Cello Lessons in Tennessee
What cello lessons cost across Tennessee, and how to find the right teacher.
Cello lesson prices across Tennessee
A one-hour cello lesson in Tennessee typically costs $58 to $83, and a half hour $32 to $45. Most towns sit close to that range. The Nashville area runs highest, up to $97 an hour.
Every town has two guides: a cello lessons guide, with local schools, events and places to play, and a costs guide, with that town's prices in detail.
| Town | 30 minutes | One hour | Guides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville area | |||
| Nashville | $33–$53 | $60–$96 | LessonsCosts |
| Murfreesboro | $32–$50 | $59–$92 | LessonsCosts |
| Franklin | $33–$52 | $60–$94 | LessonsCosts |
| Spring Hill | $33–$51 | $60–$94 | LessonsCosts |
| Hendersonville | $33–$53 | $61–$97 | LessonsCosts |
| Smyrna | $32–$49 | $59–$90 | LessonsCosts |
| Gallatin | $33–$52 | $60–$96 | LessonsCosts |
| Brentwood | $32–$51 | $60–$93 | LessonsCosts |
| Columbia | $33–$51 | $60–$93 | LessonsCosts |
| Lebanon | $32–$50 | $59–$91 | LessonsCosts |
| Mount Juliet | $33–$53 | $61–$96 | LessonsCosts |
| La Vergne | $32–$49 | $59–$90 | LessonsCosts |
| Springfield | $33–$52 | $60–$96 | LessonsCosts |
| Goodlettsville | $33–$52 | $60–$96 | LessonsCosts |
| Dickson | $33–$52 | $60–$94 | LessonsCosts |
| Nolensville | $33–$51 | $60–$93 | LessonsCosts |
| White House | $33–$52 | $60–$95 | LessonsCosts |
| Portland | $33–$52 | $60–$95 | LessonsCosts |
| Hartsville | $32–$48 | $59–$88 | LessonsCosts |
| Memphis area | |||
| Memphis | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Bartlett | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Collierville | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Germantown | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Arlington | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Lakeland | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Millington | $31–$44 | $58–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Atoka | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Knoxville area | |||
| Knoxville | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Oak Ridge | $31–$44 | $57–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Maryville | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Farragut | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Powell | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Alcoa | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Lenoir City | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Chattanooga area | |||
| Chattanooga | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| East Ridge | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Soddy-Daisy | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Middle Valley | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Red Bank | $31–$44 | $58–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Collegedale | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Kingsport area | |||
| Kingsport | $31–$43 | $56–$78 | LessonsCosts |
| Bristol | $31–$43 | $56–$78 | LessonsCosts |
| Johnson City area | |||
| Johnson City | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Elizabethton | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Sevierville area | |||
| Sevierville | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Seymour | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Tullahoma area | |||
| Tullahoma | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Manchester | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Other Tennessee towns | |||
| Athens | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Clarksville | $32–$48 | $59–$88 | LessonsCosts |
| Cleveland | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Cookeville | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Crossville | $31–$44 | $57–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Dyersburg | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Greeneville | $31–$44 | $58–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Jackson | $31–$43 | $56–$78 | LessonsCosts |
| Lawrenceburg | $32–$48 | $59–$88 | LessonsCosts |
| Lewisburg | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Martin | $32–$46 | $58–$85 | LessonsCosts |
| McMinnville | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Morristown | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Shelbyville | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Union City | $32–$46 | $58–$85 | LessonsCosts |
No Tennessee town by that name yet. Lessons are live online, so you can still start from anywhere in Tennessee.
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How cello learning works in Tennessee
How does cello fit school music in Tennessee?
Tennessee requires music instruction in public schools through eighth grade, but that does not mean every school offers cello as a class. Orchestra is the school route: Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools offers it as a middle school elective, with the starting grade set by each school, while White Station Middle School in Memphis and Bearden Middle School in Knox County start in sixth grade. Williamson County also begins orchestra in sixth grade without requiring prior instrumental training. A private cello lesson helps you or your child build bowing and reading skills before that opening.
When school music starts in Tennessee districts
Who runs what for Tennessee cellists?
Tennessee has two different music routes, so it helps to know which one fits your goal. The Tennessee Music Education Association (TMEA) represents school music and offers All-State ensembles, while the Tennessee Music Teachers Association (TMTA) runs spring local auditions that can lead to state competition for students rated Superior who meet musicianship requirements. The West Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association runs a solo and ensemble festival for eligible school orchestra and band members. These are distinct opportunities, not a single ladder, and cello students should choose based on school participation, individual performance goals, and age.
Who runs what in Tennessee
Tennessee Music Education Association (TMEA)
- Runs
- Offers student programs including All-State ensembles.
- For
- School music students
Tennessee Music Teachers Association (TMTA)
- Runs
- Runs spring local auditions and state competitions.
- For
- Elementary, junior, and senior students
West Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association
- Runs
- Runs a solo and ensemble festival for school musicians.
- For
- K–12 students in participating school ensembles
Auditions and events in Tennessee
How does a cellist reach Tennessee's top student honors?
Tennessee cello students have a direct competition route through the University of Tennessee’s Tennessee Cello Workshop in Knoxville rather than a school All-State cello audition. The competition has a junior division for cellists age 14 or younger and a high school division for ages 15 through 18 who have not graduated. Students submit an entry and audition in a preliminary round without piano accompaniment; finalists perform in a public recital. The 2027 competition takes place February 12–14, with the preliminary round on February 12 and finals and awards presentation on February 14. The workshop also welcomes any age or level in its noncompetitive category.
The cello route in Tennessee, step by step
- Choose a divisionThe Tennessee Cello Workshop offers junior, high school, collegiate/young professional, and noncompetitive categories for its February 12–14, 2027, workshop.
- Enter the competitionSubmit registration, select the competition, and pay the entry fee by January 15, 2027, at 11:59 p.m.
- Preliminary roundThe preliminary audition takes place in Knoxville on February 12, 2027, without piano accompaniment.
- Finals and awardsPublic finals and the awards presentation take place on February 14, 2027.
The Tennessee cello year
MTNA Competitions – Fall 2026 (Tennessee state-level rounds)Music Teachers National Association; Tennessee host: Tennessee Music Teachers AssociationStart the piece Apr to Jul
Working on the event piece, 3 to 6 monthsEvent
What do auditions ask you to prepare?
For a West Tennessee Solo and Ensemble cello solo, the piece is selected with the school director, generally runs at least 32 measures including repeats, lasts no more than five minutes, and does not have to be memorized. You may perform with or without an accompanist, and judges award ratings from Superior to Poor, with medals for the top two divisions. Tennessee Music Teachers Association auditions begin locally in spring, and Superior-rated students who meet its musicianship requirements can advance to state competition. A focused event piece usually takes three to six months of weekly lessons to prepare well, including time to strengthen tone, rhythm, and confidence.
What else is there to enter?
Students seeking an individual performance goal can enter the Tennessee Music Teachers Association's spring competitions, which begin with local auditions and can lead to a state competition for qualifying performers. The West Tennessee Solo and Ensemble Festival gives enrolled school orchestra and band members a chance to perform for a rating, with medals awarded to Division I and II players. Students who prefer a noncompetitive experience can take part in the University of Tennessee Tennessee Cello Workshop's un-competition category, which is open to any age or level.
Cello events in Tennessee, 2026–27
Tennessee Music Teachers Association Competitions – Spring 2027
Tennessee Music Teachers Association
- When
- Spring 2027; state competition held with the TMTA State Conference; exact dates not published
- Entry
- $43 per member Elementary entry; $48 per member Junior entry; $53 per member Senior entry; $72 per non-member entry
- Who
- Elementary, Junior, and Senior categories
MTNA Competitions – Fall 2026 (Tennessee state-level rounds)
Music Teachers National Association; Tennessee host: Tennessee Music Teachers Association
- When
- Usually late October each year
- Entry
- Ask the organizer
- Who
- Junior, Senior, and Young Artist categories; category age limits are in MTNA rules
Homeschool and private school students
Homeschool students and students at schools without an orchestra program can register for Mid-State and All-State Honors Orchestra auditions through Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras in Nashville. This opens a route to honors auditions beyond the student's own school, while cello students in public or private schools can also look to local lessons and youth orchestra opportunities. Knoxville Christian Youth Bands and Nashville Notes serve homeschool students, but their band or broad arts offerings do not establish a cello-specific ensemble route.
Starting at any age
Starting a child on cello
Cello is a good fit once a child can manage its size, sit comfortably, and follow a short practice routine; smaller instruments make an earlier start possible. Tennessee school orchestra often begins in fifth or sixth grade, but the exact opening depends on the district and school. Starting privately beforehand gives your child time to learn a relaxed bow hold, steady tone, and basic reading, so joining a school ensemble feels less like learning everything at once. Lessons also help a young player keep progressing alongside orchestra once school begins.
A teen in Tennessee
A teen can begin cello without having started in elementary school, but school orchestra placement and audition opportunities depend on the school and the student's preparation. In Tennessee, the University of Tennessee's Cello Workshop offers junior and high school competition divisions, while the Tennessee Music Teachers Association has spring local auditions leading to state competition for qualifying students. Weekly lessons help a teen build skills in manageable steps around school demands, and a teacher can set a practice plan around the student's current level and performance goals.
Starting or coming back as an adult
Adults are welcome to start cello or return after a long break; musical experience from another instrument is useful, but it is not required. The clearest adult ensemble route in the available Tennessee groups is to build toward community orchestra playing, though the named adult community bands in Nashville, Knoxville, and Bartlett are for band instruments rather than cello. A teacher meets you where you are, whether you are learning to read music for the first time or rebuilding bow control, and can help you work toward playing with others at a comfortable pace.
Finding the right teacher
What should a good cello teacher do?
A good cello teacher listens for a relaxed, clear tone and helps you build bow control, accurate shifting, and music reading in the right order. That foundation matters whether your goal is a school orchestra, a Tennessee Music Teachers Association competition, or simply playing comfortably for yourself. The right fit also depends on age and personality: a younger beginner benefits from short, achievable steps, while a teen or adult may want a more direct path to a particular piece. Every Lesson With You teacher has at least a bachelor's degree in cello, and you can choose a teacher yourself or ask us to recommend one.
How do live online cello lessons work?
A live Zoom cello lesson lets your teacher hear tone, rhythm, and bow changes in real time and see posture, left-hand shape, and the bow path. Set the phone or computer far enough back to show you and the whole cello, with the instrument tuned and music stand in view. A teacher can demonstrate, listen as you try it, and adjust the next repetition; the lesson is live and one-on-one, not a recorded course. In Nashville or Nolensville, you get the same choice of teacher and weekly lesson without a commute, which makes it easier to keep a steady routine.
What $35 a week gets you at Lesson With You
BlakeMaster’s in CelloManuelMaster’s in CelloCello in Tennessee
Where to hear cello
Cello students can hear chamber playing in Nashville at Chamber Music City’s March 25, 2027, Junction Trio performance, featuring cellist Jay Campbell. In Memphis, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s January 30, 2027, program at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts pairs Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 with Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Knoxville offers many free University of Tennessee music concerts, recitals, and showcases, while MTSU concerts in Murfreesboro are generally free and open to the public. These performances let a student hear cello in both chamber and orchestral settings.
Where to play with others
Cellists looking for ensemble experience can begin with school orchestra, then consider youth string groups as their skills grow. In Nashville, Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras include cello students in string ensembles, and the Tennessee Youth Symphony accepts cellists into its advanced high school orchestra. Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras place string players, including cellists, among six ensembles by ability and experience. These groups offer a route to playing alongside other string players beyond a school orchestra.
Cello around Tennessee, area by area
Nashville area
Nashville gives young cellists several ensemble options: Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras include cello in their string ensembles, while Tennessee Youth Symphony is an advanced orchestra for high school students. Families can hear Chamber Music City’s Junction Trio on March 25, 2027, featuring cellist Jay Campbell. Vanderbilt Blair Academy performances, including youth orchestra concerts and recitals, are free and open to the public, so students can listen to live playing without planning a ticket purchase.
- School year
- Aug 11 to May 25, 37 lesson weeks (Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools)
- Town guides
- Nashville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Spring Hill, Hendersonville, Smyrna, Gallatin, Brentwood
Memphis area
For a family listening in Memphis, students and seniors can attend the Memphis Youth Symphony Program’s Fall Concerts for $5. Opera Memphis also presents free performances throughout the city during 30 Days of Opera each September, offering another way to hear live music together.
- School year
- Aug 3 to May 20, 37 lesson weeks (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)
- Town guides
- Memphis, Bartlett, Southaven, Collierville, Olive Branch, Germantown, Horn Lake, West Memphis
Knoxville area
Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras accept string players, including cellists, and place students among six ensembles by ability and experience. Families can hear Knoxville Symphony Masterworks or Roy Cockrum Chamber Series concerts, with free admission for up to three children in grade 12 or younger from Knox and surrounding counties per paying adult. Many University of Tennessee concerts, recitals, and showcases are also free.
- School year
- Aug 10 to May 26, 38 lesson weeks (Knox County Schools)
Chattanooga area
Chattanooga Youth Symphony holds cello auditions, so a student can explore orchestral playing beyond school. For a family listening together, Chattanooga Symphony & Opera offers half-price tickets for students and children at most performances, with one discounted ticket per eligible person per performance. Its orchestra concerts let students hear cello in a full symphonic setting.
- School year
- Aug 5 to May 19, 38 lesson weeks (Hamilton County Schools)
- Town guides
- Chattanooga, East Ridge, Soddy-Daisy, Middle Valley, Red Bank, Collegedale, Fort Oglethorpe
Clarksville area
Downtown @ Sundown brings free, family-friendly concerts to Downtown Commons on select Friday nights from May through October. Clarksville Youth Performing Arts Association holds auditions, though its Audio Theater Winds ensemble is not a cello group. For a cellist, the concert series is the more direct local option for hearing live music.
- School year
- Aug 4 to May 27, 38 lesson weeks (Clarksville-Montgomery County School System)
- Town guides
- Clarksville, Hopkinsville, Fort Campbell North
Kingsport area
Kingsport’s Twilight Alive offers eight weeks of free downtown live music, giving families an easy way to hear performers during the series. Its concerts give students and parents a chance to encounter live music in an informal setting.
- School year
- Aug 3 to May 19, 38 lesson weeks (Kingsport City Schools)
Morristown area
Morristown’s Walters State Community College campus hosts a free Community Band concert, a listening opportunity for families. A cellist interested in orchestra playing can consider youth orchestra auditions in Knoxville, where string players are placed into ensembles by experience and ability.
- School year
- Jul 30 to May 19, 38 lesson weeks (Hamblen County Schools)
- Town guides
- Morristown
Jackson area
Jackson Area Community Bands offers a community music option, though its band instrumentation does not include cello. Families can still hear live ensemble playing locally, while a cellist develops through individual study and looks toward string orchestra opportunities.
- School year
- Aug 3 to May 21, 37 lesson weeks (Jackson-Madison County School System)
- Town guides
- Jackson
A little cello history in Tennessee
Tennessee's cello story includes both working musicians and a local tradition of instrument making. Alfred H. Bartles, born in Nashville in 1930, was a cellist who founded the composition program at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival in 1968. In Knoxville, maker Kelvin Scott has built violins, violas, and cellos since 1999 and received a VSA gold medal for cello. The Nashville Symphony continues to feature cello as a solo voice, including Kevin Bate in Saint-Saëns's Cello Concerto No. 1 in March 2027. For a student, that means the instrument has a place here as both a craft and a concert instrument.
Start Cello Lessons With a Free Trial
- One teacher, one student, one personalized plan
- Weekly lessons from home with no commute
- Support for posture, bow hold, tone, intonation, and repertoire
- Claim a free first 30-minute lesson
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose a teacher who can explain how they will build bow control, tone, and reading at your level, then try a live lesson to see how well you work together. Lesson With You offers a free first 30-minute lesson, and you can select a teacher or ask us to recommend one.
Yes, because a live teacher can hear your sound and see your bow arm and hand position as you play, then give immediate feedback. Put the camera far enough away to show your whole cello, and your weekly lesson can take place at home without a commute.
Many Tennessee schools offer cello through orchestra, commonly beginning in sixth grade, but the starting point differs by district and school. For example, Maryville City Schools has a fifth-grade orchestra, while Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools sets the orchestra start by school.
The direct cello competition route is the University of Tennessee Tennessee Cello Workshop in Knoxville, with age-based divisions, a preliminary audition, and public finals. Tennessee Music Teachers Association spring auditions also lead to state competition for students who earn Superior ratings and meet musicianship requirements.
Yes, homeschool students can register for Mid-State and All-State Honors Orchestra auditions through Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras in Nashville. West Tennessee Solo and Ensemble, by contrast, is for students enrolled in a participating school's band or orchestra.
A child can start when the cello fits their body and they can sit comfortably and follow a short practice routine; smaller cello sizes make younger starts possible. Beginning before a school's orchestra opens gives time to learn bowing and reading first.
No, adults can begin or return to cello at any age, and lessons can start with the skills you already have. A teacher can build technique and reading steadily, then help you work toward playing with others when you are ready.
Cello lessons in Tennessee typically cost about $65 an hour, or $32 to $45 for a half hour. Lesson With You charges per lesson with no term to sign up for, and the first lesson is free.