Business & Tech

Ribbon-Cutting: Grosse Pointe Music Academy

Officials celebrated the recent move of Grosse Pointe Music Academy into a vacant property in Grosse Pointe Woods with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The will offer week long summer camps in its new location--one of the many benefits of the new space on Mack Avenue in , according to owner Henry Bahrou. 

Bahrou recently celebrated his new location with Grosse Pointe Woods Mayor Robert Novitke, City Administrator Al Fincham as well as Executive Director Jennifer Boettcher and Director of Administration MaryJo Harris. A music teacher, students and even a family member of a student joined in the celebration too. 

Bahrou is one of many business owners who moved his storefront from further down Mack Avenue north into Grosse Pointe Woods in the last year. Previously located near Mack Avenue and Cadieux Road, the new location at 19443 Mack Ave., offers a more customized space with better, or more, parking for patrons.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Located in the former site of a dry cleaning business, the store was built into private lesson rooms for one-on-one instruction. The construction included soundproofing materials to help alleviate the travel of the sound from lesson-to-lesson. Bahrou said his next project is to install sound barriers at the tops of the rooms near the ceiling to prevent the sound from traveling that way. 

This summer, teachers will offer two week-long summer camps for youths ages 8 to 16. The program is truly an immersion experience, Bahrou said, explaining it offers those truly interested in persuing a musical career a realistic picture of the level of dedication necessary to be successful. 

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Most music students do not understand the amount of discipline necessary for a career, Bahrou said, but having a week-long session allows the students to see their progress. 

The camp will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 23 to 27 or Aug. 6 to 10. Students enjoy lunchtime together and an outdoor activity before returning to music--something Bahrou says is key to maintaining focus while trying to improve musical skills. 

In addition to actually playing, practicing and enhancing their music skills, Bahrou said the camp includes music theory, group lessons and instruction, history, improv, performance and more. Learning about all of those behind-the-scenes skills is important as well, because not everyone who is in the music business is a performer, Bahrou said. 

Often when students participate in a group setting, they improve simply because they are more inclined to practice away from class to ensure they are keeping up with the others, Bahrou said.

Registration is available through July 11 but Bahrou said several students have already signed up. Students must bring their own instruments. The cost for the week is $275 with a $50 discount if a student signs up for both weeks. There are 20 seats total for each week.

The camps are a good way to give a student exposure as well as an opportunity to reinforce skills and put those private-through-the-school-year lessons to practice, Bahrou said.

The camp is one of the many features Bahrou is enjoying about his new location, he said. Since moving, he has had more inquiries about lessons--a fact he believes is related to his location, that now is more likely to draw business from St. Clair Shores. 

The school offers private musical lessons and follows the Grosse Pointe Public School schedule annually.

For more information on the camps or lessons, visit the academy's website or call 313-458-7723.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here