15 Top Music Schools in Baltimore-Programs & Websites

According to studies, learning a musical instrument as a young child develops brain synergy between the left and right hemispheres and improves verbal and mathematical understanding.

In other words, studying music does a lot to the brain. It affects a person mentally, emotionally, and intellectually.

In this article, we have outlined the various music schools in Baltimore we know are best for you and what the experience feels like to study and live in Baltimore.

Studying in Baltimore

Baltimore is known as the ‘charm city’ for strong reasons. It has quality healthcare and friendly weather, with a rich history and captivating culture to steal your heart.

  • As a student, you will be glad to study here. Baltimore has a very capable transportation system and well-supplied libraries to help you in your education.
  • The city is quite affordable. Baltimore has a lower than average cost of living meaning your pocket could be able to bear the daily common expenses, at least a bit. And to add to it, the city has a huge number of immigrants showing how accommodating it is.
  • It is home to several world-class universities like the famous John Hopkins University which is rated the 13th best university in the world. The university has a public health school ranked number one in the country.
  • Baltimore offers you a lot of opportunities to network and finds the right jobs suited for you.

>>>Check out the 5 best music schools in Cincinnati and their requirements.

The List of Top Music Schools in Baltimore

The Peabody Institute of The John Hopkins University

The Peabody Institute is a private music school in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the oldest conservatory founded in 1857 by a man called George Peabody and was opened in 1866.

Peabody is a good music school. It ranks number one in Maryland and is in the top 5% in the US. The school’s acceptance rate is 52% and it boasts of students like the composer, Leonard Bernstein, the pianist, Andre Watts, and singer Tori Amos.

The music school runs several programs namely: 

  • Bachelor of Music Program
  • Double Degree – Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts or Science
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts
  • Bachelor of Music in Music Education
  • Bachelor of Music in Recording Arts
  • Master of Music Degree
  • Low Residency Master of Music Degree
  • Master of Arts in Audio Sciences
  • Doctor of Musical Arts Degree
  • The Performance Certificate
  • Graduate Performance Diploma
  • Artist Diploma

Location: 1 East Mount Vernon Place Baltimore, MD 21202

Phone: +1 667 208 6500

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Towson University

The Department of Music at Towson University is one of the best music schools in the state of Maryland with programs in music education, performance, composition, and jazz. Every year, it draws outstanding students from far and wide who seek to pursue a successful career in music.

They offer both graduate and postgraduate degrees and the school is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

As a student, you would be graduating with any of the following: BS in Music, BM in Music, BM/M.M in Music Accelerated, music education major, music industry minor, music minor, MS in Music Education, Music M.M, Music Pedagogy, music applied PBC.

Location: 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD 21252

Phone: +1 410 704 2000

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University of Maryland, Baltimore County

The Department of Music is reputed for graduating students who end up becoming one of the best professional musicians, music educators, music technologists, entrepreneurs, and scholars in the US.

They have an effective style of teaching and training that involves a one-on-one approach.

Their programs are B.A in music education, music performance, music composition, music technology, jazz studies, music minor, Arts entrepreneurship minor, certificate programs, and major programs.

Location: 1000 Hilltop Cir, Baltimore, MD 21250, US

Phone: +1 410 455 2942

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Goucher College

Goucher College’s music school is renowned for its approach to helping students follow their passion and have a successful music career.

In this college, students are taught composition, music theory, musicianship, and music history while being trained in their performance, instrumental, and vocal skills.

The school achieves this by offering its students opportunities to hone their vocals at the Goucher opera and musical theatre workshop, Goucher choral society, and chamber singers.

Opportunities in instrumentals include the Goucher jazz ensemble which performs concerts twice a year and the Goucher college orchestra.

Location: 021 Dulaney valley road, Baltimore, MD 21204

Phone: +1 410 337 6000

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Morgan State University

Morgan State University offers students in music a bachelor’s and master of arts degrees in music. With about 8,000 students, over 120 are music majors and about 300 are enrolled in music courses.

Students majoring in music can have a degree allowing them to focus on careers such as performance and/or training. Morgan also teaches music students liberal arts and humanities.

The school offers a BA in music with three categories for instrumentalists, keyboard players, and vocalists.

The MA consists of a common core curriculum that includes applied lessons, music theory, and music history among a wide range of courses to support the student’s interest.

Morgan has very modern facilities like the James H. and Louise Hayley Gillian Concert Hall which has over 2000 seats.

Graduates usually establish careers in professions like teaching, performing, composing, marketing, arts, management, publishing, church music, directing, and sound recording.

They’ve received accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music.

Location: 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, Maryland, 21251

Phone: +1 443 885 3333

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School of Rock

The School of Rock was established in 2006. They specialize in training their students in music theory, guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, piano, drums, and singing lessons. 

They offer their education in a performance style and the tutors are well experienced and help to guide the students on a one-on-one approach.

School of Rock uses weekly private music lessons and group band rehearsals to prepare the students for real-life audiences in an authentic concert setting.

They host rookies, rock 101, house band, and adult programs and they also give remote lessons.

Location: 1270 E Joppa Rd, Suite 300

Towson, MD 21286 

Phone: + 1 410 366 7625

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Baltimore School of Music

Baltimore School of Music was founded in 2012 with a mission to teach willing hearts the art of good music and its programs are designed just to do that.

The school has the mini maestros program which is an early childhood music program designed to introduce toddlers and kids to music. They also operate group classes and private one-on-one classes.

Baltimore School of Music has one of the best music teachers in the state skilled to teach any of the instruments you choose like piano, guitar, voice, violin, flute, trumpet, viola, clarinet, french horn, cello, saxophone, and trombone.

To enroll, you’ll pay a registration fee of $25. A 30-minute lesson costs $45, a 45-minute lesson costs $66.50 and a 60-minute lesson costs $88. Group classes for both kids and adults cost $225.

Location: 4200 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218

Phone: +1 443 687 7000

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The Music Workshop

The Music Workshop is staffed with highly trained teachers, a state-of-the-art recording studio, and classrooms fitted with Apple computers.

Since 1963, they have been teaching students several genres of music like classical, country, jazz, pop, rock, and theatre.

The students are given a solid foundation in fundamentals like ear training, scales, sight reading, technique, and theory.

Instruments like the guitar, piano, voice, bass guitar, saxophone, clarinet, flute, trumpet, trombone, violin, drums, and percussion are taught.

Tuition fees are $29 for a 30-minute private lesson including a one-time registration fee of $20.

Location: The music workshop 5810 A York Rd, Baltimore, MD 21212

Phone: +410 323 1524

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Owings Mills Music Academy

The Owings Mills Music Academy is part of the Artist Music Academy. It is one of the largest music schools in the area providing quality lessons both private and semi-private to people from ages 4 to adults.

They offer instructions in piano, voice, guitar, bass, drums, violin, viola, cello, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, theory, composition, songwriting, and more.

Tuition fees for private lessons are $40 for 30 minutes, a monthly plan of $120, and a registration fee of $35 however when you opt for a yearly plan, the fees are slightly reduced.

Location: 308 Main St, Reisterstown, MD 21136, US.

Phone: +1410 833 1895

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White Marsh Music Academy

This is Artist Music’s first school founded in 1999 orderly quality lessons both private and semi-private to people from ages 4 to adults.

They offer instructions in piano, voice, guitar, bass, drums, violin, viola, cello, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, theory, composition, songwriting, and more.

Tuition fees for private lessons are $40 for 30 minutes, a monthly plan of $120, and a registration fee of $35 however when you opt for a yearly plan, the fees are slightly reduced just like Owings Mills.

Location: 5024 Campbell Blvd, Suite K (near the avenue at White Marsh)

Phone: +1 410 303 5043

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The Bryn Mawr Music School

The Bryn Mawr Music School is one of the top music schools in Baltimore.

It focuses its area of study on the cello, clarinet, flute, guitar, harp, ukulele, percussion, trombone, piano, saxophone, violin, viola, voice, and double bass, and trumpet.

Bryn Mawr offers its student’s music lessons handled by outstanding teachers at all levels whether beginner, intermediate or advanced.

Tuition fees for 30 minute lessons are $1,090, $1530 for 45 minutes and $1970 for 60 minute lessons. All fees are paid annually.

Location: 109 West Melrose Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21210

Phone: + 1 410 323 8800

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Baltimore Music Lessons

Baltimore Music Lessons offer private music lessons for students eager to learn the guitar, bass, piano, drum, voice, violin, cello, clarinet, flute, saxophone, ukulele, and banjo.

Their studio is situated in Pikesville but they hold in-home lessons across the Baltimore Metro Area.

The school has one of the best music teachers in Baltimore because their teaching is suited to every unique person. The school also rents instruments as a side.

Location: 7092, Milford Industrial Rd, Pikesville, MD 21208

Phone: + 1 410 764 7663

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Charm City Violin

Charm City Violin is owned by Rachael Stockton. She is a seasoned violinist who has played with orchestras and ensembles in the Baltimore region for over 25 years.

She offers her home as a training ground for students who are willing to learn how to play the violin, and it’s also obvious to say her school is super specialized. The good news is that she will give you the one-on-one experience you need to improve.

Location: Baltimore, MD 21209 USA

Phone: + 1 410 499 0533

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Bmore Strings

Bmore Strings offers private violin, viola, music theory, and composition lessons. All lessons are individualized to meet each student’s musical needs and interests. Suzuki-sensei’s violin and viola lessons are open to children (ages 4 and up) to adults. Studio concerts are held twice a year.

One-on-one tuition at Bmore Strings starts at $37.50 per 30-minute lesson and group tuition starts at $30 per 30-minute lesson. First-time users can take a 15-minute free trial lesson. Tuition fees are billed monthly based on the number of class hours per month. No registration fees are required.

Location: 3600 Clipper Mill Rd # 208, Baltimore, MD 21211, United States

Phone: +1 410-450-4355

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Children’s Chorus of Maryland & School of Music

The CCM is a prestigious school that since 1976 has been training children in the art of music from the beginner level to advanced levels.

Their students regularly perform with professional musicians and tour locally, nationally, and internationally at venues such as the Baltimore Symphony, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall, and the White House. Smetana Hall in Prague, St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, St. Andrew’s Church in Salzburg, and Kecskemet Cultural and Congress Center in Hungary. 

Each year the CCM presents its own winter and spring concerts at the beautiful Gordon Center for the Performing Arts.

Their graduates go on to careers in music and the arts, as well as in business, science, mathematics, and more.

Location: 320 E Towsontown Blvd, Towson, MD 21286, United States

Phone: +1 410-494-1480

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FAQs

How long does it take to learn an instrument?

There is no definite answer to how long it takes to learn an instrument. This varies from student to student and really depends on the person, amount of practice, and age.

Playing is a physical skill, so repetition is necessary to improve. With regular practice, you can reach a basic level of play in a few months. Most students take lessons long-term because they always want to improve and they find the lessons fun.

What if I have no musical experience?

Music Schools are designed just for that. Most music schools, if not all, offer lessons to students from the beginner level to the advanced level.

It doesn’t matter if you are a professional or you’ve never held a musical instrument.

How do I choose the right music school?

Well, there are several factors involved, but we will try to explain them as best we can.

  • Location: It depends if you’re considering the distance between the music school and your residence or whether you’re looking for where you can make the right connections.

    If you’re studying music as a hobby and not just a profession, then you can focus on the music schools close to your area.

    But if you want to hit it big in the music industry, you should consider a location with a lot of networking opportunities.
  • The programs offered: If you’re looking for a degree, there are music schools that offer degrees in music for their students but if you just want to learn the skill, then getting a degree won’t be necessary.
  • Alumni: Another thing to consider looking out for is the school’s alumni. How successful are they? What opportunities were given?

    By judging their past graduates, you can get a safe estimate of how your career in music will be upon graduation. Of course, there are exceptions.

Can I learn music or a musical instrument online?

Yes, you can. There are many music schools that offer online options as well as physical training. But we recommend you try as muyas possible to learn in person.

Only opt for an online option if you really have to. There’s this quote that says “the military isn’t trained online”. We believe this is true even in music.

The good news is we’ve saved you a lot of research time with this article. Go ahead and choose the music school you think is best for you.

Conclusion

So these are the top music schools in Baltimore. Some of them are located in the city, while some are located close to it. Some of the schools offer degrees, some don’t.

The sure thing is that you’ll get the adequate training and education to be the musician you’ve always dreamed of. Do you have questions about these music schools in Baltimore? Please comment below.

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