Music Lessons in Tennessee

When school band, orchestra and choir begin in Tennessee

School music starts at different points across Tennessee, though sixth grade is a common entry for band, orchestra, and choir. White Station Middle School in Memphis-Shelby County Schools and Bearden Middle School in Knox County Schools offer all three from sixth grade; Liberty Creek Middle School in Sumner County Schools offers band and choir then, while its orchestra start is not established here. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools lists beginning band in seventh grade, and choir and orchestra start at different middle-school grades by school. Maryville City Schools has a fifth-grade orchestra, while Science Hill's ninth-grade band serves older beginners. A private start alongside school gives you or your child time to build skills before joining an ensemble.

Who runs student music in Tennessee

Two Tennessee groups serve students in different ways. The Tennessee Music Education Association (TMEA) supports school music and offers All-State ensembles, with audition instructions shared through school directors. The Tennessee Music Teachers Association (TMTA) holds spring local auditions in elementary, junior, and senior categories; students who earn a Superior rating and meet musicianship requirements advance to state competitions. That distinction helps you see whether a school ensemble or an individual performance opportunity fits your next step. Both offer a way to work toward a goal beyond weekly practice.

Homeschool and private school students

Homeschool students and students whose schools lack band or orchestra can register for Mid-State and All-State Honors Orchestra or Band auditions through Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras in Nashville. In Knoxville, Knoxville Christian Youth Bands serves homeschool, private school, and public school students in grades 5–12. Nashville Notes offers choir, band, orchestra, and fine arts for homeschooled students from preschool through high school in Middle Tennessee, so students have options for both ensemble playing and singing.

Choosing an instrument

Tennessee's country, bluegrass, blues, gospel, and soul traditions offer distinct sounds to explore, from singing and guitar to mandolin or an orchestral instrument. A young child may enjoy starting with voice or an instrument that feels comfortable to hold, while a teen or adult may already have a sound or musical goal in mind; the best choice is the one you want to return to. In a free first 30-minute lesson, you or your child can try working with a dedicated teacher and see whether the instrument and teaching style feel right. Our weekly one-on-one Zoom lessons give real-time feedback without a commute, and help you choose a teacher who fits rather than whoever is closest.

Starting or coming back as an adult

Adults have places to play together in Nashville, Knoxville, and Bartlett. The Nashville Community Concert Band and Knoxville Community Band welcome proficient players without auditions, while Bartlett Community Concert Band accepts musicians age 16 and older without auditions or a Bartlett residency requirement. Singers can join the Nashville Community Choir without an audition or contact Oak Ridge Chorus for a vocal hearing; adults age 18 and older can audition for Knoxville Choral Society. It is not too late to begin: a dedicated online teacher gets to know how you learn and helps you start from where you are.

Music in Tennessee

Where to hear live music

Live music is easy to explore in several Tennessee cities. The Nashville Symphony continues performing in Nashville, while Chattanooga Symphony & Opera has concerts in November 2026 and February 2027. In Memphis, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra performs at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts on January 30, 2027. Chamber Music City's Junction Trio concert is ahead on March 25, 2027, in Nashville. Metro Nashville Public Schools students attend Chamber Music City concerts free with one accompanying adult's general-admission ticket, and other K–12 and college students can buy $10 tickets. Hearing musicians shape a phrase together helps a learner connect practice to performance.

A little history

Tennessee's music grew from the blending of Southeastern Indigenous, European, and African American styles, developing into folk, spiritual, classical, ragtime, R&B, gospel, rock and roll, and soul. In Bristol, Ralph Peer recorded Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family in 1927. Nashville's Grand Ole Opry began in 1925, and Bill Monroe's mandolin-centered sound helped define bluegrass; DeFord Bailey brought harmonica to early Nashville recordings. Memphis has longstanding blues, gospel, soul, and rap traditions, and W.C. Handy wrote “Memphis Blues” after moving there in 1909.

These traditions make voice, guitar, mandolin, and harmonica natural choices for someone drawn to country or blues, while Tennessee's broader history also welcomes orchestral instruments and piano. The mandolin's place in bluegrass has roots in instrument design too: Lloyd Loar introduced Gibson's F-series mandolin in 1923, improving its tone and volume. You can start with the sound that holds your attention, then build the skills to play it with others.