Virtuoso music was inspired by Coronavirus, following a very different trajectory during a pandemic that left hardly any business unscathed.
Virtuoso music was inspired by Coronavirus, following a very different trajectory during a pandemic that left hardly any business unscathed.
The idea came about during the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, when Rabbi Pinchas Margolis, Cheder at the Ohel principal, worked with his children and students quarantined.
Thinking to bring joy and meaning to their time at home, he reached out to English speaking musicians from his home town of Sao Paulo, Brazil and started to connect them with students wanting music lessons virtually. The music school grew and there are now 80 students– children and adults–taking classes in guitar, piano, keyboard, flute, clarinet, drum, saxophone and voice lessons.
Virtuoso Music offers one on one music lessons with male and female instructors. Lessons cost $25 for a 45-minute lesson conducted over Zoom from the comfort of one’s home.
“Most parents I speak to know the benefits and joy that music can bring to their children,” said Rabbi Margolis. “But they’re faced with two obstacles—weekly lessons are costly, and chauffeuring children to and from lessons is time consuming. I started Virtuoso with a dream of bringing affordable lessons to all children in a way that removes the time constraint from busy parents.”
With many camps closed for the summer, many parents have reached out to Virtuoso to sign their children up for lessons, hoping to give them a meaningful summer and a goal to achieve.
“The teachers are very knowledgeable, accommodating and well versed in Jewish music and niggunim,” said Rabbi Shmuel Ganz from Suffern, NY. “Many times, parents have to stop music lessons because they can’t afford it. This is a quality service with an unbeatable price.”
The highly trained musicians have met with the highest reviews from their students. “My son started guitar lessons and he looks forward to it every week,” said parent, Hillel Yanni, from Woodmere, NY. “The teacher is patient, warm and really cares about the student. I could not be happier.”
The voice lessons are particularly popular with teenage girls. “My daughter learned so much from the voice teacher. She has become more confident and happier,” said Mrs. Devorah Shapiro from Crown Heights. “Time during quarantine has been productive in our house and we plan to continue the classes long after this is over.”
For places where camp is not an option and there is no big Jewish community, the music lessons are particularly valuable.
“The piano lessons are the highlight of the week for my four children,” said Rabbi Sholom Ber Galperin, from Windsor, Ontario. “The teacher is caring and she makes them excited to learn music. It’s a great activity for us on shlichus where camp is not an option this year.”
There is no risk to giving lessons a try, as the policy is “Love your first lesson or it’s free.”
For more information, go to virtuosomusic.org, call Rabbi Margolis at 646-494-4252, or email [email protected]
