Stafford Music Academy

Stafford Music Academy offers private music lessons, group lessons, Pay-As-You-Go lessons, in-home lessons, and Opening Acts classes. Private music lessons are listed for children and adults, with students generally ready by around age 5 or 6. Opening Acts classes are recommended for children younger than 5 and are offered throughout the school year and summer.

Programs

• Private music lessons — Children and adults; generally students are ready by around age 5 or 6. · $34–$49 per class
• Opening Acts classes — Children younger than 5. · Throughout the school year and summer. · Recommended for children younger than 5.
• Group lessons — Children and adults. · $46–$64 per class · Group lesson rates are listed for 2 students/lesson and 3 students/lesson.
• Pay-As-You-Go lessons — Children and adults. · $37–$52 per class · For families with very erratic schedules; lessons still need to be paid for in advance.
• In-home lessons — Children and adults. · $39–$54 per class · Teachers can be sent to students’ homes to teach lessons; availability is quite limited.

At a glance

• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Price range: $34–$64 per class
• General schedule: Private lessons are offered; Opening Acts classes are offered throughout the school year and summer.
• Facility hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-7pm; Friday 9am-6pm; Sat/Sun by appointment only

About the provider

Stafford Music Academy was established in 2005 by Bloomington native Christopher Stafford and is now owned by Jessica Harris. Some instructors are professional musicians, while others are current or graduated students of Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. All teachers have passed extensive screening and background checks. The program says it is committed to providing high-quality music lessons in Bloomington, Indiana to both children and adults and has helped bring music to thousands of lives.

Students are generally ready for private lessons by around age 5 or 6. For students younger than 5, Opening Acts classes are recommended; free 15-minute trial lessons are offered to evaluate readiness. If students’ attention spans are short, 15-minute lessons are offered for $10 each until the student is ready for 30-minute lessons.

What families say

“My daughter has been taking guitar for over a year now and each week she is eager to go to Stafford Music.” — -NV

“Our daughter has been a piano student at Stafford since last spring. She adores her instructor, who manages to make each lesson fun and interesting. We also love the close proximity to her school — it’s so convenient. All in all, we are very satisfied and hope to keep our daughter at Stafford for years to come!” — -SR

Last updated September 4, 2026.