’s most beloved teachers. Each session consists of four weekly classes on ZOOM. Tech support provided for ease of joining the class. Each class is recorded and archived in a library that is yours to revisit “forever and a day”. The archives are also available for purchase separately. New classes and teachers are being added all the time.

What are students are saying…

“CAFFE LENA SCHOOL OF MUSIC HAS CREATED A TRULY UNIQUE, VIRTUAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE & COMMUNITY. IT’S LIKE SITTING ON THE FRONT PORCH LEARNING TUNES FROM A FOLK MUSIC, MASTER”

– JAMAICA RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA