Students are given the opportunity to explore their natural talents and abilities, while carefully maintaining a balance of musical study, performance, and extra-curricular activities. Founded in 1942 by pianist Beth Miller Harrod, Rocky Ridge Music Center has a uniquely rich history, being one of the oldest music centers of its kind in the nation. Situated at the foot of Longs Peak, the beautiful Hewes-Kirkwood Lodge, Dining Hall, and many of the surrounding log cabins, were built by novelist and poet Charles Edwin Hewes near the turn of the century. Not a single living tree fell in establishing the Hewes-Kirkwood Inn. This love of nature and appreciation of the Center's majestic mountain setting are still carried on at Rocky Ridge.
Music is heard along the mountainside as students practice in the woods or beside a nearby stream.
The Center's resident population consists of approximately one hundred people including students, staff and faculty. The girls' area includes eight of the original log cabins. The boys' area cabins include both clapboard and log style. The remaining cabins, as well as faculty housing, are interspersed throughout the campus. Our outstanding faculty are anxious to help students discover their full musical potential.