Rachel loves instilling the joy of music in children of all ages and offering exciting musical experiences to adults of all experience levels.

Rachel’s upbeat, engaging teaching style is grounded in nearly two decades of involvement in public and Montessori schools, camps, and community centers, including six years of full-time teaching in public elementary school music. She has the official qualifications (degrees in music education and piano performance), as well as the hands-on, intuitive experience to walk into a wide range of situations and understand exactly what’s needed to inspire and empower the individuals and the group.

All options listed below are available in virtual form at this time and will resume in person as soon as it is safe.

Classes for children

Every Crab Apple Jam Music Class is packed to the brim with hands-on, creative fun that builds musical skills as well as essential life skills. Whether your group is small or large, in-person or virtual, content will be catered to meet the needs, goals, and developmental levels of participants. Rachel offers everything from mommy-n-me musical playgroups for toddlers to dulcimer clubs for elementary-age kids.

Children will be captivated by the rich array of puppets, ribbons, songs, dulcimers, boomwhackers, bells, drums, and more. Each session is active and immersive, with movement and dance as essential elements in the learning process. Rachel strives to equip kids with the tools they need to enjoy a lifetime of music-making well into the future.

Classes include:

• Music for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers (and their caregivers!)

• Dulcimer classes (ages 6–12, or a multi-generational activity)

• Folk dances for the whole family

• Dulcimers, drums, and dances (ages 5–12)

• Story songs and music games (ages 3–10)

• “Cabin Fever” (songs and activities to keep us warm in the winter)

• World Music (ages 5–12)

• Intergenerational music party (for preschoolers and nursing home residents together)

Classes for individuals & groups of all ages

Beginners and advanced students alike will appreciate Rachel’s nurturing and motivational approach. No matter the skill level, participants will be guided through compelling material that helps them refine technique, deepen musical capacity, and fall in love with the process.

Rachel’s thriving roster of individual lessons and her full calendar of camps and workshops are a testament to how much people enjoy learning from her and how enriching they find these sessions.

Topics for lessons and workshops include:

• Piano accordion

• Ensemble skills

• Playing music for dances

• Repertoire development

• French BalFolk music

• English country dance music

• Tune composition

Rachel also offers virtual lessons. Click the image to learn more. Inquire for pricing. 

“Rachel Bell enthusiastically shared her musical gifts with our library story hour children. The little tots and their caregivers had such a good time singing songs, playing a wide variety of musical instruments and manipulating hand puppets. Rachel's demeanor was perfect for the little ones- warm, accepting and encouraging. The fast pace of her presentation was appropriate for this ‘wiggly’ age set.  We look forward to a return visit from Rachel Bell.”

—Linda Poelma, Children's Librarian, Cuba, NY Library

“Our son is currently 20 months old and has been enrolled in music classes for approximately four months. During this short time we have seen significant improvements in his hand eye coordination, ability and willingness to follow directions, language development and social skills. In addition to this, he truly enjoys his time at music. His face lights up when we walk in the room and he sees the instruments. The classes introduce basic music skills through the use of age appropriate songs and activities. The classes make learning fun and we are thankful to have the opportunity to introduce music to our son at such a young age.”

—Cassie D., mother of child in toddler class

“The mental stimulation, socialization, and plain ‘ol fun we have each week at Rachel’s Music Class, make this class a must do. Each week the catchy rhymes and tunes capture my child’s imagination, build up her confidence and ultimately prepare her for preschool.”

—Rachel M., parent of a child in toddler music class