Playing Ensembles | Building Community Through Music
There's nothing quite like finding your people through music. Our playing ensembles bring musicians together around shared styles and sounds—from rock and blues to jazz, bluegrass, chamber, and vocal groups—offering a space to rehearse, perform, and build community with others who love the same music you do.
Friendship and fun come together in our Youth Ensembles, where kids play and sing together in a variety of ways. Whether it’s our Children’s Choir, Ukestra, Girls Rock Singing Group, or ensembles for fiddle or piano, there are a ton of great ways to get your kiddos making music together.
Youth Ensembles are a great option for students who:
own or rent their own instrument,
are excited to explore music in a supportive group setting, and
Have substantial prior experience on their instrument (varies depending on class, read each class description for details)
Keeping up with trends, memes, and slang is hard, but keeping up with options for teenagers looking to lock in with likeminded groups across jazz, rock, and classical music is easy!
Options for Teen Ensembles include:
Rock bands
Chamber ensembles
Folk & Traditional music groups
Jazz ensembles
Pick traditional tunes, swap breaks, and get to know the high-energy spirit of bluegrass. You’ll explore steady groove, vocal harmony, and the art of passing solos around the circle.
Fostering iconic songwriters like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Carole King, Crosby Stills & Nash, Laurel Canyon helped defined the folk, country, and the singer-songwriter sound. This group celebrates the catalogs of these songwriting greats, for vocalists and instrumentalists alike!
Gather around timeless songs—from ballads to contemporary folk—and shape them together. These groups emphasize listening, steady rhythm, and shared musical storytelling.
Plug in, turn up, and learn what it means to make music with a group that listens as much as it plays. You’ll rehearse together, build tight arrangements, and take songs from the practice room to the stage.
Learn the language of swing, groove, and spontaneous musical conversation. You’ll explore classic jazz forms and learn how to interact musically in real time.
Small groups where every instrument has a voice and musical ideas are shared, traded, and refined together. Explore pieces written for tight, collaborative playing and learn how to shape phrasing, color, and timing as a team.
The Vocal Folk Group explores the rich landscape of folk music in America and beyond, learning melodies passed down through aural traditions while uncovering the cultural and historical stories behind the songs.
Coastal Blenders is a spirited, open-arm ensemble that sings everything from social justice inspired folk and gospel to country, rock, showtunes, and rounds—inviting members to learn by ear and from notation as we explore music that speaks to the moment.
Voices blend, shift, and support one another in shared song. Rehearsals explore texture, phrasing, and style while building a vibrant choral sound.
Join us in person for the Community Ukulele Ensemble or join from home with the Online Deep Roots Ukulele Jam.
Chamber Singers, led by Bethany Perkins, is open to singers of all voice types and levels and offers a friendly introduction to early music—from Baroque to Classical—through small-group singing. No prior experience is needed; a willingness to learn and enjoy the process is all that’s required.