At the Irvine School of Music, we always offer warm and custom instruction catered to your goals.
Specialist teacher training
In addition to our staff’s extensive teaching experience, our faculty receives ongoing teacher training, from early childhood music education, to effective ways of teaching students with learning disabilities, to effective teaching methods for teenager and adults.
Credentials that matter for your musical education
Our Faculty has obtained affiliated school district credentials and university degrees – many with Master’s or even Doctorate degrees in their area of specialization – from many distinguished and well respected community school districts and conservatories:
”There’s a sense of community and camaraderie amongst the faculty as they frequently share teaching tips that have been tried and tested.“
ISM Experience
Our real vision as a music school
When it comes to teaching music, our vision here at the Irvine School of Music is different. We empower musical voices. That’s why we don’t sell books or rent instruments. It’s why we cater each and every lesson to each and every musician’s unique goals. Our vision is the music, and from the moment you step inside our studio you’ll feel it.
The faculty is committed to teaching the Irvine School of Music Core Curriculum, which is an integration of healthy technique, listening (aural skills) development, and theoretical knowledge. This strong foundation empowers students with the skills to tackle advanced music as well as a variety of musical idioms, including Classical, Jazz, and Pop.
What makes us stand out is our enrichment programs that are geared towards long term success, which include optional sequenced performance opportunities, unique medal-level programs designed to monitor progress from year to year and incentive programs geared towards motivating students with in-home practice.
Each member of our Faculty is carefully selected based on extensive teaching experience and the ability to work with the specific needs of our students. While music-making is at the heart of the lesson, it is always the unique goals of each student – whether a five-year old beginner piano student, an adult voice student, or budding songwriter – that constitute the focal point of instruction.
ISM Experience
Teachers that inspire and engage
We have qualified, caring teachers who are university trained. They are credentialed teachers from some of the best school districts in California. This is because we know that often teachers trained in teaching (and not just all of Beethoven’s sonatas) are better at helping musicians, especially children, achieve each one of their goals.
Our teachers know not only how to teach every corner of music, but how to teach it so that you’re eager to learn, love your music lessons and get a musical education that lasts.
“Teaching and providing the skills for a lifetime is our focus. Enjoyment of music is our mission.”
Some of the lessons we offer:
Piano Lessons that Unlock Virtuosic Technique from the very beginning! In our piano lessons at the Irvine School of Music, special emphasis is placed on teaching the building blocks of a virtuosic technique free of tension and limitations – whether you’re a 4 year old starting piano for the first time or advanced, college-level pianist!
Guitar Lessons are tailored to the student’s interests: our versatile faculty can help students play in a variety of styles including rock, jazz, classical, blues, pop, Spanish, and chording.
Voice Lessons give students a healthy vocal technique to sing in any style of the student’s choice, including Pop, Classical, and Broadway.
Violin Lessons start as young as age 4 can be taught in the Suzuki method, traditional method, or combination of both.
The Children’s Choir provides students ages 5 above a strong vocal and musical foundation, and helps them build essential teamwork and social skills. Students are exposed to a variety of music in this fun group setting, including pop, folk, Glee, and multicultural songs in foreign languages.
Preschool Piano and Music classes are for children ages 3 to 5. These music lessons include a variety of percussive instruments (drums, glockenspiel), stories, pictures, animals personifying various musical concepts, and games to stimulate the interest of the student. Learning transitions into piano through a groundbreaking early childhood piano curriculum.
EST. 2004
Why Choose The Irvine School of Music over any other music school?
We have unmatched convenience with flexible classes offered 7 days a week.
Our qualified, caring faculty are university-trained and include credentialed teachers from local school districts with a passion for teaching music.
Our Core Curriculum is both fun and challenging and matches your goals!
Founded in 2004, Irvine School of Music has given thousands of students all over Southern California the foundational skills for a lifetime enjoyment of music. Students enjoy a wide variety of lessons at am and pm times, seven days of the week. ISM students and their families have a place in their community that is fun, safe, supportive, sparks creativity and interest, builds confidence and shows that there is an exciting way to learn the music you love with joy and passion.
- 25+ highly qualified teachers to choose from with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
- A proprietary 24-Medal Level Curriculum designed bolster progress and motivate students to continue reaching to higher levels
- Royal Conservatory of Music certified instructors who can walk students through the gold standard of musical education
- Personalized instruction tailored to the RCM curriculum from preparation to examination
- Multiple professionally-run performance opportunities every year
- Our Summer and Winter concerts held at local venues
- World Class Concerts on stages like Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Segrestrom Center for the Arts, and Colburn School
- Digital tools to help your musical journey such as Opus1.io to manage your schedule, request recorded lessons and payments and LessonMate.org for seamless and effective organization of weekly practice assignments and medal level tracking
- Exclusive discounts through partnerships with our preferred Orange County vendors, such as Hollywood Piano in Santa Ana, Guitar Center in Fountain Valley, Mo’s Music in Fullerton, and Weisshaar M&R Violin in Costa Mesa
- Practice incentives, such as our token weeks for students to earn prizes for completing homework
- Convenience and flexibility for scheduling makeup lessons
- Month-to-Month lessons at prorated tuition. No long term contracts
- Lessons Coordinators available to you 7 days a week
Our Happiness Guarantee
Love your lessons, or we’ll find you a better fit!
We want you to feel confident knowing that we value your happiness. With Irvine’s unique Happiness Guarantee, you’ll never have to worry about not finding the right fit, the right instructor or the right instrument at our studio.
With over 26 teachers on staff, and a broad selection of private and group classes, supported carefully sequenced enrichment and performance opportunities, our goal is to ensure you are placed with the ideal teacher and program for your needs.
At any time during your enrollment with us, if you feel your teacher is not the right fit for you or you want more out of your lessons, we will find you a better fit. We will have a personalized discussion to assess your unique needs and wants and find YOU the right teacher or class every time.
We want to make sure that your love of music is always number one, so we make your happiness our guarantee.
What everyone has to say!
Irvine School of Music Reviews
Our experience at Irvine School of Music has been nothing short of exceptional, and we couldn't be more grateful for the incredible dedication of Mr. Jonathan as our daughter's violin teacher. From the very beginning, his passion for music and commitment to his students have been evident in every lesson.
Mr. Jonathan has a unique way of inspiring young musicians, balancing technical precision with encouragement and genuine enthusiasm. His patient and tailored approach ensures that each student not only improves their skills but also develops a deep love for the instrument. Our daughter has grown tremendously under his guidance--not just in technique, but in confidence and musicality. He also prepped her so well for her very first recital and we couldn't thank him enough.
The school itself provides a fantastic learning environment, fostering both discipline and creativity. If you're looking for a place where your child will thrive musically, Irvine School of Music and our violin teacher Mr. Jonathan are second to none! We're so thankful to be able to find such a great school and teacher for our daughter! Highly recommended!
Both of my kids, age 7 and 10, have been attending ISM for more than a year. All of their teachers and staff are very good and supportive. They are given small goals to achieve which is very helpful for kids. I highly recommend this school to parents who are looking for a music school for their children.
I started piano at ISM as an adult learner. The lessons were excellent and personalized which I very much appreciate as I am just learning for fun.
Sarah was a wonderful instructor. I love her enthusiasm and feedbacks during the lessons.
Front desk staff was very welcoming and helpful.
Overall, I do recommend taking lessons here. I felt like I received the music education that I sought 🙂
ISM has played an important role in building confidence and musical skills for the kiddos. My oldest has been learning the drums from Peter and describes him as "patient and nice."He's adept at slowing the pace and bringing in different strategies of learning for improved student engagement.
We also have the youngest taking flute lessons and it's music to my ears. I am not entirely musically inclined but can see and hear the improvement. ISM teaches and challenges their students in a supportive way and that's really how I measure effectiveness and success.
The kids enjoy going to ISM and have transitioned well with virtual classes, so we haven't had to push them to attend.
In short, the instructors are student focused and the school is reasonably priced and receptive to feedback. For those reasons, ISM earns an "A major" as our music school here in Irvine.
My son has tried several music schools in the past, and also he has private tutors experiences, and the fact is all do not work out well until he attended ISM. He loves it and the teachers are professional and patient. We are happy that my son can finally find this place that he can enjoy the most.
I have been with the Irvine School of Music for almost 5 years now. I came in with an advanced knowledge of music theory and performance, but of course as the wonderful faculty would teach me there was still much that I needed to learn.
I have opened my eyes to the many different styles of music and have really enjoyed learning them alongside my wonderful instructor Ms. Carole. Whether it be getting ready for a big showcase like Carnegie Hall or perfecting my audition pieces for college Ms. Carole was always there to guide me and help with her knowledge.
The school and Ms. Carole have taught me to truly love my art and I plan on taking it with me to college as I am a graduating senior this year. I will be attending the University of Puget Sound in the fall and will be converting my love and passion for music into my college work with a major in music performance.
Thanks to the Irvine School of Music I have been able to make many of my dreams come true from my Carnegie Hall debut to getting into my number 1 pick for a college. I will be sad to leave such a wonderful program, but I know that what I have learned from my teacher and this school will be with me wherever my music takes me in the future.
My daughter has been attending Irvine School Of Music for almost a year now and she loves it! She currently takes Glee Choir with Miss Ginger and Piano with Alex. They are both wonderful teachers who have really encouraged her.
She has learned so much and has really gained a lot of confidence. The school is very well run and Alma and Cameron have both been very helpful in making the decisions as to which classes were best for my daughter. It's really a wonderful place for kids who are interested in music and offers a lot of variety with opportunities to perform.
Amazing music school, the drum teacher, Peter, is very patient and kind! My daughter has been taking lessons here for about a year and I have seen a lot of improvement and she seems to really enjoy going to the lessons. I would definitely recommend this school.
My kids love Mrs Bernadette and ISM. She has built their love of piano and music and confidence in themselves so much!
