Music Lessons in Colorado
Choose an instrument to see prices by town, auditions and events in Colorado.
Choose an instrument
Each instrument has its own Colorado page, with prices in every town, teachers, and how school music and auditions work for it. Below the list: when school band, orchestra and choir begin, who runs student events, and where adults can play.
- Piano lessons in Colorado
- Guitar lessons in Colorado
- Singing lessons in Colorado
- Ukulele lessons in Colorado
- Bass guitar lessons in Colorado
- Violin lessons in Colorado
- Viola lessons in Colorado
- Cello lessons in Colorado
- Drum lessons in Colorado
- Flute lessons in Colorado
- Clarinet lessons in Colorado
- Saxophone lessons in Colorado
- Trumpet lessons in Colorado
- Trombone lessons in Colorado
- French horn lessons in Colorado
- Oboe lessons in Colorado
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- One teacher, one student, one personalized plan
- Weekly options for changing family calendars
- Develop repertoire for concerts, recitals, and auditions
- Claim a free first 30-minute lesson
When school band, orchestra and choir begin in Colorado
School music starts at different ages across Colorado districts: band and orchestra begin as early as fourth grade in some schools, while other programs start in fifth or sixth grade. Choir can begin in second grade in Denver County School District 1, and several districts offer it in fourth or fifth grade. For example, Boulder Valley School District RE-2 starts band and orchestra in fifth grade, while Colorado Springs School District 11 offers both in sixth grade. A private start before or alongside school gives you or your child time to learn basic skills, so joining a school ensemble feels more manageable.
When school music starts in Colorado districts
Who runs student music in Colorado
Colorado has separate organizations for school music and private-study students, so knowing who runs each opportunity helps you choose a useful next step. The Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA) offers All-State auditions and performances for Colorado students in school ensembles. The Colorado State Music Teachers Association (CSMTA) runs events such as Rising Stars and Achievement Day for students studying privately; Achievement Day is noncompetitive, and local associations determine who may enter. Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) runs high school music festivals in show choir, a cappella, and jazz. These groups connect students to different kinds of musical experiences.
Who runs what in Colorado
Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA)
- Runs
- Runs high school show choir, a cappella, and jazz festivals
- For
- High school music students
Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA)
- Runs
- Offers All-State auditions and student performances
- For
- Students in school ensembles
Colorado State Music Teachers Association (CSMTA)
- Runs
- Runs Rising Stars and Achievement Day
- For
- Private-study students; local associations set entry rules
Colorado ASTA (Colorado chapter of the American String Teachers Association)
- Runs
- Offers a large-group orchestra festival
- For
- String and orchestra students
Colorado Choral Directors Association (CoACDA)
- Runs
- Supports student activity leadership and All-State Choir auditions
- For
- Colorado choir students
Homeschool and private school students
Homeschool students in the Pikes Peak area have ensemble options through Pikes Peak Home School Music in Colorado Springs, including concert band, orchestra, jazz band, and choir for ages 8 through high school. All-State participation has a different rule: students must enroll and take part in a curricular high school ensemble, so a private or extracurricular youth group does not meet that requirement. CHSAA's general eligibility rules also apply to All-State ensembles and Solo & Ensemble Festivals.
Choosing an instrument
Colorado’s old-time fiddling tradition and its cowboy songs give you or your child a local starting point, but the best instrument is the one whose sound and feel invite you to return to it. A young child may prefer something comfortable to hold, while a teen or adult may already have a sound in mind; neither needs to choose by prestige. Lesson With You offers a free first 30-minute lesson online over Zoom, so you can meet a dedicated teacher, try an instrument, and see how real-time feedback feels. With no commute and a teacher chosen to fit how you learn, that first lesson can help make the choice clearer.
Starting or coming back as an adult
Adults have several ways to make music with others in Colorado. In Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Gold Band and Swingmasters Jazz Band welcome experienced instrumentalists age 18 and older, while New Horizons Band of Colorado Springs lets adults visit a rehearsal; Northern Colorado New Horizons in Loveland welcomes beginners as well as experienced players. Thornton Community Chorus accepts adult singers, and Colorado's Pop Rock Choir welcomes singers of all experience levels. It is not too late to begin: one-on-one online lessons let a teacher meet you where you are and give feedback in real time, without a commute.
Music in Colorado
Where to hear live music
In Denver, the Colorado Symphony performs at Boettcher Concert Hall, where children and youth age 17 and under can get $10 to $15 tickets to select concerts. Opera Colorado performs at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, and full-time high school and college students with current ID can buy $20 Student Rush tickets to select performances. In Greeley, youth age 18 and under attend Greeley Chamber Orchestra concerts free, while the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado offers student tickets for those under 18. Hearing live music helps you or your child connect what a teacher explains to how musicians listen and play together.
A little history
Colorado's music traditions include Mexican songs documented from the 1940s, Native American music, and cowboy poetry. Old-time fiddling remains an organized tradition through the Colorado Oldtime Fiddlers' Association, which emphasizes Texas-style contest fiddling and holds workshops, jam sessions, and square dances. Denver's Colorado Fiddle Championships are scheduled for January 9–10, 2027, at the National Western Stock Show. Denver also has a history of instrument making: Filippo Onofrio opened Colorado Music Company in 1900 and worked with his son Joseph to sell pianos across the region.
John Denver's “Rocky Mountain High” became one of Colorado's two official state songs in 2007. These traditions give you or your child several distinct ways to connect music study with the state, from fiddle and guitar to piano, voice, or an instrument played in an orchestra. The best choice is the sound and kind of music that makes you want to keep learning.
Start with a free 30-minute music lesson
- One teacher, one student, one personalized plan
- Weekly options for changing family calendars
- Develop repertoire for concerts, recitals, and auditions
- Claim a free first 30-minute lesson
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with the sound your child wants to make and an instrument that feels comfortable to handle. Colorado schools offer band and orchestra in different grades, and the state's old-time fiddling tradition may make strings especially appealing. A free first lesson can help your child try an instrument with a teacher before deciding.
It depends on the district and group: some Colorado band and orchestra programs start in fourth grade, while others begin in fifth or sixth grade. Choir starts as early as second grade in Denver County School District 1, and several districts offer it in fourth or fifth grade. A private start can help a student feel ready when school ensemble opportunities open.
The Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA) offers All-State auditions and performances for students in school ensembles, while the Colorado State Music Teachers Association (CSMTA) runs events for private-study students. The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) runs high school music festivals in show choir, a cappella, and jazz. Each group serves a different path into student music.
No, adults can start learning at any age, and Colorado has groups for adult musicians, including Northern Colorado New Horizons in Loveland, which welcomes beginners. One-on-one online lessons give you a dedicated teacher who can meet you where you are and offer real-time feedback without a commute. You can use a free first lesson to see if the fit feels right.
Yes, live online lessons over Zoom let you take one-on-one lessons from anywhere in Colorado without a commute. You can choose a teacher yourself or ask us to recommend someone who fits, rather than being limited to whoever is closest. The first lesson is free, so you can meet the teacher and decide whether weekly lessons feel right.