When We Play Together: The Power of Collaboration in Music Lessons

Collaboration is at the heart of music—and of learning.
At our school, music goes far beyond practicing notes alone. Students learn that the real magic happens when they listen, share, and build something bigger together. Collaboration shows up everywhere—whether they’re rehearsing a duet, teaming up in the Music Learning Lab, or bringing the energy of a full band to life.

Why Collaboration Matters:

  • 🎶 Musical Growth: Students sharpen their timing and balance when they play with others. They learn to match dynamics, adjust rhythms, and blend tones.
  • 🤝 Life Skills: Collaboration teaches respect, patience, and communication—skills that students carry into classrooms, friendships, and future careers.
  • 🌟 Confidence: When students share their ideas and cheer each other on, they grow braver and more willing to take creative risks.

Collaboration in Action:
We have Rock Band camps where kids get together to play in a group. This can be a very new experience for them to need to play the part of an instrument, which may be one they’re very familiar with or a newer one. Sometimes teachers and students have duets for performances as well. This added layer of musical performance energizes many into reaching higher for their personal goals. More instruments and more people involved – up to a band or an orchestra – can motivate students in their lessons at home.

Learning about collaboration and how each person within a group will come to the music differently also adds to the challenge of playing together. It assists students to manage teamwork in settings where they can’t choose their team but need to complete a project. Many of these young, confident musical collaborators grow into tomorrow’s leaders.

That transformation is what collaboration looks like. A single instrument sounds beautiful, but harmony happens when voices and instruments join together. Every time our students collaborate, they learn that music—and life—is richer when shared.

Instrument Petting Zoo

Picking an Instrument

Busy Sunday afternoon, 11/10 at 3pm? Interested in music lessons, but need help picking an instrument? MTMS is holding a special FREE event – Instrument Petting Zoo!

Try All the Instruments

This event is open to the public. Everyone is invited to come try out an instrument or several. We’re all fans of “the more, the merrier!” Our teachers will be there offering free mini-lessons.

Fundraising for Our Local Food Bank

If you try a free music lesson on one of our instruments and like it, consider enrolling in a sampler. Our 4-week beginner lessons samplers require no long-term commitment. And in November, we’re donating 50% of all Music Lessons Sampler proceeds to GRIN (Gahanna Residents in Need).

Plenty of Instruments to Choose From

Worried your instrument of choice won’t be around? Don’t be! Here’s a list of musical instruments you can try at our Instrument Petting Zoo event.

  • Piano
  • Guitar
  • Ukulele
  • Bass
  • Drums
  • Saxophone
  • Clarinet
  • Trumpet
  • Flute
  • Violin
  • Cello
  • Recorder
  • Harmonica
  • Voice

Call or text us (614) 418-7110 if you want to see something that isn’t on the list and we will do our best!

Teachers being teachery: Violin lessons at Michelle Tuesday Music School in Gahanna, Ohio

Teach Me Something New

Michelle asked to learn something new from her students and fans, and you responded. What did we learn? So much! This edition is specifically for artists, songs, or instruments that we don’t already know because of geographic, religious, or cultural origin.

British Singer-Songwriter Ewan McColl

From New Zealand, including some Maori language:

Maori Instrument: Taonga Puoro

Portuguese Guitar (guitarra portuguesa)

Shulem Lemmer

Keith Jarrett

The Köln Concert – Wikipedia

Poor Man’s Poison

Baba Yetu by Stellenbosch University Choir

How to Make Gravy by Paul Kelly

From the UUA general assembly Sunday Service 2020: We Are

Anything else we should learn? Feel free to post in the comments or send us an email at lessons@michelletuesday.com or text 614-418-7110. We love learning new music and sharing it with everyone else.

February Theme: Marching Band

This month in the music lab check out the stations for Marching Bands. If you didn’t know, OSU has the largest band in college football with 228 members. Local high schools also have marching bands, perhaps you’ve seen them at the games.

Marching bands make interesting shapes and move during the music. Below are a song and a show done by Marching Bands to give you a good idea of what the students are learning.

Rock’n’Roll Playlist

We’ve been talking about the three stations in the Rock’n’Roll space in the lab. Last week was the compositions in NoteFlight and the first week of December we talked about the music history of Rock’n’Roll.

The third station that rounds this all out is the listening station. We compiled a playlist of Rock’n’roll for students to take time out and just listen. Everyone gains benefits listening to music, whether it is stress relief or lowering blood pressure or simply activating both sides of the brain for better studying. This station is set for learning about Rock’n’Roll, though, so buckle up for some great music.

Would you like to listen? Click here. I’m listening to it today. There are some great songs!