Horizon School Of Music

If you’ve ever felt like you or your child “just aren’t practicing enough,” you’re not alone.

But here’s something we’ve learned after working with thousands of students.

Sometimes it’s not a motivation issue. It’s a life capacity issue.

We once worked with a student whose parent was concerned about her lack of practice. So instead of pushing harder, we sat down and mapped out her weekly schedule.

School. Homework. Activities. Sports. Social time. Family time.

By the time we finished, there was no time left.

That moment changed everything.

Because music should never feel like just another pressure on an already full plate.

At Horizon School of Music, we believe progress doesn’t come from forcing practice. It comes from connection.

Connection to music you love.
Connection to small, achievable wins.
Connection to feeling successful and inspired.

Some days that means working hard and building skills.

Other days it means learning your favourite song, exploring a movie soundtrack, or just having a moment where music feels fun again.

Both matter.

Because motivation doesn’t come from pressure. It comes from momentum.

And momentum starts with a single positive experience.

If you or your child have ever struggled with staying motivated in music, just know there’s nothing “wrong.”

You might just need a different approach.

Notice who needs you most this week.

This applies to music, but honestly, it applies to life.

If you are learning an instrument, or supporting someone who is, take a moment to ask:
Who needs a little extra encouragement right now?
Who feels stuck?
Who just needs a small win?

Progress in music is not always about more practice or more information. Sometimes it is about feeling seen, supported, and understood.

A quick story.

Years ago, I had a student named Steven. He was around 10 years old and took lessons early Saturday mornings. Every week he would come in tired, quiet, and completely disengaged. It felt like nothing was working.

After months of this, I realized the issue was not ability or effort. He was simply exhausted.

We moved his lesson to later in the day.

Everything changed.

He showed up energized, engaged, and ready to learn. Over time, he became one of the most technically advanced players I have ever taught.

Same student. Different situation.

Sometimes growth is not about pushing harder. It is about adjusting the environment and meeting someone where they are.

That is something we think about a lot at Horizon. Every student is different, and our job is to find the approach that helps them feel confident, motivated, and excited to keep going.

If you or your child ever feel stuck in your musical journey, there is always a path forward. Sometimes it just takes a small shift.

Kris 🎶

🔥 METAL CONSORTIUM IS BACK 🔥

We’re bringing it back in a big way…

Join us on Wednesday, April 29 at 7:45 PM for a special one time only workshop with the one and only Oswin Wong.

Vancouver based guitarist, Berklee College of Music graduate, and touring musician with Threat Signal and Plaguebringer, Oswin has built his career on crushing technique, precision, and creativity across death metal, metalcore, progressive metal, and beyond.

This is your chance to learn directly from someone who lives and breathes this music at a professional level.

If you’re a guitarist looking to:

• Level up your technical ability

• Expand your riff writing and creative ideas

• Improve your improvisation and musical expression

• Push your playing into heavier, more advanced territory

You do NOT want to miss this.

⏰ 7:45 PM start

⏱️ 90 minute workshop

📍 Horizon School of Music
333 Terminal Ave. Vancouver

This is a rare opportunity to get in the room, ask questions, and experience how a touring metal guitarist approaches the instrument.

Spots are limited.

Email: [email protected] to register

Let’s get heavy 🤘

Last night’s Songwriters Circle at Horizon School of Music was a beautiful reminder of what can happen when creative people gather with openness, courage, and curiosity.

Every time we come together, there is a shared sense of inspiration in the room. Hearing songwriters share works in progress, ideas, and the stories behind their songs is always a privilege. There is something special about witnessing a song while it is still becoming.

One theme that surfaced throughout the evening was the power of capturing ideas with voice memos and revisiting those recordings later while walking in nature or doing simple everyday tasks. Many writers discover that stepping away from the instrument and allowing a song to live in the background of the mind can unlock new melodies, lyrics, and structures.

The conversation also touched on a range of artists who inspire different approaches to songwriting, including Tom Misch, Jose Gonzalez, Nick Drake, Marconi Union, Bon Iver, and Lily Allen. Listening widely and thoughtfully is one of the best ways to nurture a creative voice.

At Horizon School of Music, we host a dedicated songwriting workshop on the first Wednesday of every month where writers explore craft, process, and creative development together. On the second Wednesday of each month, we gather for our Songwriters Circle performance night, where members of the community share original music in a supportive listening environment.

For anyone interested in songwriting, these evenings are a wonderful opportunity to grow, connect, and develop creative confidence alongside other writers.

One piece of inspiration that came up recently is a fantastic interview with Jeff Tweedy on the Song Exploder podcast called “How to Write One Song.” It is an honest and practical conversation about creativity, self doubt, and the songwriting process.

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/song-exploder/id788236947?i=1000710320250

Creativity grows when it is surrounded by thoughtful ideas, generous listeners, and a community that values the courage it takes to make something new. We are grateful to have that kind of community here at Horizon School of Music.

Are Your Music Lessons Leading Somewhere?

A surprising number of students come to us after trying everything else first.

YouTube tutorials.
Random online lessons.
Different teachers.

And we keep hearing the same things:

“I feel overwhelmed by all the information online.”

“I’m not sure if I’m actually improving.”

“I struggle with accountability.”

“I just showed up week after week and had no idea where the lessons were going.”

Here is the truth.

Information is everywhere.

You can learn a chord, a scale, or a song from thousands of videos online. But information alone rarely leads to real progress.

What most students are actually looking for is something very different:

A mentor
A roadmap
Accountability
A community
A clear sense of progress

At Horizon School of Music, we believe great music education should give students direction, not just weekly lessons.

That philosophy is what inspired our Fast Track Premium Music Experience. It is designed to help students move forward with clarity, structure, and momentum while learning music they genuinely love.

When students know where they are going, everything changes. Motivation increases. Progress becomes visible. Confidence grows.

Your musical journey deserves a roadmap.

Learn more about the Fast Track Premium Music Experience here or by clicking the link in our profile.

https://horizonschoolofmusic.ca/fast-track-premium-music-experience-onboarding/

Are your music lessons leading somewhere?

I wanted to share something I learned the hard way early in my teaching career.

Teaching can be emotionally demanding. When students do not practise, seem distracted, or are slow to progress, it is very easy for that frustration to start feeling personal. Many teachers quietly wonder if they are doing something wrong or if they are not good enough, even when they care deeply and are showing up prepared.

I struggled with this myself when I first started teaching. I wanted students to practise more, listen more, and trust my guidance sooner. What I eventually learned was that trust does not come from telling students what they need. It comes from showing them that you understand why they came in and that you can help them right away.

There is strong evidence in education and psychology that when students feel understood, supported, and successful early on, they become far more motivated and open to guidance over time. When students experience quick wins on things they care about, trust builds naturally. And once trust is there, real depth becomes possible.

At Horizon School of Music, value matters. Lessons are a meaningful investment of both time and money for students. That means how we use each minute shapes how they feel about their progress, their teacher, and the relationship as a whole.

Once I started investing more energy into meeting students where they were and earning their trust first, everything changed. Students practised more. They listened more. The long term outcomes improved for both of us. Most importantly, teaching became far more fulfilling.

Before you can give students what they need, you have to give them what they want!

Students walk into their first lesson with something very specific in mind. A song. A skill. A sound. A problem they want solved. Trust is built when we meet them there first.

Great teaching starts by showing students that you understand why they came in. Teach them what they asked for clearly, efficiently, and professionally. Show up prepared. Remember what you worked on last time. Ask how it went. Adjust the pace. Slow down when they need support. Speed up when they are ready to move.

Value is not abstract to students. They are paying good money and every minute of their lesson time matters. Excessive catching up, unfocused chit chat, or drifting away from what the student actually wants to work on quietly eats into something they value.

When students feel seen, heard, and progress quickly on what matters to them, trust grows. Once trust is there, they are far more open to guidance, structure, and the deeper things they truly need to grow.

Meet them where they are first. That is the foundation of great teaching.

Kris Schulz
Founder & Owner
Horizon School Of Music

One of the most common questions we hear from parents is some version of this:

“How many classes are there in a phase, and what level will my child reach when it’s finished?”

It’s a completely reasonable question on the surface. Parents want clarity, structure, and reassurance that their time and money are being used well.

But when it comes to music, especially for young children, this way of thinking can actually work against the very outcomes families hope for.

Music is not a checklist skill that gets unlocked in stages. It is much closer to learning a language. There is no finish line, no final level, and no moment where a child is suddenly “done.” Progress happens gradually, unevenly, and differently for every child.

At five years old, the most important markers of success are not what pieces a child can play or what level they have completed. The real questions are:
Do they enjoy music?
Can they focus for short periods?
Do they feel safe and encouraged with their teacher?
Are they developing curiosity, confidence, and a sense of play?

This is why at Horizon School Of Music we do not believe in fixed study phases or guaranteed outcomes for young children. A lesson’s structure must respond to the child in front of us. Some children move quickly. Others need time, repetition, and space. Both paths are valid.

When families focus too heavily on levels, phases, or timelines, it can unintentionally create pressure. Pressure often leads to frustration, burnout, or disengagement, especially at a young age.

Our philosophy is simple. Long term love of music matters more than short term acceleration. A child who builds a healthy relationship with music will go further than one who is rushed through milestones without joy or ownership.

Music is not about finishing something.
It is about becoming someone.

If you are choosing music lessons for your child, look first for connection, patience, and trust. The skills will follow.

Today marks 7 years since I opened the doors of Horizon School of Music. It was the same year I became a twin dad and marked a transition between the life I knew and the one I’ve grown into.

I want to celebrate that, but I also want to be real about where we are at. The tone of the world right now feels heavy. Confidence in leadership is low. Hope feels fragile for a lot of people. In many ways, that makes the role of a creative community even more important.

This past year, especially 2025, was easily one of the hardest years of my life, both personally and as the owner of Horizon. There were a lot of ups and downs. Teachers and admin having to leave suddenly for reasons beyond their control. The economy shifting. The constant responsibility of keeping a school, a team, and hundreds of families moving forward with care and integrity. Running a small business with over 25 teachers and admins is no small task, and it is not all roses and rainbows.

At the same time, I am deeply grateful. Owning a music school was a dream of mine going back to when I was very young. Even on the hardest days, that gratitude never really leaves.

One of the ways I get through is by waking up each day and pretending it is day one. Staying curious. Staying humble. Trying not to carry the full weight of the business all at once. This year feels important. A year to refine systems, deepen our culture, and continue offering an exceptional level of care to our students and their families.

We believe in client led learning. We believe people should be able to choose how they learn, when they learn, and what they learn. That flexibility and humanity are the point.

Last night we gathered with 14 of our team members to celebrate. We currently have 27 active members on the Horizon team, and while not everyone could be there, it was a beautiful moment to mark the end of a challenging but successful year and the beginning of a new one.

Seven years in. Still getting my ass kicked. Still learning. Still growing. Still grateful.

Horizon is growing again and I am looking to meet a few great teachers who really love what they do. We have limited space for piano, vocal, and guitar instructors who bring warmth, strong musicianship, and an inspiring presence into the room.

Our community is built on empathy, kindness, Ears Before Eyes, and a client-led leanring approach where students feel supported and seen. We work with young adults and adults, and we also have a wonderful group of youth learners who keep the school full of energy.

To be a good fit for our team you would be someone who teaches with patience and clarity, communicates kindly, works well with others, and brings a joyful and grounded attitude into every session.

At least one year of teaching experience is preferred, but exceptionally strong younger teachers who feel aligned with our culture are welcome to reach out. Multi instrumentalists who can teach two or three of piano, vocals, and guitar are in highest demand.

All candidates must have an unnaturally high passion for music and for gifting it to others. We are not looking for rock stars racing to get back on the road but for artists who value the experience of musical education while still making time for their own creative work, because at Horizon we are artists who love to teach, not teachers who do not make art.

If this sounds like you, or like someone you know, I would love to hear from you.

Please note that all candidates need to email us. Do not send private messages here as I will not be able to respond on Facebook.

Anyone who feels aligned with our values and fits our crtiteria should email via our website contact info with a cover letter, resume, music links, and their availability.

Last night reminded me why the Songwriter Circle is one of the most meaningful gatherings in the entire Horizon community. Every time we meet, something special happens. People show up to create, to share, to be vulnerable, and to support one another, and the magic that comes out of that room is hard to put into words.

One of the things I love most is seeing everyone return each month with real progress. Sometimes all it takes is accountability. Showing up for your weekly lesson. Showing up for the Songwriter Circle. Choosing to put time and energy into the things that bring joy and value. Much like working with a trainer, you show up because you care, and because the act of showing up helps you grow.

Music becomes especially fulfilling when we move from playing to creating. When we write, we shape our stories, our voice, and our identity. I encourage every songwriter to stay rooted in authenticity. Ask yourself the questions that matter. Who am I. What do I stand for. What am I trying to say. When you release your art into the world you are making a statement, and you want that attention to reflect the real you.

Last night every person in the room offered something powerful. The listeners showed up with kindness and presence. The performers brought courage, honesty, and creativity. To call the experience magical is an understatement. I wish more people could feel the inspiration that filled that space.

A few creative tools came up that are worth sharing. Launchpad is a fantastic app for experimenting with beats, melodies, rhythms, and harmonic ideas. The documentaries Exile on Main Street and Get Back give rare glimpses into artists creating in real time, often after long periods that look unproductive on the surface. These moments are gold for any songwriter. They show the truth of the process. Long stretches of searching mixed with flashes of inspiration when the muse arrives🎶