Ensemble Options

Ensembles provide opportunities for students of all ages to jam, improvise, and learn collectively. In these 60-minute classes, students study different instruments to create a band experience over the course of the semester.

We strongly recommend students who would like to enroll in a group also enroll in private lessons. To help facilitate this, MCMA offers a 10% discount on ensemble registrations for any students who also study privately.

If you are interested in joining an ensemble, please send us a message to inquire about availability and skill or instrument fit.

If you are looking for a particular option and don’t see it, let us know what you’re looking for! We create our ensembles based on interest and demand.

  • The ideal ensemble for the budding rock star! This weekly ensemble is open to students who play guitar, bass, drum set, keys, or vocals. Students will form a rock band and study fundamentals such as understanding song arrangement of rock classics, theory, performance techniques, and improvisation. This class will not only focus on developing individual musicianship, but also the application of skills in a group setting with a strong emphasis on team-building.

    Instructor: Amory Raymond

    Suggested Ages: 11+

    Start Date: Tuesday, September 12

    Day and Time: Tuesdays, 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

  • This is the ideal ensemble for the adult who has always wanted to experiment with other musicians and learn how to play in an ensemble setting. Join this ensemble and explore a wide variety of genres, learn how to improvise and communicate with other musicians, learn music theory, and build your own personal confidence by learning to take musical risks with improvisation.

    Instructor: Tom Ulichny

    Prerequisites: For adults with a baseline of theory who are comfortable on at least one instrument

    Suggested Ages: 16+

    Start Date: Wednesday, September 13

    Day and Time: Wednesdays, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

  • MCMA’s Jazz Ensemble takes a group-centered approach and gives students a chance to play jazz -- and its related sub genres -- in a supportive learning environment, with an emphasis on topics not often covered in school programs. Students are counseled and encouraged to improvise, sight read, and become exposed to new styles and new modes of creating music.

    Instructor: Chris Pert

    Suggested Ages: 12 - 18

    Prerequisites: Comfortable with your instrument and willing to take risks

    Start Date: Thursday, September 14

    Day and Time: Thursdays, 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

MCMA Jazz Ensemble improvising for a summer recital recording.

MCMA String Ensemble performing for the summer 2021 recital.