Making Musical Dreams Come True

By Sandy Lowe | Photos by Candor Pictures

If you’re looking for a fun-filled activity for you or your child, one where you develop skills, have memorable experiences, unfurl creativity, and build confidence, consider music lessons at Vivaldi Music Academy, the premier music school in the Houston-area.

A Musical Heritage

Vivaldi’s founder and owner Zeljko Pavlovic took an interest in music early. He started playing the violin at age three. By age 15, when he and his family fled their native Bosnia, he was already a talented violinist. He went on to study at the University of Novi Sad Academy of Arts at the age of 16 as one of the youngest students. He later earned his master’s degree in violin performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Liege, Belgium and won several national and international competitions in his career.

While playing with the Houston Symphony for many years, Pavlovic opened the first Vivaldi Music Academy 11 years ago in Houston. “My children were my inspiration to open the Academy when I was looking for lessons as a parent.” Vivaldi Music Academy’s mission is to provide the community the opportunity to explore music in a welcoming environment with highly-qualified teachers who love to teach. Students develop the skills of learning to read music, play an instrument, and make lifelong friends.

Vivaldi Music Academy, which now operates five music academies in the Houston-area and one in San Antonio, welcomes learners of all ages, starting with an early childhood program, Vivaldi Seasons. From engaging mom-and-me classes for infants and toddlers to exploratory classes for them to grasp early music concepts, the program is fun and engaging. For school-age children and up, Vivaldi offers weekly private lessons, music theory classes, various master classes, and bi-annual recitals in Houston performance halls.

Outstanding Opportunities

In addition to music education, Vivaldi offers students an unmatched opportunity to perform in renowned concert halls across the United States and Europe as part of their annual Summer Concert Series. From New York City’s renowned Carnegie Hall to Vivaldi’s Church in Venice, Italy, Vivaldi students of all levels have the opportunity to perform in these historic venues, regardless of their age or ability level. Last summer, in celebration of the academy’s 10-year anniversary, students performed at renowned venues Brahms Hall in Vienna and Marble Hall in Salzburg.

This summer, Vivaldi students have the opportunity to perform at the prestigious Duke’s Hall at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Concerts of two separate groups of Vivaldi Academy students will be held July 5th and August 3rd. Each will perform individually, recital style. Asked about this unique opportunity, Pavlovic said, “The great musicians around the world will all get to play in these great spaces. We wanted to extend these amazing opportunities to students of all skill levels and their families.”

Students who have benefitted from these experiences in the past often reach out to share what an inspirational experience it was for them. In addition to building confidence and self-esteem, it has also helped a number of past students gain acceptance to their first choice of colleges because they listed playing at Carnegie Hall on their resume.

Continued Growth

As Vivaldi Music Academy has grown, it has fueled a relocation of the Academy’s Sugar Land location. This brand new 5000 sq. ft. facility, which opened in April, replaces Vivaldi’s Sugar Land Town Center location and sets a new standard for music education in the area. Equipped with a 60-seat recital hall and 11 private lesson rooms, the space is crafted for excellence in music instruction. Characterized by sleek, modern furniture and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, the new space is the perfect blend of beauty and functionality.

Pavlovic expressed his excitement about the opening of the new facility, “We have outgrown our location in Town Center, and this new space is perfect for our growing academy there. It allows us to enroll new students, offer more programs for students and families, and the new performance hall gives our students more performance opportunities and allows us to host local events to further embed ourselves in the cultural tapestry of Sugar Land. We are excited for this new chapter at Vivaldi Music Academy – Sugar Land.”

Music learning at Vivaldi Music Academy is fun and engaging, but it offers much more as a crucial element in a child’s development: teaching them discipline, positive work ethic, and aiding in the development of capabilities. Studies conducted at the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California concluded music instruction can improve regions in the brain responsible for processing information. Music has also been shown to boost and engage brain regions responsible for decision-making, focus, and impulse control. Positive improvement in cognitive skills including working memory was also found.

Vivaldi Music Academy teaches every genre of music from rock and pop to classical and offers private lessons for a variety of instruments, including piano, violin, guitar, drums, cello, voice, viola, flute, ukulele, and more.

Vivaldi’s teachers are hand-selected for their fun personalities and music education. Teachers hold instrument-specific university degrees from prestigious institutions such as Boston Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Yale University, and Rice University. Their warm personalities allow them to connect with each student in a meaningful way that encourages learning and growth.

Start your music journey today by calling your nearest Vivaldi Music Academy location or visiting the Vivaldi Music Academy website to learn more about the opportunities available.