The Florida Arts School is a small, 30-year-old school that offers private lessons in music, dance and acting. Musical options include voice, guitar, piano, woodwinds, brass and percussion.
The studio is owned by Linda Switzer, an opera singer and musical theater performer, who is an adjunct professor of voice at St. Petersburg College. The school organizes a few group performance opportunities, some of which are open to, and focus around, children.
American School of Rock, a studio founded as a guitar school in 2003, has two locations in Tampa that cater to all ages but is predominantly filled with younger students. Take group or private guitar lessons, (rock, blues, jazz, classical, country); lessons in cello, violin and viola, saxophone, flute, clarinet, midi, drum or bass.
Students can also take lessons in their home for guitar, bass, piano and voice, if they are unable to come to the studio.
The organization has nearly 10 guitar instructors, and one or two instructors for every other instrument offered.
The University of Tampa, a private university that offers a degree in music under the College of Arts and Letters, is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music. Focus in the bachelor's degree program is on music education, music in performance, a bachelor's in music, electronic media art and technology, and a minor in music.
The University of South Florida, Tampa, under the expansive arts and sciences undergraduate umbrella, has three music-centric programs offering concentrations in general music studies or music education. There is also the School of Music, which allows students to combine or choose from performance, education, jazz studies, composition, piano pedagogy and instruction in orchestral instruments.
The USF School of Music fosters an artistic environment, features a complete electronic music studio, and offers plenty of performance and ensemble opportunities.
Patel Conservatory is a center for the performing arts that hosts a multitude of events and showcases, based on the Conservatory's classes in dance, theater and music.
Lessons are open to all ages and levels of experience in both instrumental and vocal technique. The Conservatory offer a youth orchestra, vocal arts program, jazz program, rock school, pre-kindergarten classes, Suzuki violin technique classes, guitar studies, and summer classes and private lessons. They even offer free classes during certain times of the year.
The Patel Conservatory is a great way to link education with real performance.
While many of the smaller music programs focus on instrumental performance or vocal instruction, definitely steer toward the collegiate schools if you want to expand your education into music studies, music education or audio production. Of course, the best way to choose a music program or institution is to visit and speak with the students and faculty to determine if the environment suits your individual style and needs.