Helping the Community Make Beautiful Music
Music unlocks self-expression, intelligence and creativity. The Music Studio at Vinings is a place where students come and do just that. This vibrant, high-energy studio has a warm and welcoming feel from the moment you step through their doors. Parents will fall in love with the designated parent’s lounge. The Music Studio at Vinings has taken music lessons to an exciting new dimension, making learning both challenging and fun. The Music Studio at Vinings has been providing music education to families in Smyrna/Vinings and surrounding areas since 2011.
The origins of The Music Studio began more than 28 years ago when Marilyn and Jack Courtnay, along with their son and two daughters, Cecilia Courtnay Rowe and Ariane Courtnay Crumley, first settled in Vinings. Marilyn began teaching private in-home piano lessons and quickly became one of the most sought after instructors in the community. With a full calendar, Marilyn realized she could no longer keep up with the increasing demand of new students; therefore she enlisted the help of her daughters to teach with her. Their fun and innovative style of teaching became popular. Marilyn’s husband, Jack, and Cecilia’s husband, Sean Rowe, later joined the trio, making it a family affair, and Courtnay and Rowe Corporation was founded.
While Courtnay and Rowe continued to provide in-home music lessons to students for more than 22 years, Cecilia saw a need for something new.
“I really wanted to open a studio in my neighborhood as this area has been my home for over 25 years, and wanted to give back to my community by adding a family friendly, fun, local spot for everyone to learn and enjoy music,” Cecilia says.
After collaborating with her family, they agreed that opening an actual studio was key. In 2011, Marilyn, Jack, Cecilia, Sean and Ariane opened the doors of The Music Studio at Vinings.
Under the direction of Cecilia, they have grown to more than 500 students, ranging in ages from infant to adult. With their third expansion complete, the 4,500-square-foot studio space includes 13 private studio rooms plus one large interactive family music room. The studio offers lessons in piano, voice, guitar/ukulele, drums, strings, brass and woodwinds. They also offer a class called Music Together, an interactive family music program for infants and preschoolers. The studio staffs more than 35 highly trained and dedicated teachers who are passionate about the music they teach.
The Music Studio at Vinings is committed to community outreach in Vinings and the surrounding areas. Café Jam is a free program they created, where music instructors visit public elementary schools during the children’s lunch periods. They provide education on musical instruments and have singalongs with the students that include current pop music.
Additionally, the studio has initiated a proprietary rewards program for their students, a creative reward system which provides a positive and encouraging way to measure the student’s progress as they gain mastery in their instrument. Students can also participate in quarterly open mic nights at St. Angelo’s Pizza, where they perform in front of a live audience, as well as recitals throughout the year.
The Music Studio at Vinings continues to offer in-home music lessons to clients, allowing for a choice of learning environments that best suits the needs of each family and student. Although the family remains co-owners of The Music Studio at Vinings, Cecilia oversees day-to-day interactions and Marilyn the in-home scheduling. And while Marilyn, Ariane, Sean and Cecilia have retired from teaching, Jack at 88 years young still teaches a handful of students!
The studio is open seven days a week. Cecilia and Sean’s two sons, William, 14, and Harrison, 12, frequent the studio, where they practice the ukulele, piano and drums. The boys are planning to attend Whitefield Academy in the fall, where they are certain to be an asset to Whitefield’s music department. Ariane and her husband, David, a corporate executive, have a 4-year-old son, Sam. Both Ariane and Sam enjoy the interactive Music Together program at the studio as Sam begins to unveil his musical talents. With the music genes in this super-talented family, it won’t be a question of if he will play an instrument, but what instrument he will master!
The Music Studio at Vinings is one of Atlanta’s premier music education providers. They are committed to providing exceptional customer service and a superior educational experience to their students and families. If you are interested in learning to play an instrument, voice lessons, audition prep or just strengthening your musical abilities, The Music Studio at Vinings is definitely the place to go!
The Music Studio at Vinings is located at Atlanta. Visit TMSVinings.com or call for more information.