We respect the grade system.

Grades are a structured and clear way to measure progress. They work well for a lot of students, especially those who thrive on routine, exams, and external validation. Some people love the sense of achievement that comes from working through a set syllabus and getting a certificate at the end. That’s great.

But our students tend to be after something else.

What our students want.

Most people who come to Kitchen Jam don’t want to feel like they’re back at school. They want to play real music, with real people. They want to build confidence, not cram for a test. They want to learn the language of music, not just recite the grammar.

We’re here for those people.

Our alternative to grades:

We focus on:

Confidence. Helping people feel a connection to their instrument.
Creativity. Encouraging improvisation, song-learning, and expression.
Collaboration. Playing with others, jamming, and building community.
Real-world skills. Learning how to gig, record, write, and play music you actually love.

This approach builds long-term musicianship. You don’t get a certificate, but you do get your groove back.

What success looks like at Kitchen Jam:

Success here isn’t passing a grade.

It’s:

Getting on stage at one of our open mic nights.
Playing your first solo in front of people and smiling at the end.
Learning the chords to your favourite song and playing it with a group.
Coming out of a session feeling better than when you walked in.

And if you ever want to do grades…

We’ll help you. We’ve had plenty of students take their grade exams while still coming to Kitchen Jam for the joy of it. We’re not anti-grade. We’re pro-choice. Our job is to help you fall in love with music — and stay in love with it, whether you take exams or not.

Kitchen Jam was made to play.

If you feel like music hasn’t been fun lately, come see what it’s like here.

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