It was the early 2010s when classical pianist Tyler St. Clare found himself at odds with his career path.

“I love piano, and I would never dissuade anyone from pursuing it at a high level,” says the 38-year-old Baltimore native, pictured right, above. “But the sacrifices you have to make to follow the traditional path to success just weren’t appealing.”

Long hours of practice for constant auditions were stresses that St. Clare decided to put behind him when he hatched the plan for Four Hour Day.

Named for a novel written by his father, Gabe, a retired machinist, pictured left above, about a utopian society, Four Hour Day was conceived as a luthier shop to build and repair stringed instruments and also offer private acoustic music lessons. The duo set to work transforming a house in Lauraville, opening its doors to the public in 2015.

Today, the welcoming shop exudes the warmth of a wooden cottage or timeworn meditative space. Paintings adorn the walls, Tibetan prayer flags hang from the rafters, and a tidy workshop overlooks it all from a mezzanine in the rear.

Up there, Tyler repairs and restores a range of folk instruments, from flutes to ukeleles, imbuing the space with aromas of fresh-cut wood, polishes, and oils. Large panel windows look out onto Harford Road, illuminating the interior with soft lighting, amplifying its organic vibe. And in the decade since opening, the shop has expanded, to Tyler’s surprise, into a live-music venue, too.

“I guess there’s a demand for intimate spaces like this—people started calling up and asking, ‘Hey, can we play your room?’ and it took off from there,” he says.

Able to accommodate up to 60 patrons, the main room hosts touring musicians, as well as jam sessions, dances, classes, and lectures. The second floor is divided into three well-equipped private-lesson studios, which altogether host 10 teachers and 100 students. Lessons are available for piano, cello, violin, guitar, mandolin, and more. These rooms also sport basic recording gear, like Apple’s Garage Band, MIDI controllers, and microphones, enabling students to hear their work and explore the practical side of music theory.

“For me, teaching music is just as much about understanding composition and arranging as the instrument itself,” says Tyler. “I want students to explore their creativity and learn about that stuff, because there have to be more paths to creative success in music.”

But spend a few minutes inside Four Hour Day and it becomes obvious that this is more than just a lesson space or venue; it’s a hive of musicians, a haven for gentle spirits and deep thinkers, and a community of acoustic-music enthusiasts.

“We want to keep growing by just doing what we’re doing,” says Tyler. So far, that seems to be working just fine.

Students across Maryland are now learning from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One thing that hasn’t changed: the importance of music education. “Learning music is absolutely more important than ever before,” says James Lowe, owner and CEO of Baltimore School of Music. “Kids are under a lot of pressure these days to deal with so many changes that no one anticipated or was prepared for, and everyone just needs a sense of normalcy. With concerts and live music not viable options—and they may not be for the foreseeable future—creating music at home is the perfect solution.”

Guitar teacher and school manager Dr. Isaac Greene teaching a virtual music lesson.

Baltimore School of Music has seen an uptick in adults and kids alike seeking music lessons. “We’ve seen a lot of new students this year. Both kids and adults are showing more interest in learning music. Adults finally have extra time to sit down and practice, and kids are looking for music lessons to supplement their in-school learning. “Baltimore School of Music is offering virtual music lessons and limited in-person options by following strict guidelines.

“We’ve been embracing technology at Baltimore School of Music for a long time, so teaching virtual lessons wasn’t something new for us. Music teachers have been perfecting how to guide students through learning at home for hundreds of years now. It has always been an integral part of how to learn music and adapting it to today’s needs wasn’t a stretch for us.”

In fact, as 2020 progressed, Baltimore School of Music has continued to see an influx of new students who were seeking virtual lessons. A key to taking music lessons from the comfort of your home is carving out a dedicated, quiet space that allows the student to create a very similar atmosphere, just as if they were at their in-person music lesson. Another benefit to virtual lessons is that students aren’t missing out on months of lessons, setting back their progress. At Baltimore School of Music, this was evidenced as students showcased their continued progress through virtual student recitals in December, just as they would have in a pre-COVID-19 world. “It was incredible to still be able to highlight our amazing students and how much they learned during the fall semester,” Lowe says. “I’m proud of what we have been able to offer our students these past nine months.”

A piano at Baltimore School of Music is disinfected before a piano lesson.

Going forward, Lowe says that Baltimore School of Music will continue to offer virtual lessons, even when COVID-19 says are lifted. “We have been able to meet our students where they are—in their own homes,” Lowe said. “The ability to offer virtual lessons is an offering that will absolutely continue. Our students and teachers have adapted incredibly well to this change.” In addition, the human connection that music lessons offer students—even virtually—is so important.

“At Baltimore School of Music, we’ve had students comment about how much the connection with their teacher has meant to them, especially this year,” Lowe says. “That means everything to us.”

Baltimore School of Music is accepting new students of all ages and abilities for in-person and virtual music lessons. New students can start with a free trial lesson by calling the school at 443-687-7000 or visiting baltimoreschoolofmusic.org/get-started.