John Damiano has combined his passion for music with his savvy business smarts to bring the Baldwinsville School of Music to the community.
A dentist by day (he established his Baldwinsville practice in 1990), Damiano has been focused on his career since he was in the eighth grade. However, he now has a desire to add music to his resume.
“Somewhere along the way, I became enamored with playing electronic keyboards,” Damiano said. “Progressively I’ve morphed a hobby into a passion and then a passion into a pseudo-addiction and an addiction into an alter ego. I enjoy the endeavor to align my vocation as a dentist with my avocation as a keyboard musician. I reasoned that the ultimate path to take in that regard is to establish my own music business.”
Rather than opening a business selling instruments, Damiano elected instead to create a cultural facility.
“[The Baldwinsville School of Music] is a family-oriented establishment that can stay relevant in Baldwinsville indefinitely,” he said. “Lessons in fundamental music theory to advanced musical performance will be the only source of revenue therefore making this enterprise a purely cultural entity. My intention is to invite only professional music educators and highly credentialed musicians to join the charter staff. I prefer to make the name Baldwinsville School of Music synonymous with high quality music education and not my secondary income at all costs.”
Located at 45 East Genesee St. in the village, the facility consists of two private lesson rooms and a group lesson classroom where professional music educators can instruct children and adults. It also features a baby grand piano available for students to use during their lessons.
“[The baby grand piano] is the centerpiece of the entire operation and truly sets us apart from our competitors,” Damiano said.
While he is positive the endeavor will be a success, he admits there is some risk.
“The viability of the Baldwinsville School of Music is almost wholly predicated on my success in recruiting independent professional music educators,” Damiano said.
On the other hand, he has spent a lot of time and energy on the project ensuring every aspect from acoustics and lighting to comfort and safety was addressed. Damiano “spared no expense in creating a setting that is conducive to music learning and is free of the distractions found in musical instrument retails outlets.”
In regards to safety, the facility is situated in a highly visible location within walking distance of the school district’s campus and features viewing windows into both lesson rooms as well one from the entrance, which is reminiscent of an old schoolhouse, into the waiting room/group lesson area.
“These provisions were implemented to offer a parent the ability to look in from the parking lot, sit in the waiting room, wait within close proximity of a lesson in progress or observe a lesson directly,” Damiano said.
As far as lessons, Damiano said fees, scheduling, target age group and skill level is up to instructors.
“Teachers will be independent contractors who will be responsible for their schedules, fees and teaching methods,” he said. “They will equally be responsible for recruiting their own students.
As the facility gains notoriety, Damiano envisions the Baldwinsville School of Music providing all types of instrumental lessons as well as possible group classes in music theory, history, instrument tuning and more. He also sees a potential for the facility to function as a community center for possible off-hours activities such as early childhood music enrichment classes, instrument demonstrations, auditions and more.
“Founding the Baldwinsville School of Music is a once-in-a-lifetime labor of love, which I hope in time becomes a signature asset in the community where children and adults will look to cultivate a passion for making music,” Damiano said.
