Best music schools in Birmingham: find options near you

I’ve been having classical singing lessons with Alexandra for almost a year now and she’s caused me to improve so much!! Her lessons are so enjoyable and she teaches other styles, not just classical. Before I became her student I couldn’t sing high notes without my voice cracking and the notes sounding strained. Now my voice never cracks and I can hit them with a nice sound confidently, clearly and powerfully! I have much more control and precision over my voice too, and she’s really helping me correct bad habits I picked up from before she taught me. My voice has become richer and clearer too. My choir leader has also commented multiple times on how much my singing has improved since I’ve been having lessons. Alexandra is a lovely, thoughtful teacher who I’d really recommend!!

I’ve been having singing lessons with Goldie now for almost two years and I’ve noticed a drastic difference in my voice, allowing me to feel far more confident in my voice. I always look forward to my lessons with Goldie and I always walk away from my lesson feeling like I’ve achieved something. Through Goldie’s feedback and expert knowledge, I’ve been able to achieve things with my voice I didn’t know I would be able to. Not only has she helped me vocally, but she has also given me lots of guidance on becoming a better musician and artist. I definitely wouldn’t be in the position I am today musically if it wasn’t for Goldie and Progress, I thoroughly recommend them!

Having taken vocal lessons with Alexandra after 6 months, I am confident to say that she is a professional, competent and capable vocal teacher. I once took vocal lessons with professionals for a year in drama school and Alexandra is definitely one of them. Thank you Alexandra 🙂

Goldie is an amazing vocal coach, and choosing Progress Music Academy for my lessons has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. I really enjoy having lessons with her. Her feedback is always constructive and encouraging, and I’ve learned so many new techniques that have really helped my voice, singing and public speaking. I can see noticeable improvement in my singing, and I’ve even had the chance to perform at showcases, which I never thought I’d be confident enough to do before. I highly recommend Progress Music Academy to anyone looking to improve their vocal skills!

I started having singing lessons at Progress earlier this year after being ‘volunteered’ to sing backing vocals in my band (I play sax). I’ve had no previous personal singing instruction, although I obviously have some musical knowledge from playing the saxophone. My main aim was to try not to sound horrendous but I’m beginning to accept that I can actually sing! My tutor Tia has been exactly right for me; she has taken the time to explain to me the technical points of using my voice in a way I’ve found very easy to understand and helped me work through any problems I’ve encountered whilst continuing to encourage and uplift me. I have even been able to listen to a recording of myself singing – amazing! It’s been a long time since I had proper lessons in anything (around 20 years!) and I’m enjoying it so much. I would never have achieved what I have so far trying to learn at home on my own. Progress is a great place to learn, very well equipped and set up and the booking system for lessons is very slick. I can’t thank Progress, Gary and especially Tia enough for helping me find my voice.

Tia is an amazing vocal coach! She’s very kind and understanding towards her students of all levels. As a complete beginner, she really helped me gain more confidence in myself and encouraged me to try new things. I’d highly recommend to her anyone as she makes her lessons extremely enjoyable!

Booking singing lessons for my daughter, at Progress Music Acedmy, has been the best decision I have made to help support her future career choice. They are so professional and organised. It is so easy to book and all of the staff are friendly and welcoming. My daughter has lessons with Tia and the difference in her voice since she started having lessons with her is phenomenal! Tia understands her, understands her voice and what songs will suit her, she pushes her out of her comfort zone with songs she wouldn’t usually sing but they sound amazing, she looks after her vocal health, she also supports her emotionally with friendship. Sophie says that when she goes to lessons with Tia, it is like going to lessons with her big sister! Thank you to everyone at progress, especially Tia as Sophie is now becoming more successful at auditions and I know this wouldn’t have happen without your support and guidance.

I can’t thank Ms Jody enough for inspiring my daughter. Anya always looks forward to her Monday piano lessons. Ms Jody is such a wonderful teacher and a joy to be around (even for the adults who accompany their kids). Anya comes out from every lesson excited and therefore motivated to practice piano consistently. Thank you Ms Jody and ProMusic!

Angie is such a supportive and caring singing teacher, who listens and takes action when you want a song done properly. My voice has improved so much since she started teaching me. Her techniques feel very healthy and easy to learn so that I can keep my voice safe.
Facilities are really nice and the equipment is great. It’s always warm and comfortable inside as well

My teenage daughter has both vocal lessons with Ange and bass lessons with mark and thoroughly enjoys them. She’s come on remarkably in both subjects and looks forward to the lessons every week. Amazing company and amazing teachers.

Best experience. Tom is a patient teacher and explained in detail how to help my 3 year old to get ready for lessons. Can’t wait to start lessons!!

Ange is an amazing singing teacher. She has helped me tremendously to develop my singing skills. She is compassionate and very caring in her approach. Would definitely recommend x

Excellent teachers, I have both my boys learning with Pro Music. Drums and Piano. I honestly cannot say enough about them. Brilliant thank you guys. My boys love there classes. As much as I love seeing them grow into hopeful musicians of the future.

I also appreciate the structure of the teaching. As a music lover, it’s great to see the dedication from the staff for each student to reach their goal.

My Daughter absolutely loves attending her drum lesson with Stuart. Very relaxed and fun teaching methods used, no pressure to do exams but completely fully supports. We highly recommend!

What a fabulous place to see a concert. Went with friends tonight. It was a first time for all of us and we were in the very well designed Bradshaw Hall. The acoustics were excellent, as were the lighting and sound tech. The graduated slope ensures that you get a good view, from wherever you’re seated.
The entire building is impressive, clean and welcoming. As a disabled person with poor mobility, I think this is the most accessible venue that I’ve ever been to. It has clearly been designed to be as inclusive as possible and all parts of the building can be reached without having to negotiate any stairs. Also, the NCP car park is immediately next door to the RBC, so no long walk needed.

Great location, close to the rail station New Street and Moor Street. The acoustic is high quality.

Fabulous acoustics in the Bradshaw Hall. Comfortable seating and great view of Dustin O’Halloran. Hope to see another show here soon.

The concerts given by the students every week are of the highest standard, both undergraduate and postgraduate. Many of them are free.
The students currently represent 41 different countries.
The facilities are world-class.
The cafe provides excellent food and the coffee is the cheapest in Birmingham!

Very good venue for large scale programs

Fabulous venue, the acoustics in the hall are amazing. I look forward to coming back. It’s a very modern and minimalist space, with a large cafe, friendly staff and plenty of space for a large group. I attended for a charity event, and could not fault the place. The toilets are clean, and you have a easy access from the road.

Lovely venue. However, we were told that the concert would finish at 10. It didn’t. We have waited to see this band for 2 years but they didn’t come on stage until 9.30. We had to leave at 10 to get the last train home so missed the best tunes. Bitterly disappointed.

Joe is an absolutely fantastic teacher and I would recommend him to anyone. I have and continue to learn an enormous amount from him. He is extremely patient and provides expert guidance to me on my guitar learning and development.

Instrument: Guitar
Skill Level: Beginner
Music Genre: Metal

Joe has been a fantastic teacher throughout our sessions together, conducting friendly, relaxed, student lead lessons which focus on the music style and bands you are interested in and the skills you wish to develop. Right from the first session Joe was inquisitive about the reasons for beginning tuition and tailored the structure of the sessions around meeting those aims.

Examples include finding suitable beginner technical exercises by going through a processes of guided ‘songwriting’ to allow for the creative skills to be developed right from the start alongside technical competence, or through practicing critical listening to discern new techniques by going through the music you’ve recently been listening to.

Each lesson is followed up with an email containing notes from your session so that you can focus on learning, not remembering, and his pricing is very reasonable.

I 100% recommend Joe as a teacher!

I can highly recommend Joe as a guitar teacher! After enquiring about my skill level and goals, his lessons were always tailored to my interests. He was always helpful and explained things to me in a way so I could easily understand and implement them. I also found it helpful that he sent me a comprehensive summary of every lesson, which made it much easier to practise what he taught me at home. Apart from that he is also a very nice guy and made all lessons a super positive environment.

Joe has been helping me for a few weeks now. We do it remotely at a time that is convenient for me.
I have tried other teachers and other tools such as Yousician, but they only got me so far.
Joe has helped me to correct a lot of bad habits that I have picked up over the years, and always has another “you could also”
He is working at my admittedly slow pace, with incredible patience.
I am a fan of heavy music, which Joe completely understands so I am finding the lessons focused on what I like.
Thoroughly recommended

I’ve never played guitar before and Joe has made it really easy for me. He is very patient, knowledgable and works at my level and adapts his lessons for me as well. Would def recommend Joe if you wanna learn guitar

Brilliant lessons! Joe is really helpful and caters to your goals. I’m only a few lessons in and really enjoy every one of them. Joe is also very patient and knowledgable in his art. Not only is he a great guitarist, but also a very talented teacher. I can highly recommend!

I’ve been having lessons with Joe for around 7 weeks. Joe’s lessons are amazing, he works with me on songs that I enjoy and helps me to learn key techniques that I will be able to reapply to other songs. After each lesson Joe sends a lesson summary which contains everything we went through in the previous lesson and things that I can work on throughout the week ready for the next lesson. He is always reassuring and kind, and makes helpful suggestions on how to improve. Overall, I would definitely recommend Joe to anyone who wants to learn how to play guitar 🙂

Paul (piano) and jack (drums) and amazing Isaac (guitar) I have 2 kids (8 & 14) and they’re learning 3 instruments in total. Shades have been awesome! All the tutors are encouraging, knowledgeable, friendly. Just brilliant. Cant recommend them highly enough – and there’s a performance where they show their learning. Shades are brilliant!!! Thank you Elaine

I love having singing lessons with Liz here, she’s a fantastic teacher who has helped my confidence and range grow, and has helped me feel like a Disney princess (I’m nearly at the point where small woodland creatures will come and tidy for me)! I have been able to sing in front of people for the first time in years and am looking forward to doing so again. We have also looked at music theory when I lost my voice and was barely able to talk, much less sing, and I’ve had some saxophone lessons with her and Paul (another wonderful teacher), so my general musical knowledge has been greatly opened up. The other teachers I’ve met while waiting for my lessons are all super friendly and approachable, happy to chat with me and answer my random music questions, making the whole place feel really warm and welcoming. Kam has made sure my saxophone is in good shape after not having played it for a long time and done a few repairs on it and is a fun and positive presence in the shop.
Would highly recommend Shades to anyone!

Liz was an amazing Piano teacher. My son had a great progress only in a couple of months. Also Kamil was always responsive and easy to communicate. Thanks

I think that Shades Music is a very good place to learn from as they teach my son well. They explain my son’s mistakes and help my son fix those mistakes. The support from his teachers are very helpful and overall he enjoys to learn from them. My son’s progress has been exceeding better than before and I hope he learns more from them.

Liz is my singing teacher at Shades and she is teaching me things about my voice I never knew! I started lessons so I could sing at my own wedding but 8 months on I’m still here, enjoying every moment & unlocking new capabilities with my voice. Liz is so technically knowledgable and makes everything so clear to understand and follow. And she’s just a lovely person too, she makes you feel so comfortable and I always leave feeling much lighter! Fully recommend singing lessons with Liz 🙂

Liz is such a precise and student-centred singing teacher as well as a clearly talented singer herself.

I love how clear and creative her guidance is along with the relaxing space she manages to create in lessons – despite them being in a slightly strange room.

So my 5 stars are for Liz’s evident skills. I can’t recommend her lessons enough.

I do wish though that lessons were offered in a more welcoming environment. The lack of reception space st Shades and having to wait to be let in can make waiting for lessons to start much more awkward than it needs to be.

My daughter has been having lessons with Iain since she was six. He is a great teacher – he has high expectations of students but makes lessons fun. His ability to play what seems like any piece from any genre from memory always amazes me too.

Excellent staff .. beautiful students and amazingly welcoming and inclusive environment .. Just stunning

An absolutely beautiful place. We went in for a personal in house tour with my son, our tour guides, Felix, Cheese and Hayley were so patient, friendly and just amazing, made us feel very welcome and comfortable.

I was impressed, entrance is on little Ann st.
For me no better place to study music and all its parrafinallia

Fantastic set up. Recorded our fire fighter’s version of Do They Know It’s Christmas in aid of The Firefighter’s Charity and The Band Aid Trust. Look out for the Fire Tones on I Tunes , Spotify and Amazon Music from November the 30th.

Pretty new and cool. Looks neat

Seemed a great place to learn

Great modern Music University

My daughter has been attending the summer Rock School every year since Reception (now in Year 8) and absolutely loves it. She also has had 1-1 tuition, participates in the jam club is now hosted at her current school, and most recently participated in the ‘Battle of the Band’ which was great fun for everyone! The teachers are all fab, introducing the kids to genres/styles of music they may not have heard before, they ensure everyone has a role to play and it’s a great atmosphere to make new friendships.

Boys did Rock school for the third year running and enjoyed every minute again. Group size is small so they each get chance to try out different instruments, and make a new friend each time. Safe environment with music teachers who are totally child focused, flexible and fun. The quality of the show at the end of the week is always high and each child gets their chance to shine without it being pressured. Wrap around from 8 til 4pm also great in the summer for juggling work and childcare. The setting at school with a playground makes it safe and you know they are getting some fresh air.
Really happy again. Thank you all.

Absolutely wonderful bunch of people. My son has drum lessons that he loves. He’s progressing really well and building in confidence. He’s also been to Rock School in the summer two years in a row and also absolutely loves that. Can’t recommend highly enough.

My daughter has never played an instrument before and isn’t particularly outgoing so I was unsure if she would like Rock School. She absolutely loved it and at the end of week show she played guitar, bass, bongos and sang infront of an audience. I don’t think she would have ever done that before going to Rock School. They really filled her with confidence and she was very proud of herself at the end. She can’t wait to go back next year and now she wants music lessons too! We were really impressed with Ryan and the rest of the team.

My boys have been attending Rockschool in the school holidays for years and have had 1-2-1 drum and guitar tuition. What a great music academy! They have both flourished and are so excited about music because of MAMs and the fabulous tutors!!
100% recommend!

Yet another brilliant summer Rock School. A first for our 5 year old but our daughter has been coming for many years. Ryan and the team are so welcoming and enthusiastic. Our son was hesitant and nervous before he started but was racing in after day 1. Such en enriching experience for all the kids and amazing that even the youngster had the opportunity to write and perform their own music. Our daughter’s love of music is entirely because of Rock School. Would highly recommend.

I was taught drums for a number of years, aswell as singing lessons and being part of a band through Music Academy Midlands.

The lessons were taught extremely well and all the staff are amazing and really friendly. You learn a lot and the teachers are great at helping you to improve your skill and technique. You can tell that they really do want you to improve and do well.

My experience in the band was extremely positive and I really enjoyed it. The practice sessions are fun and the staff are brilliant at helping teach you the songs and work well as a band. While in the band, I performed multiple times, and it helped to increase my confidence massively and push myself to do things that I never would have done if I wasn’t in the band.

I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to learn an instrument!

My 3 daughters have been learning piano since they were 6. They are now 15, 13 and 10. It took us far too long to find a good music teacher but gosh have we found it at BPMS. We’ve been with BPMS now for over a year, the girls are thriving and loving their lessons. All the teachers are extremely friendly, supportive and encouraging. They’re incredibly experienced & knowledgeable, and clearly have a passion for music and teaching. There is a focus on theory as well as practical, which we have found to be very rare, but the primary focus is on a love of music and fun! The studio is beautiful, the atmosphere relaxing, and the charity events Sean arranges create a wonderful family feel.

I really cannot recommend highly enough and which I’d found them so much sooner!

I’ve been taking piano lessons with Sean at the BPMS for a while now, and I can’t recommend him highly enough! He is an excellent teacher—firm but fair—pushing you to improve while always being supportive and encouraging.

Beyond individual lessons, he also organises occasional adult group activities throughout the year, which are a fantastic way to connect with other students and gain performance experience (if you’re brave enough!) in a fun, low-pressure setting. If you’re looking for a knowledgeable and dedicated piano teacher, Sean is the one to go to!

The Birmingham Piano and Music Studio is a great place to learn how to play the piano or other musical instrument. Sean and his team are very welcoming and are experienced teachers of music at all levels. You can do practical and theory exams or if that is not your thing he offers Music Appreciation activities and playing for pleasure.
The group also can enjoy social activities, theatre outings and fundraisers for charity. The studio is bright and modern and well equipped. I was 60 yrs when I first started to learn how to read music and play the piano so all ages welcome so why not give it a go , it’s very rewarding

I’m so glad I chose to go to Sean at the Birmingham piano and music studio when returning to piano playing after a gap of 45 years. He has inspired me to re-enter the exam system, which is challenging in itself, and by combining strictness for correct technique with praise for work well done alongside enthusiasm and fun, I’ve become a much better player and am enjoying my practice immensely.
Also, the social events for charity that Sean organises are a great way of meeting other music studio pupils to chat about our progress and swap notes. I even got to play in front of an audience at one of these events, which is something I never believed I could do and would never have done with that Sean’s kind encouragement, thanks Sean!!

What a fantastic experience having piano lessons with Sean. Both his patience and knowledge are Unrivalled & his music room provides a quiet, calm atmosphere in which to absorb & learn. Really looking forward to my next lesson.

I started to look for a piano teacher since my daughter was 6 years old. I managed to enrol her into one of the renowned music school in city centre. However she was still struggling to play with both hands while reading the scores after spending nearly a year of lessons there. Due to covid-19 and lack of progression, I withdrew her from that lessons.

Until this year June 2021, I tried to search for piano teacher again and I would say one of the best thing that happened in 2021 is to have found Sean, the piano teacher for my 8 year old daughter.

Sean is brilliant, inspiring, patient, encouraging, friendly and talented. He has extensive musical knowledge and experience in teaching piano. His teaching method is thorough and instructive, which I believe it helps building a solid foundation for my daughter to develop her interests and skills in playing piano.

Within 5 months of lessons, my daughter was able to sit for her first ever piano exam in November and she achieved outstanding results. Sean deserves 5-star rating for his excellence and I highly recommend The Birmingham Piano & Music Studio.

I have been having piano lessons with Myles and Sean. They have been fantastic. I’ve learnt so much over the past year. This is the place to go for piano and music lessons. Their experience, knowledge, and expertise is inspiring!

Iv been a student at this school for 5 years now leaving in September. All staff have shown me so much support and helped me become the person I am today. Forever will be grateful for everyone at kimichi school and will never forget the memories i have made and experienced. I will always have a place in my heart for kimichi forever and ever and I will make sure to visit. The photo below shows how much the teachers care for us and how proud of us they are. thanks to kimichi school I went from being home schooled and hating school to becoming school captain and loving it. thank you kimichi school ❤️

After a really difficult experience in previous years, Kimichi has turned my son’s school experience around completely, not only his education but it’s had such a positive impact on all areas of his and our lives. The staff are fabulous. The children are the most wonderful small humans in the making you will ever come across and I put this firmly down to Kimichi’s way of doing things. I’m not quite sure how they do it but I think this school is powered by some kind of magic. To say we’re delighted to be a part of this small community is an understatement!

My 2 has been at Kimichi for 3 years now and I cannot be any more happy for my decision. They are friendly and professional paying close attention and care to the children, working in hands with parents, the head teacher is a gem, and deputy head is everyone best friend. They are so helpful and understanding. I would recommend anyone to enrol at Kimichi. Music within education is Key

I couldn’t recommend Kimichi School enough. The commitment each teacher gives to every single student is truly impeccable. I was a student there until 2020, and I had a brilliant time. I learned everything I needed to become a productive adult in society, and I carry those lessons with me every day. I still make a point to do one small good deed each day because that was part of our daily tasks. I also strive to carry myself with manners, pride, and respect—values that were reinforced by the way the teachers treated us.

Since leaving, I’ve entered the trades, and Kimichi’s staff—particularly Sally, and Chris—continued to support me, helping me transition into college and advocating for my needs when I faced challenges. Their ongoing support has been invaluable.

I could write endlessly about how Kimichi School has helped shape the man I am today. I am genuinely grateful for the education, values, and support I received. Thank you, Kimichi School, for everything. Keep up the great work!

Before I came here, I’d been out of education for two years and was in an awful state — mentally, emotionally, and academically. I’d lost all sense of direction and self-belief. But from the moment I arrived, I was welcomed with open arms, supported in ways I’d never experienced, and treated with kindness, respect, and genuine care.

The staff didn’t just help me catch up — they built a space for me to thrive. They went as far as putting a subject on the curriculum just for me because they saw something in me worth nurturing. That subject changed everything. I’d never been encouraged like that before, and it gave me the confidence and tools to believe I could have a future.

They nurtured me, challenged me, and above all, they loved me. That’s not something you can fake. This school believed in me so much that I started to believe in myself — and now, I’m proud to say I am studying acting at university in LONDON. That would never have happened without them.

While I was here, I had the honour of being school captain and vice school captain.— something I never thought I’d be capable of. That role helped me grow even more, and I’m still proud of everything we achieved together as a school community. They nominated me for a young artist of the year award and I won it!!

This school didn’t just educate me. It saved me

This captures the true essence of Kimichi School. Smiling happy pupils & staff alike. Our son has attended for the past year & has never been happier. Staff go above & beyond both inside & outside of the working day & truly have given our family nothing but support & understanding at all times. He has attended amazing life changing trips to Iceland & the Peak District which has been an accomplishment in itself. Our child had a pretty bleak future education wise prior to starting, but after a year of Kimichi we couldn’t be prouder of all that he has & will achieve in the future under their tutelage. Academic achievement aside, (which he is excelling in music may I add) & more importantly to us, we have a happy teenager who has grown in confidence who feels supported & respected! He is always treated as an individual rather than a statistic & we can not recommend Kimichi School enough. We can offer nothing but thanks & very high praise to all of the hardworking dedicated staff who go above & beyond every single day. They truly are the best.

Thank you Kimichi for shaping me into the person I became.

I had a tough time in school before moving and this school did more than I could have expected. I excelled and continued to following. They trusted me as a house captain, a school captain and put faith in me when others before didn’t. Thank you for building my confidence and giving me something I still treasure today, my love of music.

Endless opportunities and a family to last a lifetime. Thank you for all that you did to support me and all of us through school and beyond.

The best choice I made was to apply for my daughter to start her keystage 4 educational journey at BOA, the standards of teaching are high & their ability to tap in/nurture individual talents from a extra curricular perspective were just evident from the start. This creates a comfortable and accessible environment for youths with a passion for the Arts. This year she completed her KS5 journey at BOA with top results & yet another amazing opportunity that probably would not have been possible without this institutions involvement. Thanks again BOA x

Our daughter recently attended BOA for the last four years of her GCSE & MT pathway.

BOA were supportive throughout & created a safe, pleasurable learning environment. Thanks to the skills & confidence the school instilled, she is ready for the next stage of her learning experience.

Absolutely appalling behaviour from BOA students on the Shrewsbury to Birmingham train in the morning. They disrupt everyone’s journey by talking loudly, singing and, in many cases, vaping. I want some peace on my way to work. It seems from the comments below that other people are finding these students annoying on the train too. I am going to write to the headteacher to express my concerns.

I would like to leave a negative review for BOA , for the following reason. Children are not accepted to this school during the year, and the request to make an appointment with the director was also refused. How to be talented children who come to Birmingham? My daughter came from Ukraine because of military operations in her hometown. This school is the closest to home. And also with the appropriate direction. But the school administration categorically refused to even consider our application for admission, referring to the fact that this would not be fair to other candidates. Excuse me, but how can we compare with other candidates? We lost everything because of the war, we were forced to evacuate, and my daughter did not have the opportunity to apply and audition for this school earlier. I find the leadership and administration of the BOA school to be unfair and cruel.

Words cannot express how amazing I think this school is! My daughter has flourished since moving here in year 10. The staff and facilities are second to none.

My partner has been a school teacher for 31 years and when he attended a recent event he referred to it as the Rolls Royce of schools.

All I can say is a massive thank you to all of the staff who are obviously incredible at what you do.

Incredible school! I love how these children / young Adults get to follow their passions in life. My niece started Dance 2 years ago and was the best decision, she had no confidence in herself before she started and due to the great staff she has alot more now! She’s also had multiple opportunities that wouldn’t be possible if she wasn’t at this school

Not sure how they missed such a creative and talented young lady.but how my daughter was ignored at this year 10 workshop by all the staff who took time with the other chosen student they already had their eyes on. They called my daughter in for the 2nd round of the workshop interview and she did not realise that there was a 1st round interview that had taken place weeks back. So off course the staff had chosen there students from the very first round. Absolutely disgusted . . Regretably no suprise the boa academy did not accept her.awful way of treating young students.
If you’re not full of confidence and talking the talk you child has no chance.