Some History ...
I first joined Brecksville School of Music to build a retail department.  Within six months, we expanded the retail store, implemented some back office systems and disciplines, and began to expand the business.  Within a few months, things were going very well, so we decided to turn my Independence building into a second music school location and to offer private and group lessons, jam sessions, pre-school music and a number of other interesting group classes to draw students from Independence, Cuyahoga Heights, Valley View, Seven Hills, Parma, Bedford, Maple Heights, and other locations.  I met with the owners of Prestige Music in Independence  and suggested that they also join Independence School of Music.

Today Independence School of music focuses on private music lessons, maintains a full retail music department, offers instrument repair, group music lessons, and operates an online sheet music business.  While there is no longer any affiliation between  Independence School of Music and Brecksville School of Music, we have many Brecksville residents who take their private music lessons at Independence School of Music, rent their school instruments here, and buy music accessories and sheet music.

Eric Dregne and Dave Kochis, the former owners of Prestige Music now both teach at Independence School of Music.  Since I own the building at 7324 Valley View Drive in Independence, Ohio (just around the corner from the former Prestige Music also formerly Independence Music Studio, Inc.), we have a much lower cost basis than any other area music store.  Dave and Eric as well as their other great teachers and students all moved over on June 1st to the new location, now known as Independence School of Music. 

Today we are over 100 students and growing.  Independence School of Music is continuing in the tradition of offering professional music instruction in a very "home like" environment. We have a great lineup of qualified music instructors.  Our instructors have formal education ranging from the self taught to the masters degree.  Some of our teachers perform as well as teach.  We have music teachers also direct or assist school bands, orchestras, choral groups or play, sing or direct at area churches and run summer music camps.  The instruction studios at Independence School of Music are large enough to hold two pianos, very comfortable, and in a natural setting conducive to the study of music.

After opening June 1, 2007; we have added several new teachers and are expanding our strings program.

The combination of large quality instruction studios, well respected music teachers, and ownership dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the community; together with our convenient central location are the reasons that Independence School of Music draws students and teachers from many of the surrounding areas. We are bordered by Brecksville, Broadview Heights, Seven Hills, Parma, Valley View, Cuyahoga Heights, Bedford, Maple Heights, Walton Hills, Sagamore and the South Hills area of Cleveland. 

Our music instruction includes piano lessons, guitar lessons; the stringed instruments including violin lessons and cello lessons; percussion lessons including snare drum lessons and bell lessons; Trumpet lessons, trombone lessons, clarinet lessons, alto saxophone lessons, tenor saxophone lessons, flute lessons and voice lessons.

The print music and retail department at Brecksville Music Shoppe moved to Independence School of Music.  We have the largest collection of print method music books, popular music books and sheet music in the area in support of area music teachers.

Our rental program includes all of the band and orchestra instruments used by Brecksville Broadview Heights school music program, North Royalton Schools Music program, Independence School music program, Bedford School music program, Cuyahoga Heights school music, Nordonia schools music program, Bedford School Music program, Maple Heights School music program, and Parma School music program. We provide only quality instruments including the RS Berkeley line of instruments, as well as a number of other well known national brand instruments such as Armstrong, Vito, Gemeinhardt, Bach, Selmer and Yamaha.