We offer fun and engaging lessons after school for students at Montcrest.

Lessons are available one-to-one or in group settings, depending on the instrument being taught.

All of our lessons include:

Music Theory + Composition

Students will develop their technique while also being introduced to music theory, composition and reading musical notation.

We integrate this into all instrumental and vocal lessons, as learning these elements of music helps students understand the fundamentals and apply them to their playing and singing.

Structured Learning + Familiar Music

Students can work towards their RCM performance grades or, for guitars and drums, we offer a syllabus created by the Rockschool series (grades 1-8). 

We encourage students to engage with familiar music, as genres and songs they hear at home can help connect them more deeply with their learning. Accessing popular music and contemporary playing techniques also helps to create fun and engaging lessons!

End of Year Recital

Performance opportunities are available for students to take part in at the end of the school year in the form of a recital. For more information on our June 2024 recital please visit here.

We teach a variety of lessons, including:

  • Drum lessons are offered to beginners to advanced students. Our tutors are familiar with a range of musical styles including Pop, Rock, Hip Hop and Jazz.

    Drum students will:
    • Develop sticking techniques, coordination and rhythmical awareness
    • Methods for reading standardized Drum notation
    • Improve music theory

    Did you know...
    Alongside musical learning, playing the Drums is a great way to exercise the brain and body. A university study (you can read the study here) presented that Drummers have improved brain function in areas responsible for motor planning. Drummers had thicker fibres in the important connecting tract between the two different sides of the brain.

    Lesson Types: One-to-One & Paired

  • Just picked up your first Guitar? Starting your finger-picking with a Ukulele? No matter if you’re brand new or looking to up your skills to the next level, we can get you there. Our tutors will teach you what you want to learn, whether it’s learning how to strum some of your favourite pop songs, or how to solo on the Electric Guitar.

    Guitar & Ukulele students will:
    • Develop their technique and finger patterns
    • Be introduced to reading a range of musical notation such as TAB, chord charts and Western notation
    • Improve music theory skills

    Ukulele lessons are a great way for younger students to develop their musicality and for eventual progression onto other instruments.

    Lesson Types: One-to-One & Paired

  • Are you learning Piano for the first time? Or do you want to refine your skills and gain confidence playing songs and études? All of our tutors have a wide range of experience playing and teaching in many different genres, from Jazz improvisation to Classical pieces.

    Piano students will:
    • Learn how to read musical notation
    • Develop proper keyboard technique
    • Improve on music theory and musical literacy

    The Royal Conservatory method (RCM) method can be taught if specified. Please tell us when signing up!

    Lesson Type: One-to-One

  • Vocal lessons allow you to sing with more volume, better pitch and grow your confidence with singing in front of others.

    Vocal students will:
    • Establish vocal technique: improve diction and breathing techniques to sing with ease
    • Learn proper posture
    • Be introduced to reading musical notation
    • Improve music theory skills

    Training in various styles including Musical Theatre, Classical, Jazz, Pop, R&B, and Folk. We offer preparation for RCM vocal grades and tailor lessons to include songs and styles that resonate with students.

    Lesson Types: One-to-One & Paired

  • We currently offer individual lessons for the woodwind instruments below. If the instrument you’re wishing to learn isn’t listed, let us know, as we can most likely accommodate it!

    • Clarinet
    • Saxophone (Alto/Tenor)
    • Flute

    Our teachers also teach the Royal Conservatory method (RCM). Please specify in your sign-up form notes if this is the method you prefer.

    Lesson Types: One-to-One & Paired

  • We currently offer individual lessons for the brass instruments below. If the instrument you’re wishing to learn isn’t listed, let us know, as we can most likely accommodate it!

    • Trumpet
    • Tenor Horn
    • Trombone
    • Tuba

    Our teachers also teach the Royal Conservatory method (RCM). Please specify in your sign-up form notes if this is the method you prefer.

    Lesson Types: One-to-One & Paired

Pricing & Scheduling

Individual one-to-one lessons are priced at:

  • $55 for a 30-minute lesson

  • $75 for a 45-minute lesson

  • $90 for a 60-minute lesson

Group Lesson prices range from $40 - $55 per student for a 30-minute lesson, depending on the type of lesson (private group, workshop).

Please get in touch for more information on availability and pricing.

Lesson Times

Lessons are scheduled at the same time and day each week, between 3:30pm-6:00pm.

Lessons are subject to demand and availability, with times allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis. In the event that the lesson schedule is filled, additional lesson dates will be offered depending on demand.

Term Dates

Lessons are billed by the term (approximately 8-14 lessons per term), and will not be taught during school holidays.

Term 2 lessons for the 2024-25 school year start January 6th, 2025 and end April 17th, 2025.

*Please note current Term 1 lessons end on December 6th 2024*

Montcrest Availability

Lessons are available on the following days for each instrument:

🥁 Drums: Tuersdays, Wednesdays


🎸 Guitar & Ukulele: Tuesdays, Wednesdays


🎹 Piano & Keyboard: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays


🎤 Vocals: Mondays, Thursdays


🎷🪈 Woodwind: Mondays, Thursdays

🎺 Brass: TBD, please inquire

How to Book Your Lessons:

📋 Step 1:

Fill out our sign-up form, letting us know about the instrument you’re interested in learning, your experience level and any other details.

🗓️ Step 2:

From there, we’ll look over your answers, and send you a link with our available time-slots to reserve your lesson time.

✅ Step 3:

Once you’ve selected your preferred time, we’ll confirm your lessons and send you the term’s invoice to get you officially booked in!

🎨

Aftercare Details

Montcrest School students are required to be enrolled into Aftercare if they need to wait for their lesson. This will allow them to wait in Aftercare until their tutor arrives to collect them for their scheduled lesson. After each lesson, students will be brought back to reception to be picked up by their parent/guardian, or brought back to Aftercare for a later pickup time.

If you cannot pick up your child at the end of their scheduled lesson time, please contact Montcrest School to make arrangements for the Aftercare service. Beats and Bars Music School is not responsible for organizing or coordinating the Aftercare program at Montcrest School, neither do we assume responsibility for this service as it is not managed by Beats and Bars Music School.

Please note: middle school students (grades 6 and up) are able to wait in the reception of Thompson House as long as they have parental consent to do so.

Policies & Common Questions:

Cancellations & Make-Up Lessons:

  • A minimum of 24 hours' notice is required to cancel a lesson and receive a Make-Up credit, otherwise, the lesson will be billed as-is. These lessons will then be made up at a later date.

    Please email us at info@beatsandbars.ca to let us know about any cancellations.

    Beats and Bars Music is not responsible for changes in the Montcrest calendar, for example, sporting practices/events and other extra-curricular clubs. If there are any scheduling conflicts that arise, please notify us as soon as possible. Lessons that are cancelled without 24 hours' will be non-refundable.

  • Two (2) lessons can be cancelled per term if needed, with a maximum of two Make-Up credits able to be passed to the next term.

  • We always reserve the last week of the term for make-up lessons, and if any lessons are not made up and the term has ended, then the credit(s) will be added to the following term.

Invoices & Payments:

  • Payment must be made prior to lessons taking place. Lessons will be invoiced termly or to your desired term length. Typically you will be billed for 8-14 lessons at a time.  

    For payments overdue by 14 days, a 5% late fee will be applied to the total invoice amount.

  • Invoices will be delivered via email with a link to pay prior to the term commencing.

  • We accept credit, debit, Apple Pay and Google Pay right from within your invoice via the “Click Here to Pay Online” button. 

    Interac e-Transfer is also accepted (please send payments to info@beatsandbars.ca).

General Queries:

  • If you do not currently have access to the instrument you've chosen to have lessons for, then now may be a good time to start looking at purchasing or rental options! Renting can be a better option if you don't want to commit to buying an instrument straight away.

    We recommend renting through Long & McQuade as they stock quality and reasonably priced products. You can contact your local store for help with sizing or choosing the right instrument for your needs.

  • Email reminders are sent out 24 hours before each lesson.

    You will also be given a login to our portal where you can synchronize your lesson schedule to your calendar application (click here for instructions). You can log into the portal here or via the Log In button in our website navigation.

    For students in middle school and above, we recommend they synchronize their lesson schedule with their calendar as well.