LANCASTER – Lancaster Music School, located on N. I-35 E. in Lancaster, celebrates 38 years in the Best Southwest in 2024.
Owner Ted Brooks purchased Lancaster Music Inc. in 1986. The company is located on Pleasant Run Road in a strip center with just 1,400 square feet of space.
“At that time, our main business revolved around musical instruments, sound systems, supplies, and weekly music lessons,” Brooks explained.
The school initially began with just one teacher and one classroom.
In 2000, the music school relocated to its current address at 902 N. I-35 E., still in Lancaster and next to the local IHOP.
The new space is 3,300 square feet, and Brooks said, “Being located next to the highway has increased our visibility and made it easier for our customers to find us. As you may have noticed, we have a billboard on the property showcasing our music lessons in large red letters.”
Since that opening in 1986, Brooks said the small retail guitar store has evolved significantly.
“Previously competing with customers who shopped through catalogs, we now face the challenge of online shopping,” Brooks said. “Some of our industry suppliers only work with a few major online companies. We have successfully made changes to our business by placing a greater emphasis on our services at Lancaster Music.”
The core of Lancaster Music Schools’ services now is its music lesson program; however, in addition to music lessons, they also offer instrument repairs, sound system and lighting installation, sound system and lighting training, and school band rentals.
In 2013, the school also expanded and established a dedicated suite for its music lesson program, featuring nine classrooms.
“Recently, we outgrew that suite and renovated our retail store into a music school, now equipped with 12 classrooms. We are thrilled about the growth of our music lesson program and are looking forward to our next chapter,” Brooks said, adding, “Our goal is to reach 400 students by the end of 2024.”
Brooks said he began his first guitar teaching job in 1977 at the Melody Shop music store in Red Bird Mall. He initially pursued his own jazz guitar music studies by studying with Jack Petersen at Mountain View Community College.
After two years, he transferred to the University of North Texas to further his music studies while also teaching and pursuing his own career as a professional guitarist.
Over the years, Lancaster Music School has also expanded and added private one-on-one music lessons for a variety of instruments, including piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, drums, singing, violin, viola, cello, saxophone, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba, and recording engineering.
In fact, Brooks is still involved in teaching, performing music, and managing the daily operations of Lancaster Music and Lancaster Music School. He is skilled at playing guitar, bass, mandolin, ukulele, and piano.
Students range from four to 80 years old and come from Lancaster, DeSoto, Duncanville, Cedar Hill, the Southern Sector of Dallas, Glenn Heights, Red Oak, Waxahachie, and Ferris. The school hosts two free recitals each year at Hampton Road Baptist Church and offers an Achievement Award program called The Musical Ladder System, where students earn certificates, wristbands, and trophies as they reach milestones.
Lancaster Music School was recently nominated as one of the top five music schools in the US and Canada for the School of the Year award in 2023.
“Our school also offers an Achievement Award program known as The Musical Ladder System. Students receive certificates, wristbands, and trophies as they achieve milestones in their music lessons,” Brooks added.
“We were honored to be selected to present for the award in New Orleans, Louisiana,” Brooks said.
Locally, WFAA Channel 8 News contacted the school about featuring their Wednesday’s Child segment for Lamara at the location in early July.
“Lamara has always wanted to try a voice lesson, and we were chosen by WFAA Channel 8 News to provide her with that opportunity,” Brooks said. “The segment was aired live on Wednesday, July 24 and is now available on YouTube. The school will also be hosting WFAA Channel 8’s Wednesday’s Child segment for Lamara’s two sisters, Layla and Have’Anna and is expected to air in the next couple of weeks.”
For more information visit www.lancastermusiconline.com or www.lancastermusicschool.com
