WEST CHESTER, PA — This year, West Chester’s largest private music school, West Chester Music Academy on N Five Points Rd, celebrates five years in business. Founded in September 2018 by long-time West Chester music scene performer and educator Nick Doak, WCMA prides itself on being a dedicated team of fun and nurturing teachers hosting music lessons for all age groups, from preschoolers to adults.
Doak says regarding the school’s inception: “I started the business just 18 days before my wife was expected to give birth to our first daughter. I had only three in-home students then, and none were interested in traveling to my new studio. Conditions were not ideal, but it didn’t matter. I had a dream, and more importantly, I had to make it work.” The school’s first commercial location was a one-room office space above a CrossFit gym in a secluded industrial park outside the borough. “Crossfit West Chester gave me my first real shot to sublet the space above their gym. And for that, I am grateful. It was just me as the only teacher, eventually growing to 30 students over the coming months.”
What started as just a guitar studio, WCMA now offers diverse instruments for instruction, from piano, guitar, drums, voice, violin, and more. It’s the largest private music school in the greater West Chester area and growing. Voted best music school in 2021 and 2022 by West Chester’s Daily Local, WCMA was one of 8 schools nationwide to be nominated for the 2022 National Music School of the Year award, recognizing the school’s significant contributions to the industry.
In January 2021, the school expanded into its most recent location on Five Points Rd. “WCMA hit 400 students in early 2023, which we were very excited about. I want to thank the West Chester community for supporting us for five years now. I want to thank our talented teachers, hardworking office staff, and, most importantly, our students and their parents. Without our students, there is no Academy, so thanks to everyone for helping us hit this milestone.”
As enrollment has grown, students have enjoyed performing in WCMA’s annual Winter and Spring recitals at West Chester University every December and May. Students have also shared their passion for music, performing on the streets of West Chester on World Music Day 2023 and hosting recitals throughout the summer for the residence of The Hickman Assisted Living Facility on Walnut St. “Keeping students actively engaged in public performances has encouraged families to trade the screens for instruments this summer, thankfully!”
To thank the community, the school is hosting a special 5th Anniversary celebration on Sunday, August 20th. The public is welcome and encouraged to stop by our location in West Chester on N Five Points Rd.
“We’re going to have all kinds of great stuff for the community. We will be raffling off free months of lessons, food, face painting, and an instrument petting zoo. We’re just throwing a big party so please come and see us. We want to thank everybody for an amazing five years, and here’s to 5 more.”
So mark your calendar: stop by August 20th,11 am-1 pm, as the West Chester Music Academy celebrates five years of serving the West Chester community with music. For more information, visit www.WCMusicAcademy.com or call/text 484-508-5895.
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