On time, every time, with all of your stuff!
Free Music School
A free instrumental music program for students in grades 4-12.
Free Music School
A free instrumental music program for students in grades 4-12.
Spring Session Has Begun! We are meeting every Friday!
Spring Concert: Friday, May 16th, 2025!
Our concert will begin at 7pm in the AHUMC Sanctuary.
1200 Blossom Hill Road, SJ
Admission is free, all are welcome!
Thinking about joining our program in the fall? Come and see our 1-hour Spring Concert!
Students and families: please see all of the details in the Current Student Updates Tab!
Student musicians, join us!
Spring Music
If your student already plays a Band instrument in a middle or high school band they are welcome to join our program, please contact us at: freemusicschool@yahoo.com
Beginners will be able to join us in the fall, please watch our website for our August registration.
Free Music School Fall Session 2025.
Because every child deserves the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument.
All San Jose, CA area students in grades 4-12 are invited to join us to learn to play a musical instrument. The lessons are free and most students can borrow an instrument free-of-charge from our program, but families must provide a portable music stand, instruction book and supplies (recorders, reeds, etc.) The price of admission is commitment: Students must attend on time every week, with all of their supplies.
Our program starts in September, 2025 for beginners. If your student already plays in a middle or high school band, they are welcome to join us now.
The instruments we teach are: Recorder (beginners), Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Saxophone or Trombone (students choose one instrument to play.)
WE DO NOT TEACH GUITAR, DRUMS, VIOLIN OR PIANO.
We meet every Friday afternoon at
Almaden Hills United Methodist Church, San Jose
1200 Blossom Hill Road (by Costco/Whole Foods)
In additon to beginning lessons , we offer Intermediate/Advanced band for students who already play an instrument proficiently and would like to join us for extra fun group practice time.
Here is our schedule for group lessons on Fridays:
Beginning: 4-4:30pm
Intermediate 1: 4:30-5pm
Intermediate 2: 5-5:30 pm
Advanced: 5:30-6pm
Does your student have previous musical experience? We will place most (4th-6th grade only) new students in the beginning classes and make adjustments within the first few weeks if their skill level is consistent with the advanced levels. We prefer to move students up in levels, not down, so please be patient with our placements.
Please review our rules/requirements for our program and make sure that your student is willing and able to follow these expectations before signing up.
Common Questions:
What is Free Music School?
What is Free Music School?
What is Free Music School?
We are a group of volunteer "Music Mentors" who meet once a week, on Friday afternoons, to teach students in grades 4-12 how to read music and play a musical instrument. 4th-6th grade beginning students will learn the basics of music playing a recorder (fall session only.)
Once they master the basics they will be eligible to play: flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone or saxophone. (students choose one.) Older students will not start on recorder but will begin with the wind instrument they choose.
Please see our Program Details page for more information.
Please note: we do not offer classes on drums, guitar, violin, piano or any other instrument not listed above.
Class Schedule
What is Free Music School?
What is Free Music School?
If you're early, you're on time!
Here is our Fall Class Schedule:
Beginning: 4-4:30 pm
Intermediate 1: 4:30 - 5pm
Intermediate 2: 5-5:30 pm
Advanced (requires pre-approval from instructor): 5:30-6pm.
Most 4th-6th grade students will start in our Beginning 4-4:30 class.
7th-12th grade beginners will be in our "Intermeiate 1" class from 4:30-5 and start directly on band instruments.
Jr. High and High school musicians who already play will join our intermediate 2 or Advanced Band classes.
Is it really Free?
What is Free Music School?
How to join our program:
Yes! Parents provide-- and makes sure that their child brings(!) -- the music stand, book, and instrument supplies (all available at local music stores -- we do not sell any supplies) and we provide the group lessons, free of charge. We do not collect or charge any participation or performance fees. We like to say: The price of admission is commitment! Please see our "Program Expectations" page to see what our idea of commitment looks like.
How to join our program:
How to join our program:
How to join our program:
Attend the welcome session on Friday, September 6th at 4pm at Almaden Hills UMC. If your student meets the criteria (is in grade 4-12) they will be accepted into the program. Please do not register students who are younger than 4th grade into our program.
If your student already knows how to read music and plays a band instrument, please contact us about joining one of our intermediate or advanced classes. We accept new advanced players throughout the year. freemusicschoool@yahoo.com
Who are the teachers?
How to join our program:
Who are the teachers?
Free Music School is a group of volunteer "music mentors" who get together once a week to teach students how to play musical instruments. It was started in January of 2007 by Candace Love -- an Almaden Hills Church member, parent and life-long musician.
"Someone introduced me to music when I was young, and I want to offer that to every student I can. Everyone should volunteer and share their gifts -- for me, that gift is music. It is my community service, and watching students grow to love music, too, fills me with joy."
Interested in volunteering as a "Music Mentor" with our program? New musicians are always welcome to join us, especially college students and retirees! For more information please contact Candace Love: freemusicschool@yahoo.com
Please note that all volunteers will need to have a background check in order to work with our students.
Do you have concerts
How to join our program:
Who are the teachers?
Yes!
We have 2 concerts each year: one in December and one in May. All students will be expected to attend and perform at these wonderful events, and families and friends will also be invited to come and watch. It's free!
Stay tuned for concert dates -- I will try and publish them in October.
Supplies needed and extra resources: not needed until the s
Beginning students need a recorder (Fall Session Only):
Beginning Students (grades 4-6) will need a recorder and a portable music stand. These can be purchased at any music store. Soprano recorder with baroque fingering -- do not buy a fancy recorder, just a $10 or less one. Here is the basic example.
All Students:
All students will need a portable music stand, like this one:
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/musicians-gear-folding-music-stand/451034000001000
Intermediate Band Book
Clarinets and Saxophones need reeds
Our band students use the "Standards of Excellence" book 1 by B. Pearson. Choose book 1 for your instrument. Note, this is the trumpet example, you need to purchase the one for your instrument!!!
Clarinets and Saxophones need reeds
Clarinets and Saxophones need reeds
Beginning woodwind players will need to purchase size "2" reeds. We recommend the 10-pack for starting on the instrument. Here is a link to what we recommend: https://www.wwbw.com/Rico-Bb-Clarinet-Reeds-Box-of-10-J24847-J24847000002000.wwbw
Ear Training Games
For our more advanced students, I really enjoy the "ear training" games at this website. You do not have to register to use it. Theta Music Trainer:
https://trainer.thetamusic.com/en/content/music-training-games
Virtual Band Practice
http://www.virtualbandpractice.com I've created a website with some of the songs we practice in class listed. You can click on the links and play along. This page is also one of the pages of this site. A work in progress.