Exploring a unique avenue in education is Edelir Garza, founder, instructor and owner of Musical Living Academy in McAllen. Garza knew that this was the next step in his musical journey. Music had been instilled in his heart since he was only 8 years old.
“I remember listening to songs and there was this one that would stand out above all … it wasn’t until my father helped me pinpoint what it was that I discovered that it was the piano.”
Soon after this discovery, he began taking private lessons from Dr. Abraham Choy from the ages of 9-16. Choy took his curiosity for piano and turned it into a polished skill. He was constantly challenging Garza and giving him trainings he’d later find out were at a college level.
Almost immediately following Choy’s reign, advanced piano instructor Iby Kovac took Garza under her wing. He realized the potential Garza had to teach others piano as well. Too shy to say no, he began instructing his first piano lesson at the age of 17. Quickly, one student became 10, then 30, and he soon reached a maximum of fifty students per week.
Passion Project Meets Calling
Garza went on to pursue his musical academic career at the University of Texas Pan American and attained his bachelor’s degree in music in 2005.
“After several years of dreaming, planning and preparing, God provided the opportunity of expanding my vision and establishing Musical Living Academy in August of 2011. MLA represents my passion, a new challenge, but most of all, the potential to teach others the amazing possibility we have to improve lives through music instruction.”
Musical Living Academy does it all from group introductory courses to private instruction. Families can register into new group classes which start at the beginning of each semester (fall, spring and summer). Their private instruction is year round and can begin at any point.
They also have a Pre-K Piano Intro Program that opens the opportunity to children as young as 4 years old. In turn, their private instruction is open to both children and adult students. Group classes have a monthly tuition of $90 per month and private instruction starts at $115 per month. There is a $35 registration fee to any of the programs at MLA.
A Part of Something Bigger
Not only has Garza become an esteemed piano instructor and leader, he has also found his place within the community. It took him a while to realize that not only was he a piano teacher now, but a small business owner as well.
Before Musical Living Academy, he was completely ignorant to the skills needed to run a business and the potential challenges it may face. Musical Living Academy has been a learning experience for him that he very much values and enjoys.
“The team of teachers that is being built at MLA are here not because we can teach, but because we believe we have been called to change lives through our gift of teaching. We don’t teach because we love music, we teach because we love people and music can change your life for the better.”
