Happy March, Academy Families!

A big shout-out to the Academy Irish Choir and all of our incredible students and teachers who performed on the Pot O’ Gold Playland Stage at St. Pat’s in Five Points! You guys rocked! A huge thank you to everyone who came out to cheer them on and show their support—we appreciate you!

Before hitting the stage at St. Pat’s on Saturday, our Irish Choir spent Friday evening recording at Jam Room Recording Studio. Check out some of the pictures below. We feel so lucky to make music with our students every day!

Stay tuned for more exciting opportunities to see our Academy students perform later this year. On Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, Columbia Arts Academy will once again host a stage at the Rosewood Crawfish Festival!

Students can participate in several different ways:

‍Students can perform as part of our “Craw Choir” vocal ensemble and attend weekly rehearsals leading up to the event.  Students don't necessarily need to be vocal students to participate, but do need to be ages 8 or older.  We are also looking to have another recording session at the Jam Room. Students can also perform on their own, either with or without a backing track, for ages 8 or older.  Or, for performers 10 or older, students can perform songs from a set list alongside the teacher backing band. TO sign up, visit: https://www.columbiaartsacademy.com/crawfish

We had an amazing time last year and can’t wait to see our students perform again! If you plan to attend the festival, we hope to see you there cheering on our rock stars.

Don’t forget to sign up for our 2026 Summer Recitals! Sign-ups end on March 31st. Recital dates are set for Friday, June 12th through Sunday, June 14th, and Friday, June 26th through Sunday, June 28th. The recitals will take place at W.W. Hootie Johnson Performance Hall in the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina.

To make the process easier, we’ve created a dedicated recital page with sign-up forms, dates, parking information, and maps. Visit www.columbiaartsacademy.com/recitals for all the latest details.

Academy Picture Days are back! Picture Day is a free event for all current Academy students. Families only pay for prints or a digital release. Students are welcome to bring their instruments and dress however they like for their photos. Picture Day is open to students from Columbia Arts Academy, Lexington School of Music, and Irmo Music Academy.

The next Picture Day will be held on Saturday, March 28th. Photos will be taken by Jerry Stamps of PixelFusion, and reservations are required. Session times will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional dates and locations will be announced soon, so stay tuned for more details.

Spring is officially here! We hope you’re getting outside, enjoying the sunshine, and soaking up the fresh air. Take advantage of the beautiful weather, spend time with family and friends, and let’s keep making music together at Columbia Arts Academy, Lexington School of Music, and Irmo Music Academy!

Not a student yet? We’d love to have you join us! Get started by visiting www.IrmoMusicAcademy.com, calling or texting us at 803-931-3495, or stopping by to visit us at 1061 Lake Murray Blvd, Irmo, SC 29063.

The Columbia Arts Academy, Lexington School of Music, and Irmo Music Academy are the only Midlands music schools where students earn colorful wristbands, trophies, and certificates through the patented Musical Ladder System®, created by Academy Director Marty Fort and used nationwide. Some schools offer trophies and certificates, but none excite students like the Musical Ladder System® wristbands they proudly show off to friends.

Please help us welcome our new students who registered in the past month!

Many teachers have sold out. If you need a schedule change or would like to be added to a waiting list for a particular teacher, day or time, please contact any of our office staff team and they can add you to the waiting list. If you are not a student yet, there are still limited lesson spots available.

Spring Break 2026 – Closed
Apr 3rd, 2026 to Apr 8th, 2026
Weather Makeups will be held for the winter weather closing!

Memorial Day – Closed
May 25th, 2026

2026 Summer Recitals
Jun 12th, 2026 to Jun 14th, 2026
Jun 26th, 2026 to Jun 28th, 2026

Summer Break 2026 – Closed
Jul 2nd, 2026 to Jul 5th, 2026

Labor Day – Closed
Sep 7th, 2026

Thanksgiving Break 2026 – Closed
Nov 24th, 2026 to Nov 29th, 2026

Winter Break 2026 – Closed
Dec 22nd, 2026 to Jan 1st, 2027