The Folk Farm - Music School - Sebastopol, California

M L.

I’ve taken the Dual Harmony class two times, the Harmony Singing class once, and had individual voice lessons with Michaela. Not only have I learned and improved a lot but the joy and energy in the classes make each one a fun and uplifting experience.

The group classes bring a camaraderie with the other students/musicians and the teachers as well. And Michaela is a wonderful, understanding teacher who uses a variety of different techniques to coach a student along to improving. She is not just a great singer – she is a great teacher.

Without reservation, I recommend the Folk Farm for anyone wanting to learn and improve their music skills and have a good time doing it.

Lexi J.

The Folk Farm Music School is an absolute treasure for our community. Michaela Mae has created a place for people from all walks of life and experience levels to join together in joyfully creating music. I have taken three classes with the folk farm: bluegrass jamming, duet singing, and roots rhythm guitar. Each class has offered me a safe place to learn new songs, strengthen my technique, and best of all, play with other musicians! The teachers are patient, passionate, and talented. It has been a joy to learn from Michaela, Sam, David, and Ryan. I am truly awed that this amazing musical hub has cropped up in our little community and my gratitude to Michaela is boundless. I recommend this wonderful school for music lovers new and old.

Steve V.

I have been trying for several years to find my perfect fit to develop my musical skills with the mandolin. There are teachers and there are instructors and then I found The Folk Farm quite by accident. With some investigating, I became very comfortable with the offer of a class on intermediate bluegrass jamming. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be playing music with my new friends. This class in the short period has allowed me to finally engage and be able to really play and progress and feel good that I’m part of a group of likeminded musicians. So good that I’m continuing with the courses at The Folk Farm.
Well worth it! Steve H.

Jean F.

I loved my group beginning guitar class at the Folk Farm Music School. The teachers are wonderful and very responsive to the different learning needs of each student. We learned by playing wonderful music. I especially appreciated the videos that were emailed to us so if felt like I was working with the teachers at home. And there were lots of very practical tips. It felt comfortable to jump right in regardless of the playing ability.

Matthew K.

The Folk Farm is the best! I came into the intermediate bluegrass jam class with very little prior experience in bluegrass or group jams. Michaela, Mary, and everyone involved with the Folk Farm are such a joy to play music with and be around. They've created a super supportive environment that definitely pushed me to grow as a musician. Highly recommend!

Julia R.

10/10 would recommend FFMS! This is an awesome resource for people looking to learn or grow their musical talent. I did the duet singing class twice and loved working with both Michaela and Ryan. Not only did I learn so much from both of them (and everyone in the group), but they are hilarious and have such great rapport with each other. I loved that they challenged me to get out of my comfort zone while also making me feel comfortable to do so. The other students are awesome too and I have made so many friends from this community. The show at the end is really fun to see what the other students are learning 🙂 I also started doing private singing/guitar lessons with Michaela and I feel like I’m learning so quickly. TLDR: great vibes, great community, incredible instructors ✌️

Brynn O.

I'm about to start my third series of duet singing classes, and my only regret is not signing up sooner! The Folk Farm has incredible teachers - Michaela and Ryan in particular - and a welcoming, beautiful community of musicians at all levels. I also take private lessons with Michaela weekly, and it is one of my favorite things that I do for myself each week. I had been searching for a school like this for YEARS!

Milo Z.

I enrolled in The Folk Farm’s Intermediate Bluegrass Jamming Class last fall. We learned six tunes over eight weeks. I was new to singing and strumming at the same time, and I found the class welcoming and supportive as I learned these skills. We also learned and practiced how to kick off a tune and how to communicate with other players during a jam. The class was a safe place to learn these skills. Part of learning is making mistakes, and I made plenty, so I learned a lot, not just about bluegrass jamming, but also about being comfortable making errors. The class is about becoming better players at a jam and having fun doing it. Michaela and her teaching partners have helped make me a better bluegrass jam participant. I found the class so useful and fun that I signed up for the next Intermediate jam class at The Folk Farm that starts in January.