Inspiring Creativity and Musical Growth with Tolbert Music

Can you introduce your organization and provide an overview of your offerings?

“Tolbert Music is a small company that has provided music services for 12 years throughout the DC Metro Area. In addition to private music lessons, we run music programs in over 30 schools. This includes General Music, and our specialized Symphony Orchestra program in which we start students at a very young age and get them a head start on any symphonic instrument of their choice.”

What inspired you to start or run this program?

“Music has been my whole life. I took private lessons from a very young age, and they had a huge impact throughout my whole upbringing. As I grew, the trumpet became my primary instrument and I became increasingly interested in and invested in orchestral music. My first job was as a general music and strings teacher with Fairfax County. All this experience culminated in me designing my own programs, which I implement in schools lacking a fine arts office and curriculum to support a robust music program.”

What makes your program special compared to others parents might consider?

“My priorities as a business owner align us towards something a bit different from other studios. I train my employees more thoroughly and engage in ongoing professional development with them. I really prioritize my teachers' freedom, schedule, pay, and overall job satisfaction. This gives me low turnover and highly dedicated people. In our school programs, I hire degreed professionals and help them understand the school environments they will enter. Most schools, conversely, hire anyone they can get that has some background in music. In our Symphony programs, I am starting kids at younger ages, giving them more choice in instruments, and doing it all with a reasonable level of commitment. In the DC area, it's quite a rat race. We want our students to be successful and enjoy the activity, which requires a certain amount of buy-in. But we don't want to be the kind of activity that sucks the life out of a family, and demands their sole attention. Just a little daily (or at least several times a week) practice and you can find yourself with superpowers.”

What kind of transformation do you see in children after completing your program?

“Our program is never completed. The goal here is a lifelong love of music, and investing in one of the most intrinsically rewarding activities any human can take up. My father worked as a Nuclear Engineer. In retirement, he is back in piano lessons and considers it one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things he does. I want my students to have this option. Of course I am ecstatic when they are interested in taking college auditions and want going pro to be an option for them. But that isn't the endgame. Pro or not, there is something else that is far more worthwhile to be had in music. I am a man of endless hobbies that gets a lot of satisfaction out of an extremely wide variety of interests. And I think it's fair to say I've gone pro - music pays my bills and puts food on my table. But at the end of the day, that's not why I do it. There is simply nothing that compares to playing Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Mahler, Tchaikovsky, etc. It touches the human soul in a way that nothing else can. All the froofy "music makes you better at math" nonsense is hype and false advertising. Music is worth it, for music's sake.”

What do parents often worry about before enrolling, and how do you address those concerns?

“Cost is probably number one. We are upfront about that. My company runs right around market average, but provides exceptional value at that price point. For our lessons, you are working with incredible teachers who drive to your home for max convenience. Have have a policy structure that protects and respects the time of the teacher, and the students. It includes multiple performance opportunities each year. In our school programs, the cost is comparable to that of any other employee, but you gain not only a great teacher but also an entire support team and curriculum. In our Symphony programs, we are packing the room and giving a truly extraordinary opportunity. As a point of comparison - my 4 and 6-year-olds are in a gymnastics class that costs 3 times as much as my class. They go to a tiny gym and learn from high-schoolers. We love it and have been enrolled for months, and plan to continue. For one third of the cost, you get me - a 15 year veteran teacher who can get your kid a headstart in music that is not available anywhere else.”

How has being on Neelcamp helped you reach more families or grow your program?

“I'm excited to begin my relationship with Neelcamp for the first time. I'm sure that their expertise in vetting and comparing programs will be an excellent way to help show how we stand out.”

How quickly do spots usually fill up, and what should parents know before applying?

“We are extremely flexible and don't have a hard cap on any of our services. We'll do our best to match you with a teacher as quickly as possible.”