Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian Shown.
Hi Ian, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I originally moved to Austin during the Pandemic – while my degree was in Music Performance, the orchestra scene wasn’t doing so hot at the time. I fell back on my old career: administration. When the restrictions were lifted, I wanted to get back to working in music, so I found a job at Velocity Music Academy as their administrator, working to combine my love of music and my knack for admin and organization. One thing led to another, and I was offered the position of General Manager at Northwest School of Music, which is where I lead today. We’ve got over 400 students and rising, with fantastic instructors, and I keep the grease on the wheel to make sure things are running smoothly!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No journey is without bumps. Every time one thing is changed, half the people will say “why is this different?” while the other half will say “why wasn’t it always like this?” Multiply this by every time you change something, and you field a lot of complaints! Overall, though, the journey has largely been smooth – several people have been supportive of the changes I’ve introduced, which have led to the school growing and thriving. Every time one person objects, I lean on the 400 other people who support it. Without the outspoken, positive majority, I’m not sure where I’d be.
We’ve been impressed with Northwest School of Music, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We’re a private music school, specializing in one-on-one instruction. All of our teachers are degreed musicians or professional teachers, not just some guy who happens to play guitar. We also partner with other schools in North Austin to provide the best experience possible for our students! Something we prioritize that sets us apart is our consistency. Students get a weekly lesson time, which is consistent week to week, and we bust our butts to make sure that lesson happens! If the normal teacher is out, we have a network of substitute teachers that can cover for them. The admin team, myself included, hustle to communicate frequently and efficiently. We’re also one of the longest running schools of our kind, serving North Austin for over 21 years!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
We put a lot of our energy into making sure each lesson is personal to the student. Music is often very personal, especially when helping someone coordinate their hands or find their singing voice. While our teachers have a curriculum they can fall back on, they are encouraged to deviate from it if something would be more beneficial for a student. The whole point is to help the student find a love for music, and that remains at the forefront of what we do.
Pricing:
- $160 for 1 month of 30-minute lessons
- $230 for 1 month of 45-minute lessons
- $300 for 1 month of 60-minute lessons
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ensembleschools.com/northwest-austin/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/49451519/northwest-school-of-music/recent/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Northwestschoolofmusic/videos/?_rdr
- Other: https://g.page/r/CU1wQFe45OzeEBM/review
