Blue Bear School of Music

Blue Bear School of Music offers Little Bears classes for 6 months through 5 years old with caregivers, private lessons for kids and teens for ages 5 and up, All Star Bands for grades 6-12, summer camps for grades 1-12, DJ Classes for middle- and high-school students, group music classes for ages 19 and up, private music lessons for ages 5-95, and band workshops for ages 21 and up. Its classes and lessons include most instruments and voice, songwriting, recording projects, DJing, guitar, ukulele, bass, piano and keys, drums, and genres such as Rock, R&B, Jazz, and Blues.

Programs

• Little Bears — 6 mos. – 5 yrs. (and caregivers!) · Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday; times vary by location
• Private lessons for Kids & Teens — Ages 5 and up · Start anytime · Most instruments & voice; all levels; personalized instruction tailored to the child’s interests and ability; discounted first lesson to try out a teacher.
• All Star Bands — Grades 6-12 · Middle- and high-schoolers; school-year-long program; includes learning new songs, songwriting, and recording projects.
• Summer Camps — Grades 1-12 · Monday through Friday, 10 am-3 pm; 4 pm Friday performance · Week-long music day camps at Fort Mason; also available DJ and Producer Camps.
• DJ Classes — Middle- and high-school students · Beat Collectives for middle- and high-school students.
• Group Music Classes — Ages 19+ · For adults; in-person and online music classes for all skill levels.
• Private Music Lessons — Ages 5-95 · Start anytime · For adults; most instruments & voice; all levels; discounted first lesson.
• Group Music Classes — Ages 19+ · For adults; offers guitar, ukulele, bass, voice, songwriting, piano & keys, drums, and DJing.
• Band Workshops — Ages 21+ · Join a band, rehearse, then gig; music genres include Rock, R&B, Jazz, and Blues.

At a glance

• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Current session: Bear Sprouts - Fall session (Sep 14–Nov 2, 2026)
• General schedule: Little Bears classes are offered year-round; classes outdoors in parks in San Francisco since July 2020; Little Bears is currently enrolling students in all classes for 2026.
• Facility hours: Monday - Thursday | 1-8 pm; Friday | closed; Saturday | 10:30 am - 3:30 pm; Sunday | closed

About the provider

Blue Bear School of Music has been serving students since 1971, and Little Bears classes have been offered since 2007. The school says its teachers are professional musicians with many years of experience in the music industry, and it has employed more than 60 teaching musicians. Its mission statement says it partners with respected organizations in San Francisco and brings free music instruction to underserved populations, with a commitment to social equity through teaching popular music. The school also reports partnerships with schools, shelters, and community centers, outreach to more than 500 children and young adults in the last year, and more than 2,000 students per year.

Little Bears includes a free trial; class packs must be used in consecutive weeks; one cancellation in a 5 pack and two cancellations in a 10 pack are allowed; canceled classes are added to the end of the pack; packs may be extended by a week if Blue Bear cancels; drop-ins are allowed if the class is not full; if tuition is a burden, there is a sliding scale; if enrolling 2x weekly or with two children, there is a 60% discount on the second class.

What families say

“Thank you so much for being so professional, patient and passionate about music and mentoring our kids.” — Marianne, Little Bears parent

“A good friend of mine told me about Blue Bear and the incredible work they've been doing. I jumped at the chance to celebrate their 50th anniversary by jamming some Bowie with their teen all-star band. They’ve been teaching kids to rock since 1971! I love Blue Bear…the original school of rock!!!” — Jack Black (actor, rocker, video game enthusiast)

“I cannot tell you how helpful it has been to help my kid grow not only as a musician, but as a person.” — Irene, All Star Band parent

Last updated September 4, 2026.