About Magnolia Music School
Magnolia Music School in Oakland is a lively and welcoming studio that offers private lessons, group classes, and youth choirs for children aged 6 to 18. Specializing in guitar, ukulele, voice, and songwriting, the school emphasizes self-expression, collaboration, and confidence-building. The teaching approach is friendly and encouraging, focusing on student enjoyment and creativity rather than traditional sheet music. Parents praise the school for its positive environment and effective instruction, especially highlighting the talents of teachers like Sara Jayne and Kat White. Students, including young children, thrive under their guidance, enjoying lessons that are fun, structured, and engaging. Many children leave lessons feeling happy, confident, and excited to learn more. Group classes are lively and filled with laughter, creating a joyful atmosphere where kids can develop their skills and love for music. The space itself is warm, inviting, and filled with special details that make it feel magical, inspiring both children and adults. Magnolia Music School is seen as a wonderful addition to the neighborhood, nurturing creativity and a lifelong love of music in every student who walks through its doors.
Magnolia Music School has been such a wonderful experience for our family. My 8-year-old daughter has been taking group ukulele lessons with Sara for the past four months, and the growth we've seen in such a short time has been incredible. Sara is an exceptional teacher -- patient, encouraging, and incredibly skilled at working with kids in a way that builds both confidence and joy. My daughter is now so inspired that she's ready to move into private 1:1 lessons starting January 2026, which says everything about how positive and motivating this experience has been. Magnolia truly feels like a special place. There's a strong sense of community, creativity, and care that comes through in everything they do. We feel very grateful to be part of it and so thankful to have both Sara and Kat in my daughter's life. I'm beyond excited to see how she continues to grow and thrive next year. Highly recommend Magnolia Music School to any family looking for thoughtful, high-quality music education in a warm and supportive environment.
We have had such a wonderful experience at Magnolia Music School over the last 4 months! My 7-year-old daughter has been taking ukulele lessons with Sara Jayne, and I really can't say enough good things about her.
My daughter has tried both the group classes and private lessons, and she absolutely loves them. It’s rare to find an activity where she consistently leaves happy and excited for the next one, but that’s always the case here.
Sara Jayne is fantastic with this age group. She has a great way of keeping the kids' attention and makes the learning process fun while still being structured. She does an excellent job of reviewing past concepts and building...read full review
Our 7-year-old daughter, Rory, adores her weekly lessons with Sara Jayne and is learning the ukulele so quickly! She started out with Sara Jayne in Ukulele 1 with a small group of girls, and every week I could hear (from the sitting room) the group engaged and laughing. Rory would always come out glowing and with a bounce in her step. We recently started 1-on-1 lessons with Sara Jayne and Rory is making even more progress and building confidence. We love Magnolia Music School!