Meet Julianne Merritt of Merit Music Academy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julianne Merritt.

Hi Julianne, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
From the moment I learned that teaching piano was a job, I knew it would be my job one day. As a child, I would draw blueprints of my future music school, and I even enlisted my uncle to do landscaping one day. I have always been so enthralled by the challenge of teaching, the creativity it takes to find new ways to explain things, and the pride in helping someone express themself. After 13 years of lessons, I started teaching from my parents’ house the summer of 2019, before I moved to Athens. Once I moved, I started teaching at music schools in Atlanta and Athens, until I noticed a gap in local curricula. My experience in a few different schools showed me that some instructors focused too much on technique and fundamentals with a rigid, strict approach that discouraged students who wanted to perform, and play exciting new music. Other types of instructors focused mostly expression and play, which left students feeling disorganized and with no practice routine. When I started Merit Music Academy in a little office in 2023, the goal was to bridge this gap and create a flexible, personal curriculum for each student, which helped them learn fundamentals and theory, while also keeping them engaged with new and exciting pieces. I was immediately so inspired by the reception of my new studio. Students invited their friends, friends invited their friends’ kids, and eventually I reached the point where I could no longer take on any new students. It has been such a blessing to have such an incredible group of students and their families, and I am so excited about the next chapter of Merit Music Academy. On October 26, we will start teaching in a new, much larger building, and this move will open the door to more events, more teachers sharing the same vision, and a larger capacity to provide high quality music education to the community.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For most of the first year of Merit Music Academy, I was working two additional jobs on top of trying to get it off the ground. Now with our upcoming expansion, I am finding myself in a similar boat, but I would not change it for the world. I also find that every time I turn around, there is something new to learn. Whether it’s how to file taxes, change a business’s structure, apply for a sign permit, or it’s how to work with a nonverbal student, practice arpeggios with a broken wrist, or arrange the longest song in KPop Demon Hunters for beginner piano, I am constantly adapting, admitting when I’m wrong, changing, and growing.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Merit Music Academy?
Merit Music Academy was founded in 2023 to bridge the gap between strict, boring instrument lessons that left students overwhelmed and with no space for creativity, and structure-less, repertoire-only lessons that did not prepare students for learning music on their own, collaborating with others, or writing. We bridge this gap by requiring our lessons to be student-centered, with the instructor and student deciding on most repertoire together, and balancing this with fundamentals and technique work that prepare students for the professional world, higher education, or even just a heightened understanding of their own hobbies. Our motto, “Expression Through Excellence,” is not something we take lightly. Our students are encouraged to step out of their creative comfort zones, and they are supported through the more difficult parts of developing technique and polishing music for performances. We are honored to offer piano, voice. guitar, bass, ukulele, flute and trombone lessons, to the greater Athens area, along with songwriting and improvisational workshops, summer camps, spring break camps, and other community events throughout the year.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I have been blessed with the support of many people in the community, including my students’ families, all of whom have believed in me since I opened the doors. My friends and family have also been endlessly generous with their time, helping me table at events, help decorate at recitals, and pick me up when I am feeling nervous. My boyfriend, who is also an entrepreneur (Hammer of Hobus – blacksmithing and welding services) has been a huge help during this period of change as well. We have learned a lot of business management side-by-side, and we are always networking and marketing for each other. Having him in the same boat has made this road so much easier.

Pricing:

• Weekly 30-minute lessons – $110/month
• Weekly 45-minute lessons – $165/month
• Weekly 60-minute lessons – $220/month

Contact Info:

• Website: https://MeritMusicAcademy.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/meritmusicacademy
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/meritmusicacademyathens