Working Musicians Academy

08/07/2026

We need repair technicians.

08/03/2026

10 years of work realized today. ☮️ ❤️ 🎶

08/03/2026

We are so excited about the future of school music.

We hope you feel the same way.

Milestone Monday. ☮ 💓 🎶

https://www.prlog.org/13162114-working-musicians-academy-partners-with-black-dog-music-partners-to-give-musicians-independent-income-producing-careers.html

https://blackdogceo.com/

07/27/2026

So Vibha is going to University of Chicago for Engineering. She lost access to the bass clarinet she loved to play at her last school.

She hadn’t played in a long time. She only had her mouthpiece and a new box of reeds. She wanted to spend under 9k and wasn’t sure at all what she wanted to sound like.

When it comes to the bigger instruments like bass, while repair is always a critical gap to helping musicians enjoy playing an instrument regardless - all the minor adjustments and noodling to get things comfy make the sale.

Quality repair isn’t a luxury. It’s the necessary skill set to ensure a pro sale.

Below is a picture of Rob Kildow with Vibha. He is a graduate of our repair program.

07/26/2026

While Zac isn’t a repair technician, he did graduate from our product specialist program. We are excited to continue to work together to help more people fall in love with music through expert knowledge, craftsmanship and education.

It’s magical when you can help someone reignite an interest and show them how quality helps them fall in love. 🥰

07/24/2026

Michelle is a substitute teacher with three jobs and just wants two- one of them being in music. 🎶

She’s handy, plays in a band that pays and also in a community group. (She has a built in network.)

Today she walked in to our showroom and signed up for clarinet class level 1 and 2.

This picture is of her picking out two Normandy clarinets we have from a donor for 50.00 bucks each to learn on and then sell.

07/15/2026

Every working musician deserves some time off.

Some peace. Some relaxation.

More joy.

As working musicians we tirelessly give, to most everyone because we love music. 🎶 And it shows up brightly. That’s why we work.

But most working musician don’t get enough of this. They never feel fully safe financially or secure.

We have some training that can help you with that. You just have to decide you’re ready.

Our goal, when you are, is to find you part time work to fill in your down time you can rely on any time you need it.

07/09/2026

So what’s this got to do with being a working musician?

Read it and you tell me if it makes more sense to you why you need to learn these skills.


https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPvUFQdqJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Shari after 30 years, decided she wanted to play her clarinet again. Professional freelance clarinetists and repair tech, Elizandro Garcia-Montoya, did a wonderful job restoring her Evette but because of its age, Shari didn’t love how it sounded.

By helping her see what was possible at a budget price with her older clarinet, she realized she really needed a much newer and professional quality instrument. Thanks to the professionalism in our shop, Shari decided on this used Buffet R13 clarinet today.

And now she has taken a sizable step towards a much bigger commitment to playing and playing much better- which she really wants to achieve more quickly. She was really good back in the day.

And her Evette now might go to her grandson who wants to start… Shari is thinking…

(Just 👀 at what expert repair on an old Evette- budget friendly for Shari- made happen? From 0 to 2 new excited musicians. o.k.— we are projecting a little, but you see how music making grows through product knowledge and quality repair here? Give me that.)

Shari we are rooting for you to become that very accomplished player you once were and can be again.

We are so excited for you Shari! Can you tell???? ☮️ 💝 🎶

07/08/2026

After we built the start to our program, we moved back to Illinois. We were in Santa Fe, New Mexico for 3 .5 years.

We have always believed in showing off talented committed students who get really good at repair. This is what happens when you learn in a structured way that ensures success.

We are proud of our own Robert Kildow. Within 2 years he went from beginner to Pro. While still learning, he has done most everything now in clarinetland.

We would love to see other models. We accept new and used pro instruments now on consignment. We welcome 10 brands with different forms of excellence.

This is Rob adjusting an Uebel Emperor low C bass out on trial.

06/27/2026

Packing our first repair kits- yeah it was kind of messy. Everything felt like a learning curve.