Harmony Brought to Aurora by Neighborhood Music

While the focus is teaching music, Neighborhood Music creates so much more than a space to take lessons and perform on stage for class attendees. By providing an outlet of expression for their students from ages 1 to 100, this music lesson school and full-production theater program truly encapsulates human growth and connection, especially for individuals who identify as LGBTQ.

“Because we are an open space for creation, I think that we also end up being, to some extent, the waters where kids test out saying ‘I’m gay’ for the first time,” say Skye Barker Maa, owner of Neighborhood Music. “They have this opportunity to be one-on-one with someone and explore who they are in a creative way, and I think a lot of times, there’s a pathway there for them to also talk about some of the things they might be thinking about.”

With roughly half of the staff identifying as LGBTQ, Neighborhood Music also creates a safe space for those who are looking for creative employment opportunities. From teaching lessons that encompass the 17 musical instruments (which they provide instruction for), to being a part of the youth summer camps, to getting involved in the production and management of the 12 staged shows they put on each year, the school that is nestled in Stanley Marketplace truly is a sanctuary for inclusion.

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“I think diversity of perspective is number-one. We want our students to walk through this door, and we want them to have a wealth of perspective to be able to relate to,” Maa says.

Having specifically chosen Aurora to house the business due to her love of the Art District and the thriving community, Maa says that as a business owner, the City of Aurora has been very supportive of the small, local business. Additionally, she continues to receive support and advice from the other businesses owners within Stanley Marketplace, and being a part of that community is very important to her.

While 2020 has been a difficult year, committed clients have stepped up and continue to pay for lessons and programs while we are all getting used to the new normal of virtual and streaming life. Maa knows that many kids have been struggling with the extreme challenges that have been presented during COVID, and she feels that Neighborhood Music has been able to provide continuity to their lives in a way that not much else has been able to provide.

Through providing a safe space for all, focusing on providing a much-needed service to the community, and being a rock for many during this time of need, Neighborhood Music is truly creating harmony within the Aurora community.

Find out more at neighborhoodmusicstanley.com.

*Photo by Justine Johnson