Side by Side Arts
Sign up to join a diverse community of musicians! You’ll be matched monthly with a partner who you'll meet with online for peer tutoring. Practice, discuss music, and improve your social skills together!
Why Side by Side Arts
Work with a partner to build motivation, practice habits, and consistency with practice!
Step 1: Registration
Signing up is easy and straightforward! Just fill out our Google Form with your basic information and background.
Sign Up Here
Step 2: Matching
We'll then match you with compatible practice buddies based on your musical preferences, instrument, and skill level. You'll be able to connect with your partners through email, text, or social media.
Step 3: Meeting
You and your partner will meet weekly for 30 minutes on a video platform. Discuss your backgrounds, practice together, and give feedback to earn up to four volunteer hours!
Volunteer Hour Policy
Such a great match! [We] work really well together; Despite being hundreds of miles away from each other, we found so many things to bond over!
Frequently Asked Questions
We are often asked...
We use factors such as your instrument, partner preference, available time(s), and social/video apps used. We will try our best to match everybody with a partner that's perfect for them!
To join a chapter, email the chapter leader from your region. Their email can be found on the chapter webpage. If you need additional help, we can help you get in touch with them. To make a chapter, fill out the chapter leader application on our linktree! It's a quick application and lets us know more about you. We'll get back to you within 2 weeks with everything you need to successfully run the chapter.
We welcome musicians of all skills, from fresh beginners to dedicated advanced students! By engaging with others with similar skill levels, you'll build musical abilities starting from wherever you are now.
Nothing! Side by Side is completely free, run by a generous team of volunteers.
Just fill out our short Google Form and wait to hear back! We're excited to begin working with you.
Our team
Meet the team behind our success!
Shuman has participated in the BU Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Orchestra as Assistant Concertmaster and various Pennslyvania Music Educators Association ensembles. Currently, she is a violinist at Temple Music Prep: Youth Chamber Orchestra.
Sydney Ma is a violist from the Midwest. She sought to create a platform connecting musicians of all different backgrounds to incorporate collaboration and social exchanges into practicing because of personal experience.She currently serves as the principal violist of the Michigan Youth Symphony Orchestra and has participated in the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Orchestra as Assistant Principal Violist (2025), MSBOA High School and Middle School All-State Orchestra (2023 - 2026), and Interlochen Symphony Orchestra and Viola Intensive (2024 - 2025). At her school, she is an active member of the Dow High School Symphony and Honors Orchestra. She has received masterclasses from internationally-acclaimed musicians and educators such as Ed Gazouleas, Daniel Sweany, Jeremy Crosmer, and others.
In her 4 years of flute playing, Sophia has won several scholarships and awards. She currently serves as Principal Flute of her school's wind ensemble. In addition, she has extensive experience in jazz band, marching band, pit orchestra, and symphonic band.
Langlen is a sophomore from Northern Virginia. She started private classical vocal training 4 years ago, and is a student of the 2025-2026 Peabody Institute’s Vocal Performance academy. Her most recent achievements include participating in the All-Virginia choir for three years consecutively and placing first chair alto 1 in her district choir. Langlen is looking forward to serving as Side by Side’s VP of Operations and working alongside many other hardworking musicians!
Siena Koch is a dedicated horn player with a strong passion for classical music. She is the first horn in both youth orchestras at the Colburn Conservatory of Music. She also performs with the Heart of Los Angeles Intergenerational Orchestra. Siena is also a chamber musician and plays in a brass quintet at the Colburn School. She values collaboration, growth, and expressive performance. She is so excited to be on the Side by Side team.
Sophomore Taryn Lee is a bassoonist in the Evergreen Philharmonic and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, where she has traveled internationally to perform in Portugal in summer of 2025. She has previously attended the Marrowstone Music Festival and Western International Band Clinic, and will be attending the Interlochen Arts Camp in summer of 2026. She is excited to serve as the Vice President of Social Media as a part of Side by Side Arts.
Stephanie Bukuru, the Blog Author at Side by Side Arts, is a double bassist and member of numerous ensembles and bands. Most notably, she is a part of the prestigious Hochstein Symphony Youth Orchestra in New York. She is also an active member of her school's jazz band and orchestra. In the past, she has received invitations to multiple All-County and Area All-State Orchestras. She is very glad to be a part of Side by Side Arts and looks forward to working with talented musicians.
