Violin Kickstart begins Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
If you've thought about learning violin but aren't quite sure what signing up for a beginner course actually means, this is for you.
Maybe you don't own a violin yet. Maybe you haven't read music since elementary school—or ever. Maybe the idea of playing something in front of another person sounds mildly terrifying.
You do not need to arrive already knowing how to be a violin student.
Violin Kickstart is a four-week beginner cohort designed to help adults actually begin: with guidance, a small learning community, individual support, and a clearer idea of what and how to practice between classes. Here's exactly what to expect.
This Is for Actual Beginners
You do not need previous violin experience to join.
One of the biggest barriers to learning an instrument as an adult is the feeling that everyone else somehow already knows what they're doing. In Kickstart, being new isn't something you need to hide or catch up from. It's the shared starting point.
We'll work on the foundations of playing in manageable pieces, and we'll pay attention to how you learn—not just whether you can get something right immediately.
The goal of four weeks isn't to turn anyone into an advanced violinist. It's to help you cross the much more important first threshold: from "I've always wanted to learn violin" to "I'm learning violin."
You Won't Have to Figure Everything Out Before September 22
Beginning violin comes with surprisingly practical questions: Do I need to buy a violin? What size? What else do I need? Where should I practice? How much should I practice? What if I can't read music? What if my setup at home isn't ideal?
Those are beginner questions, not prerequisites.
Before the cohort begins, you'll receive guidance to help you get ready, including recommendations for creating a comfortable online learning and practice setup. There will also be opportunities before the first class to ask questions and get oriented, so September 22 doesn't have to feel like walking into something completely unknown.
The Four Tuesdays
The Fall 2026 Violin Kickstart meets weekly for four Tuesdays.
| Week | Date | What We'll Do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Tuesday, September 22 | Meet one another, start making music, introduce your practice resources, and get clear on what to work on during your first week. |
| Week 2 | Tuesday, September 29 | Build from your first week of playing, troubleshoot what felt confusing, and continue developing the foundations together. |
| Week 3 | Tuesday, October 6 | Keep building skills while moving toward greater independence—noticing what's working and making useful adjustments when you practice. |
| Week 4 | Tuesday, October 13 | Bring the first month together with an informal Group Studio, reflect on what changed, and talk about where violin could go from here. |
Classes are currently planned for 5:00–6:10 PM Mountain Time.
What Happens Between Classes?
This isn't meant to be a course where you attend once a week and spend the other six days wondering what you were supposed to do.
You'll receive a clear practice assignment after class and access to Practice Pals, a developing practice-support experience designed to break violin practice into smaller, more approachable steps.
During the cohort, you'll also have opportunities to submit practice asynchronously for feedback. That support is optional—you don't have to constantly record yourself or prove that you've practiced. It's there because one of the hardest parts of being a beginner is not always knowing whether what you're doing at home is moving you in the right direction.
You Also Get Individual Time With Rae
Group learning can offer something private lessons can't: other beginners. You get to see that someone else has questions, awkward moments, breakthroughs, and completely different strengths than you do. Learning doesn't have to happen in isolation.
But sometimes a question really does need individual attention. That's why Kickstart also includes one private violin lesson during the four-week cohort—time we can use for the things that are particularly yours: your setup, technique, questions, learning style, or something that isn't clicking yet.
Will I Have to Perform?
Not in the high-pressure sense of the word.
The cohort ends with a Group Studio experience where we'll have an opportunity to share what we've learned. Think "look what we can do now" rather than "prove how good you are."
Learning alongside other adults means getting to celebrate progress that might seem tiny from the outside: making a clearer sound, figuring out a musical pattern, getting through something that felt impossible two weeks earlier, or simply becoming more comfortable holding the instrument. Those things count.
What If I'm Nervous About Learning in a Group?
That's normal—and it's one reason the cohort is intentionally structured around beginners.
You won't be entering a room of experienced musicians and trying to keep up. You'll meet other adults who are also figuring things out. There will be opportunities for peer connection, including small breakout conversations, but the course isn't built around competition or comparison.
People learn differently and progress differently. That's expected here.
What If I'm Busy and Can't Practice for an Hour Every Day?
You don't need an hour.
One of the things we'll work on is learning how to practice usefully, rather than assuming that more time automatically means better learning. A short, focused practice can accomplish a lot—especially when you know what you're listening for and what you're trying to change.
Kickstart is designed to help violin begin fitting into your real life, not require your life to reorganize itself around violin.
What If I Can't Read Music?
You can still begin. Reading music is a skill, not an entrance exam.
We'll use listening, demonstration, repetition, visual information, and other tools as appropriate while building musical understanding over time. Different learners may connect with different parts of that process at different speeds. You don't have to arrive fluent in a musical language you haven't learned yet.
What If I Don't Have a Violin Yet?
Please don't let that stop you from being interested in the course. You don't need to buy a violin just to find out whether you enjoy learning it. Renting can be a relatively inexpensive way to begin.
For a standard beginner violin, Denver-area rental prices are commonly around $20–$50 per month, depending on the instrument, shop, insurance or maintenance coverage, and rental agreement. Some rental programs also let part of your monthly payments accumulate toward a future instrument purchase, and shops occasionally run introductory specials such as a free first month. That means getting an instrument for your first month of violin does not necessarily require making a several-hundred-dollar purchase. Rental programs commonly include the violin, bow, and case, although what's included varies by shop.
I'll provide guidance around renting or purchasing an appropriate beginner instrument so you can make an informed decision without having to become a violin-shopping expert first. And if you're not sure what you're looking at? That's part of beginning, too.
What Happens If I Need Help During the Month?
Ask. Kickstart includes multiple layers of support rather than relying exclusively on the weekly class:
- Four live group classes
- One private lesson
- Clear weekly practice assignments
- Practice Pals practice support
- Optional asynchronous practice feedback
- Opportunities to ask questions and learn alongside other adult beginners
The intention isn't to remove every frustrating moment from learning violin. Some things take repetition, patience, experimentation, and time. The intention is to make sure you have somewhere to go when you encounter them.
What Happens After October 13?
You don't need to decide that before you begin.
At the end of the cohort, we'll talk about what you've learned, what you want next, and what continuing could look like. There will be an opportunity to learn about a follow-on level for students who want to keep building.
But the first goal is simpler: start, spend four weeks actually learning, then make your next decision with more information than you have today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need violin experience to join Violin Kickstart?
No. Violin Kickstart is built for adults with no prior experience, as well as adults returning to violin after time away. Being new is the shared starting point, not something to catch up from.
Do I need to own a violin before the cohort starts?
No. You can rent an instrument affordably, and guidance on choosing between renting and buying is provided before the cohort begins.
What if I can't read music?
That's fine. Reading music is a skill you build over time, not a requirement to begin. Listening, demonstration, and repetition are all part of how Kickstart introduces musical understanding.
Will I have to perform in front of others?
Not in a high-pressure way. The cohort ends with a low-key Group Studio to share progress, framed around celebrating what you've learned rather than proving how good you are.
What happens after the four weeks of Violin Kickstart end?
You don't need to decide anything before you begin. At the end of the cohort, you'll learn about what continuing could look like, including a follow-on level for students who want to keep building.
Curious About Joining Violin Kickstart?
If you've been carrying around some version of "I'd love to learn violin someday" for a while, you don't need to know whether you'll become a violinist for life. You just need a place to begin.
Getting on the list doesn't commit you to anything or enroll you in the cohort—it just means I'll personally follow up with enrollment and payment details before the Fall 2026 cohort begins.
Learn More About Violin Kickstart
