By Sarina Trangle
A new Bayside business hopes to have Bell Boulevard ringing with the sound of woodwinds, strings and singing.
Vienna Music, a classical instrument and voice school, opened at 41-08 Bell Blvd. Nov. 30. The second-floor business boasts an airy foyer that doubles as a concert hall complete with a grand piano, nine individual practice rooms and a larger space for group classes.
Vienna Music offers one-on-one piano, violin, viola, flute, saxophone, clarinet, guitar, ukulele and voice lessons for students of all ages as well as group classes designed to give children between 3 and 5 an introduction to rhythm and several instruments.
Vienna Music Director Ivy Chen said she encourages students to be open to new instruments.
“People’s first impression is, ‘Oh, I want to take piano,’ but we have some very good violin teachers,” she said. “You never know what instrument is for you.”
Chen said Vienna Music uses the New York State School Music Association and The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music exams as barometers of student progress.
“Parents, they want to see that it’s not just for fun and that they keep improving,” Chen said.
Though Chen knew she wanted to learn piano the first time she saw a concerto as a young girl, the Flushing resident said it took her another decade to realize she wanted to teach.
After being admitted to a competitive music training program in her native Taiwan at 6, Chen moved to New York during high school. She spent her weekends in pre-college courses at The Julliard School and helping the children of family friends find their way around the keyboard.
She continued teaching after earning a degree from the Mannes College of Music, inspired by the challenge of helping beginners.
“It’s tricky,” she said. “Sometimes you can see it takes a while to get from the brain to the hands.”
Individual sessions can be purchased in packages of four, 12 and 20 classes, with four 30-minute lessons costing $140 and 20 hour-long lessons costing $1,100.
Vienna Music charges $120 for the group program, which includes four 40-minute sessions.
Chen and Joseph Char, director of operations, hope to turn the concert hall into a venue to showcase student and faculty talent and a community gathering place for music lovers.
“We want to plan events like movie night for movies related to music and invite talented musicians in to perform for the community,” said Char, a Fresh Meadows resident. “Not a lot of music schools have a beautiful recital hall like us.”
Reach reporter Sarina Trangle at 718-260-4546 or by e-mail at strangle@cnglocal.com.
