Violin Beginner I is the first part of a two-part introductory course that teaches the basic set-up fundamentals of playing the violin. At the end of this 8-week course students will have learned how to hold their violins, hold their bows, play the A Major Scale in first position, establish good posture playing while standing, be able to make a clean and solid tone on the E and A strings, and will perform French Folk Song from memory at the recital. Students will learn about famous violinists with unusual origins in a short lecture at the beginning of each class.

Techniques Covered: A Major Scale, Bowing + Playing, Ear Training, Instrument Tuning, Instrument Care, Bow Care, Instrument Hold, Bow Hold, How to play in time with a group.

Violin Beginner II is the second part of a two-part introductory course that teaches the basic set-up fundamentals of playing the violin. At the end of this 8-week course students will increase their comfort and familiarity with holding their violin and bows, play the G Major Scale in first position, reinforce good posture playing while standing, be able to make a clean and solid tone on the E, A and D strings, and will perform Old Joe Clark from memory at the recital.  This class is focused on increasing the flexibility and control of the bow as students learn the technique of playing double stops. Students will learn about living violinists, that come through the region that they can see perform live, in a short lecture at the beginning of each class.   

Techniques Covered:G Major Scale, Bowing Double Stops, Introduction to Rhythm, How to Read Rhythm, Keeping Straight Bows, Having accurate left hand fingers. 

Violin Intermediate is the first part of a two-part intermediate course that takes students who have a basic setup through an introduction of how to read treble clef and how to strengthen their rhythm studies. Over the course of 8-weeks students will have opportunities to sight-read new sections of music, learn how to play with good posture while seated, experience harmony in a three-part round, learn how to slur two notes over string crossings and will perform Dona Nobis Pacem reading off of sheet music in three parts at the recital. This class is focused on expanding the basic technique that was built in Beginner I + II as it hones in on long-tone production and mastering time and established rhythm exercises.

Techniques Covered: Two Octave G Major Scale, Slurred Notes, Introducing Fourth Finger, Learning notes of the Treble Clef, learning how to read and play at the same time.

Violin Advanced is the second part of a two-part intermediate course that helps forge student's new knowledge of reading treble clef and rhythms with a challenging piece of repertoire that focuses on uneven note lengths and non-step-wise-moving notes. Students will learn how to shift into third position this semester and will work on bow control with long-held notes and dynamics to perform Ashokan Farewell at the recital.

Techniques Covered: Two Octave D Major Scale, Shifting into third position, sight-reading, whole bows. Intro to vibrato exercises.

Violin Advanced II introduces students to fiddle music and students will perform Jolie Blon, a traditional Cajun folk song at the recital. Students will learn how to improvise and take solos over changes using pentatonic scales. This course will focus on communication between other players and learning how to gain the confidence to play solo in front of other players. This course is also designed for students who want to join Jam Ensemble after this class. Students have the option to join Jam Ensemble after Violin Advanced II or can continue on to Violin Advanced III where advanced classical techniques will be covered. (Or both!)

Techniques Covered: Two Octave A Major Scale, E, A, D minor Pentatonic scales, sight-reading, swung/shuffle rhythm, chart reading, soloing and improvising, vibrato exercises.

After Violin Advanced II, students can continue onto the following classes:

Violin Advanced III
Jam Ensemble

Violin Advanced III introduces students to chamber music and students will perform Prelude from Five Duets for 2 violins and piano by Dmitri Shostakovich at the recital. Students will continue to study advanced technique concepts like vibrato, finger articulation, tone production, and will learn how to shift into third position on all four strings and will be introduced to fifth position on the E string. This course explores the beginning concepts of chamber music and playing a piece with two different parts. This course is designed for students who want to advance their violin technique and will prepare them for playing in a classical-style ensemble.

Techniques Covered: Two Octave B minor Scale, C, D Two-Octave Major Scales in third position, chamber music, using vibrato, shifting into third position on all strings, introduction to fifth position.

After Violin Advanced III, students can continue onto the following classes:

Violin Super Advanced
Jam Ensemble

Violin Super Advanced is the highest level of violin techniques class offered at Bantam Studios. This class gives students the opportunity to hone the skills that they've learned in previous semesters by learning advanced repertoire and by studying advanced techniques, drills, and études. Super Advanced is set on a four-class cycle that will help students strengthen their ensemble skills and gain the confidence needed to move to a multi-instrument ensemble.

Techniques Covered: All two octave G, A, B, C, D, E, F major and minor scales. Using third and fifth position on all four strings. Introduction to 7th position, using vibrato. Complex rhythm and harmony studies.

Students can repeat Super Advanced for multiple semesters and then should continue onto the following classes:

Chamber Strings Beginner
Jam Ensemble

Guitar Beginner is an introductory course that teaches the basic set-up fundamentals of playing the guitar. At the end of this 8-week course students will have learned how to hold the guitar, develop a solid, consistent tone, learn the A, Am, C, D, Dm, E, E, F and G chords, develop basic picking technique, learn common strumming patterns, and learn the chord progressions for Free Falling, Stand By Me, Jolene, and Let it Be. 

Techniques Covered: Fretting and left hand technique, vocabulary of first position chords and common strumming patterns, playing with a pick, basic rhythmic notation, reading a lead sheet, basic chord harmony, instrument tuning, instrument care, how to play in time with a group.

Guitar Intermediate is an intermediate course that takes students who have a basic setup and vocabulary of first position chords through an introduction playing single note melodies and developing a solid understanding of reading tablature. Over the course of 8-weeks students will develop their skills of picking single note melodies and riffs, learn the G Major Scale, learn to read and feel 16th notes and syncopations, learn alternating picking technique, learn shifting into various positions on guitar. The class will also focus on addressing how to pick up and learn songs quickly, and students will study a rotating variety of repertoire. This class is focused on expanding the basic technique that was built in Beginner I as it hones in on picking dexterity, tone production and mastering time and established rhythm exercises. 

Techniques Covered: Two octave G Major scale, alternating picking, playing riffs, lead lines and melodies, reading tablature, reading 16th notes and syncopations, playing double stops. 

Guitar Advanced focuses on combining chordal and melodic playing and developing a basic finger picking ability. Students will learn transposable major scale patterns, Bar Chords, and will perform an arrangement of Freight Train at the recital. This course is also designed for students who want to join Folk Jam after this class. 

Techniques Covered: Major scales in transposable positions, finger picking, combining chords and melody, alternating bass lines, bar chords.

After Guitar Advanced, students can continue onto the following classes:

Folk Jam