Today we’d like to introduce you to Darius Johnson
Darius, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The origin of my musical talent and interest has always been sort of a mystery because no one in my immediate family has any musical ability. But for some reason, I naturally gravitated toward music. My earliest memory is stumbling upon a dusty, wooden child-size piano in the basement while playing at one of my cousin’s houses. I stayed downstairs for hours playing around on it. However, it wasn’t until about 7th grade that a music teacher noticed that I might be gifted in music. My family couldn’t afford a piano, but I would stay after school almost every day and practice on the piano in the music room until the custodian would have to kick me out to close the school. I couldn’t read piano music, so most of what I played were improvised pieces or things I had heard. In the 90’s, there was this show called Goosebumps that I loved to watch. I remember this episode about a piano that was haunted by a ghost that played the first movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” I began to work on it by ear, and one day after school, the music teacher took out the piano score while I was playing and was shocked that I was playing the same thing that was written in the music. She recommended that I apply to what is now the DeKalb School of the Arts. I was accepted and within two years of receiving formal piano study, I won the first-place prize in the Greater Atlanta Music Alliance Bach Piano Competition. I eventually transferred to North Atlanta High School for the Performing Arts.
During my high school years, I attended Hillside Presbyterian Church, and of course, just like I did in elementary school, I would stay and play until they’d have to close the building. I was fortunate that many of the members recognized my passion for music and provided generous financial support for me to attend the prestigious Brevard Music Institute & Festival throughout high school. After four years of formal piano study, I graduated from North Atlanta with a full Presidential scholarship in music to attend Morehouse College. Being from the Atlanta area, I have to admit that Morehouse was not my first choice, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. Morehouse was where I would meet other driven and ambitious African American males. It was where, for the first time, I saw mentors and teachers who looked like me. It was also where I would develop a strong disposition toward social justice, community, and education.
After Morehouse, I served as a general K-12 educator in Chicago, Charlotte, and Atlanta picking up a Ph.D. in education from Michigan State University in 2019. MSU provided me the opportunity to study, work, and publish with renowned education scholars who shaped my understanding of teaching and learning.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I never intended to be an entrepreneur. But I have always had a passion for music, teaching, and learning. And one day, I thought why not start a community music school that combines my collective passions and skills into an entrepreneurial endeavor that could have a positive impact for others. As a new business owner and entrepreneur, I have repeatedly asked myself, “What are you doing?” “What are you getting yourself into? During the initial planning stages, I would attempt to find reasons not to be an entrepreneur. I would say to myself, “If you can’t find a suitable property” or if “this doesn’t work out with funding…” then I’m not going through with this process. But every single thing seemed to fall in place at the exact time that was needed to get this business started. So here we are.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Soundscapes School of Music ?
At Soundscapes-Stone Mountain, our mission is to help our students explore and develop their talents wherever their curiosity and interests lead them. We are committed to ensuring our students receive high-quality music instruction from caring and competent faculty in an uplifting environment designed to foster creativity, confidence, and joy. We offer piano, voice, drum, guitar, brass, woodwinds, violin, and more. What sets Soundscapes apart is that we are own and operated by veteran educators. So we strive to create a team of instructors who understand and exhibit good teaching all while providing fun and engaging lessons. We also expose our students to musical experiences and performances by attending outings to various venues across Atlanta such as Atlanta Symphony Hall, Spivey Hall, and others.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I listen to several podcasts and books for entrepreneurial inspiration. I’m currently listening to entrepreneur Ed Mylett’s podcasts.
Pricing:
- Weekly 30 minutes Lesson ($165/mo.)
- Weekly 45 minutes Lesson ($190/mo.)
- Weekly 60 minutes Lesson ($230/mo.)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.soundscapesmusicstonemountain.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundscapesschoolofmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560699131823
