Boozy music lessons: New York studio cracks a bottle for adult learners

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Classical musicians have never been as known for lubricating their performances with alcohol as rockers have been, but that's starting to change. Mozart in the Jungle depicts classical musicians as people who aren't afraid of a stiff drink, and now a music studio in Brooklyn is offering "booze lessons" for 21+ learners who'd like a little help overcoming their jitters.

"You have all these inhibitions when you first start, and it's really hard for people to relax," Pete Lanctot told the Brooklyn Press. "We figured if we tied in booze somehow would make a fun environment."

Lanctot and his colleague Ginger Dolden — who are newly engaged to be married — have been offering liquor-fueled violin and guitar lessons since 2013, and have found that they're a hit. The classes are offered to groups of 10-15 adults over the course of eight-week semesters; students can rent instruments or bring their own, and each semester culminates in a public performance.

"Being a prodigy isn't all that it's cracked up to be anyway," writes the Skint in a discount offer for lessons from Lanctot and Dolden, "because as an adult you've earned the distinct privilege of being able to drink while you play. The teachers at Bantam Studios serve up beer and wine along with expert group instruction in a relaxed environment, putting you in just the right state of mind for learning those fingerings."

If you live in the New York area and you're interested in learning music in an exceptionally social environment, the winter semester starts Jan. 17 and enrollment is now open.