We welcome you to experience the Academy of Music difference!
Our goal is to foster confidence and creativity in students of all ages through music lessons, dance, acting, and musical theatre classes!
The Academy of Music has made substantial investments in our two facilities and elite faculty and staff in order to provide an uplifting environment designed to help students explore and develop their talents, wherever their curiosity and interests lead them.
With convenient locations in Grand Rapids and Jenison, an online lesson management system, and flexible hours, we are able to accommodate busy families. Browse through our many benefits to see why we are West Michigan’s #1 choice for music lessons!
Nationally recognized for Music Academy Success and Voted #1 Grand Rapids Music Studio by Grand Rapids Kids (grkids.com)
The Academy of Music in Grand Rapids is West Michigan’s largest music school, teaching nearly 1,000 students from ages 5 to adult. Whatever instrument you or your child wish to play, odds are we teach it: piano, electric and acoustic guitar, drums, mandolin, ukulele, banjo, voice and singing, violin, viola, cello, all under one roof. In addition, we also offer musical theatre classes, acting/improv classes, and pre-ballet for ages 3-6.
MUSIC – Piano, Guitar, Electric Bass, Mandolin, Banjo, Ukulele, Drums, Violin, Viola, Cello, Voice & Singing Lessons
DANCE – Around the World Fairytale Princess® Ballet ages 3-6
MUSICAL THEATRE – Singing, Acting, Stage Choreography, all in one location
Our students save time and money, as one family can take multiple lessons and classes on the same day. Other studios offer multiple instruments, but we are the only one to offer all of the most popular instruments – Piano, Guitar, Drums, Voice, and Violin – along with Pre-Ballet Dance and Musical Theatre classes in a high quality, convenient, professional environment. Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Mandolin, Banjo, and Cello lessons are also available. Students of all ages and levels take lessons at our school, including adults who are new to music & the arts, or returning to study!
With over 45 teachers, all with college training or performance experience, you can be confident that we have the right teacher to meet your needs.
Our teachers are experienced teachers, dedicated to learning about your personal goals and helping you to achieve them. We additionally offer all the details in our weekly lessons and classes (e.g., music theory and sight reading into your music lessons, stage terminology and choreography into your Musical Theatre classes, and more than just foundational dance steps in our Pre-Ballet classes), all while helping you learn your favorite part of music, dance, or musical theatre.
In addition to their teaching credentials, Academy of Music teachers have warm personalities, are friendly, and are dedicated to teaching you the style of music that you want to learn in your music lessons.
Whether you have a young child who wants to try out lessons for the first time, or a middle school student who wants to audition for a musical, a high school school student preparing for college, or a performer looking for specific guidance, our personalized lessons will help you accomplish your dreams.
We want you to choose your goals and meet them in a way that works best for you!
Private and group classes are by appointment only and are first come, first served. Contact us today to arrange your first lesson. Homeschoolers love our early afternoon lesson times!
Music lessons, Dance and Musical Theatre classes at the Academy of Music in Grand Rapids, MI are available seven days a week from morning to late night to accommodate your busy schedules. In addition to our after school lesson times, we offer other scheduling options for homeschoolers and retirees. We also offer lunch hour music lessons for business professionals or late evening music lessons for college students and other adults.
Music Lessons, Dance, Musical Theatre Classes
Summer Music & Performing Arts Day Camps for Ages 3-14
The Academy of Music in Grand Rapids has been trusted by thousands of families in Grand Rapids, MI for more than two decades. Visit our Testimonials page to see what our students are saying.
Every year, aspiring music teachers start their own studio, and a year or two later they close. The Academy of Music in Grand Rapids has a proven track record of offering quality music, piano, guitar, voice, drums, and string lessons in Grand Rapids, Michigan year-round for over 20 years. In addition we also teach pre-ballet dance classes and musical theatre classes. Our full-time mission is teaching quality lessons in a professional space year round.
We teach a wide variety of styles, from classical piano to rock and metal, sacred to modern pop and jazz, vocals and singing, plus musical theatre staging, blocking, choreography, sequencing and Broadway routines. Learn what YOU enjoy!
With 4200 square feet at the Academy of Music, we have the most spacious and family-friendly waiting area in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Instead of waiting in a music retail store showroom or an in-home teacher’s driveway or living room, our clients a enjoy spacious, professional waiting areas with comfortable chairs, activities for children, Wi-Fi, reading material, a filtered water cooler, and free tea. We also provide observation windows on every door so that you have the option of observing your child’s lesson. If you prefer, you may sit in on their lesson at any time. Musical Theatre and Dance parents are able to view class activities on a large waiting area screen.
Everything you may need for your lesson is included in our music rooms. Whether that be an amp, stereo, full electric and acoustic drum kits, keyboards and pianos, mics, staging, mirrors, dance instruction tools, and more, we have it all! It is only necessary to bring your own guitar, drum sticks, ukulele, or string instrument. The Grand Rapids music rooms are fully equipped with professional soundproofing. Large observation windows are also available for those who wish to observe. Dance and musical theatre classes can be viewed on a large screen in the waiting area.
Academy of Music in Grand Rapids also delivers a cutting edge experience by integrating technological advances. Every music room is equipped with an iPad. This allows students to have a modern and engaging lesson using music teaching apps, music software and more. We also encourage our students to bring their own devices to lessons along with their instruments.
In addition, our instructors have easy access to technology that allows them to quickly pivot to an online Live Video Lesson using high quality audio with Rock Out Loud software when students are not able to attend in-person. Instructors can also create and share a video recording for students to view at any time during the week when they are unable to attend a lesson.
Academy of Music students have an opportunity to perform in several annual events for music, dance, and musical theatre!
MUSIC RECITALS
We are one of the only music schools in Grand Rapids that offers free recitals with a Steinway grand piano in a first-class, local, professional recital hall twice a year.
MUSICAL THEATRE STAGE PERFORMANCES
We offer three 12-week musical theatre semesters, each with a final stage performance complete with choreography, lights, and great acoustics.
AROUND THE WORLD FAIRYTALE BALLET
Our 10-month ballet class cycle of multicultural activities, music, and foundational ballet steps includes a year end Royal Ball featuring a regal display of princess costumes from the around the world and traditional pre-ballet selections for our young dance students.
BENEFITS OF PERFORMANCES AND RECITALS
Every parent wants to know how their child is doing and whether they are progressing. The best way to understand if your investment in music, dance, or musical theatre is really worth it, is to have your child participate in a recital.
Many of our students choose to perform in our recitals and discover that preparing for a performance motivates them to work hard toward a goal. In addition, over the years we observe an increased level of confident in those who learn to manage performing on stage.
For private music lesson students, music recitals are free, and we do not charge recital participation or admission fees. Musical Theatre and Dance families receive two free tickets for those performances.
We are the only music school in Grand Rapids that has offered unique performance opportunities at famous music halls in the United States. Academy of Music students have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in NYC, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, and at the Guest House at Graceland in Memphis, TN. These destination recitals encourage personal and musical growth through a unique once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The Academy of Music in Grand Rapids is the only music school in Grand Rapids that offers full-time professional customer service for our music, dance, and musical theatre students seven days a week. Many music studio desks are staffed by the teacher/owner, or more commonly, an answering machine. We have friendly, full-time staff members who are available at the Academy of Music front desk to assist our clients quickly and professionally.
We are the only music school in the Grand Rapids area that gives students the opportunity to earn special color wristband bracelets (kids and teens love them!), certificates AND trophies for passing musical tests. Do other schools offer trophies and certificates? A few. But none of them inspire their students with smiling faces by giving them full color, really cool “Musical Ladder®” wristbands that they can show off to their friends. The Musical Ladder® is our unique method of music education that you can only get here.
More importantly, when our students have a test coming up, they practice more, their parents are proud, their teachers are proud, and everybody wins. You can only get the Musical Ladder® here. Our adult students also enjoy the recognition for achieving their goals.
Academy of Music families appreciate our fully automated lesson management system. Key features include an online registration option, a private messaging platform from teachers to students, easy DIY options to manage your account, and a choice of a live video lesson using high quality audio with our Rock Out Loud software or a recorded lesson from LessonMate to watch at any time during the week.
Music lessons at the Academy of Music in Grand Rapids, MI are available seven days a week to accommodate your busy schedules. In addition to our after school lesson times, we offer earlier scheduling options for homeschoolers or retirees. We also offer lunch hour music lessons for business professionals or late evening music lessons for college students and other adults.
Our location one mile east of I-96 on 28th St. in Grand Rapids, Michigan makes our school convenient to all areas of the greater Grand Rapids community. In addition, there’s plenty of parking on even the busiest lesson days when more than 100 students come and go. Near our studio, you will find the lovely Cascade shopping district which includes D & W grocery, Target, Meijer, a library, and many excellent family dining opportunities.
Safety during lessons is also a priority at the Academy of Music, and we carefully follow a Family Safety Plan: five background checks for everyone who works at the school, observation windows for every teaching studio, video cameras in studios and the lobby areas, plus admin staff present during all lessons. Learn more at FamilySafetyPlan.org.
No need to stress if you missed a lesson! We offer four options for missed lessons:
These group make-up classes are available all year for your convenience. They are informal and are offered in a small group setting. Group make-up class benefits include an opportunity to get to know other musicians at the school, an opportunity for an informal performance, an opportunity to meet other Academy instructors, and an opportunity to review skills or learn a new one.
We are the only music school in the Grand Rapids area that offers free professional photos for our students.
This is a service that our music student parents love as they all want quality photos of their children. Adults are welcome too! Students can bring their instruments to the photoshoot and wear whatever they like.
If you would like your child to be featured in the Face of the Academy Photos, just let the office staff know and we will add you to the list for the next set!
Although many of our students are with us for 4-5 years or more, the Academy of Music in Grand Rapids does not require semester minimums for music lessons or long-term commitments. Students get the most value from taking lessons for at least a year; however if you cannot stay at the school year round, simply notify the office by the 15th of your final month and finish up your lessons in a positive way with your teacher!
If you are ready to start, you have nothing to lose as we only want students who truly want to learn.
Our students enjoy over 4,200 sq. ft. of Grand Rapid’s most advanced music lesson rooms. Each studio is soundproofed and stocked with everything our students need, from pianos, keyboards, and full drum kits with pads to amps and stereos. Parents can sit in on their child’s lesson, watch through large observation windows, or relax in our spacious and comfortable parent’s lounge with WiFi, magazines, and activities for kids.
As a mother of five and music teacher with a master’s degree in music education and more than 30 years of experience teaching music, I understand what parents need to know about helping their children experience real success in music.
Since 2003, I have dedicated myself to offering an outstanding music education experience for students in the Grand Rapids community. What began as an early childhood music and piano studio is now the largest professional music school in the area, offering lessons on five major instruments – piano, guitar, drums, voice, and strings. I’m most grateful for our fabulous teachers and hundreds of students in such a supportive community who trust us each week with their music education.
Barbara Hendricks
Founder and Executive Director
Academy of Music Grand Rapids
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Sign up is easy and parent-friendly with helpful staff at the front desk seven days a week to serve you or an easy online registration option.
Because we only offer lessons on a month-to-month basis, there are no large upfront payments, no complicated contracts, no annual material or performances fees, and no semester minimums.
$35 / 30 minutes
Lessons are available seven days a week and are scheduled once a week.
An annual $40/student or $50/family studio membership fee applies.
