Heid Music Company’s Yamaha Music School Program Spans Generations on its 25th Anniversary

 

APPLETON, Wisconsin, — Heid Music Company is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Yamaha Music School Program, which has reached more than 2000 students since its inception. The program has not only played a key supporting role in solidifying the 65-year-old company’s reputation as one of the nation’s outstanding music retailers, but it also has enriched the lives of its customers across generations with music.

The Yamaha Music School Program at Heid Music was born of discussions held in the mid-1980s between Paul Heid and Yamaha about partnering to offer music education at the Wisconsin stores. Heid Music, which was founded by educators in 1948, held to the philosophy that all of its retail divisions needed to be closely connected to the teaching of the products they sold. As of 1985, more than 1,000 private lessons had been conducted at the company’s three stores.

"As we began reflecting the quarter-century mark of our Yamaha Music School Program, we realized that many of our former students have now become parents and have enrolled their own children in our program," said DeDe Heid, marketing director, Heid Music Company. "It’s very satisfying to see that multiple generations within several families have benefited from our music instruction, and that’s certainly in line with our own family approach to offering the best products, service and lessons we can at our stores."

Angela Rust is among the growing number of customers who had participated in the Yamaha Music School Program as youngsters in the ‘80s and ‘90s and now send their kids to learn through the course at Heid. She says the decision to send her four-year-old daughter, Savannah, to follow in her footsteps was an easy one.

"My husband and I can't help but smile, knowing that practicing music is something of a reward to Savannah, and that she excitedly announces every week when it is ‘music lesson day,’" said Rust, whose parents enrolled her in one of Heid’s first Yamaha classes when she was five years old. "In contrast to sending children off to one more lesson, the Yamaha program is a chance for me to spend quality time with my daughter, sharing with her my own love of music and watching her discover new skills, friends, and her own potential."

Laura Miller, who also began taking Yamaha Music School Program piano lessons at Heid when she was five, enrolled her four-year-old daughter Ava in the Yamaha program for the piano earlier this year.

"I have great memories from Yamaha classes and recitals, and my experiences motivated me to continue with private piano lessons all throughout my middle and high school years," said Miller. "As I grow older, I have come to realize just how beneficial the Yamaha program at Heid Music was to me and how much more successful I was at music because of it. Now that my daughter is in her first year of the program, I’m excited to see how she grows musically as she begins her own journey," says Miller.

Another former student who now has a child enrolled in the Yamaha program at Heid is Abby Scotch, whose 4-year-old son Jason is studying piano, but is also enjoying drums, wood blocks and xylophones in classes.

"What I like about Yamaha versus private lessons is the group class aspect. Yamaha goes beyond learning to play piano, to the specific benefits music provides a child, teaching things like discipline and how to work well and collaborate with other people," Scotch said.

Marking 65 years in business and its 25th year of offering the Yamaha Music School Program, the Heid family remains as committed as ever to meeting the musical needs of its customers.

"Heid Music succeeds because of our dedicated and caring team," said DeDe Heid. "Everyone here has a passion for providing the finest quality musical instruments and accessories, outstanding customer service, expert repairs and effective lessons by esteemed teachers. Our staff has more than 1,000 years of combined experience to meet the needs of our family of customers."

For more information on Heid Music, including its Yamaha Music School Program, visit Heid Music at 308 E College Ave Appleton, WI 54911, call (920) 734-1969 or visit on the web at www.heidmusic.com