Many Georgia families are choosing to make music education an essential part of their children’s academic and personal development
As families across metro Atlanta prepare for another school year, Cecilia Rowe, CEO and founder of The Music Studio Atlanta (TMSA), is encouraging parents to think beyond backpacks and school supplies by making music education part of their child’s academic and personal development.
“Research has consistently shown that students involved in music education develop stronger executive functioning skills, including memory, attention, discipline and problem-solving,” Rowe shared. “Music instruction also supports language development, mathematical thinking, creativity and emotional intelligence — skills that benefit students throughout their educational journey.”
Georgia has become a national leader in promoting music education, and the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) has been nationally recognized for its advocacy efforts to expand access to high-quality music education throughout the state. This reflects a growing understanding that music is not simply an extracurricular activity but an essential component of a well-rounded education.
While schools are increasingly focused on academic performance, educators say music remains one of the most powerful tools for helping children succeed both inside and outside the classroom.
Confidence, connection and life skills
In Johns Creek, the Muddasani family has seen the benefits first-hand through their own musical experience. “Our daughter, Siya, just recently performed beautifully at a Music Studio open mic and sang some of the songs that she has been practicing,” said Vijay Muddasani.
“Singing in front of an audience has made Siya so much more poised and confident in all aspects of her life.”
“Music is so much more than learning notes or playing an instrument,” Rowe explained. “When children study music, they learn patience, perseverance, confidence, collaboration and self-expression. These are life skills that carry over into every classroom, every friendship and eventually every career.”
Studies have found that students who participate in music programs often demonstrate higher levels of school engagement, improved attendance, stronger graduation rates and increased motivation to learn.
Beyond academics, music can offer a creative outlet that supports mental wellness and provides balance during the demands of the school year.
“As schedules fill with sports, homework and activities, music provides children with something unique,” Rowe said. “It teaches discipline without taking away creativity. It encourages excellence while allowing every child to discover their own voice.”
Music also provides something many children need now more than ever: meaningful human connection.
Whether they participate in private lessons, group classes, recitals or ensembles, music students learn to communicate, perform under pressure and work as a team, often building lasting friendships. These experiences can help develop resilience, empathy and confidence while reducing stress and encouraging healthy emotional expression.
From lessons to performance
Rowe believes every child should have access to music education — both during the school day and through after-school opportunities that allow them to develop their talents in a supportive environment.
Each of The Music Studio Atlanta’s locations offers private and group instruction for children, teens and adults in a variety of instruments — piano, guitar, voice, violin, drums, ukulele and more. Lessons are individualized to meet each student’s goals, whether they are just starting out or are preparing for advanced performance opportunities. Even preschoolers can get a jump start on learning about world music and musical concepts through Harmony Explorers, a special program for 3–5 year olds.
But one key element to TMSA’s program is the opportunity for students to take what they’re learning onto the stage and perform live.
“Performance opportunities are where the real growth happens in a student’s musical journey,” said Rowe. “It’s where the practice, the patience and the persistence all come together.”
The school builds in chances for that all year long with relaxed, low-pressure open mics for students who are just finding their footing, semi-formal bi-annual recitals for a bit more polish and destination performances for advanced students at venues like Carnegie Hall, Graceland and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
A lot of that momentum comes from the school’s proprietary reward system, which Rowe said keeps students motivated and engaged.
“This June, we held our Hawaiian-themed Summer Recitals over two whole weekends at the Historic Pace House in Vinings,” she said, “with many hundreds of students across all our locations taking the stage.”
Music as a part of life
Music has been part of Rowe’s life for as long as she can remember. Her mother was a church organist and choir director, her father had a music theory degree, and she grew up in a family full of musicians. “So I suppose it was in my blood from the start,” she said.
She learned piano at a young age, but singing always came more naturally to her, and by high school she was the lead singer in every band she could find a spot in.
“Funny enough, I didn’t set out to build a music school,” Rowe admitted. “I studied business in college and spent my twenties in the corporate world. It was my mother who brought me back — she needed help keeping up with her waitlist of in-home piano and voice students, and once I started teaching alongside her, I knew this was going to be my life’s work.”
What eventually became The Music Studio Atlanta grew out of something simple: Rowe had dear friends with young children who couldn’t afford the in-home lesson rates, and she couldn’t stand the idea of music being out of reach for them. So, she opened a neighborhood studio where quality music education could be accessible to more families.
“And honestly, it’s been the best decision I ever made,” she said.
One thing Rowe didn’t expect going in: “It’s not just the students whose lives get changed (though some have commented that it saved their lives!). There’s something so special about building a place that also gives our roughly 100 teachers and 15 staff members a genuinely fulfilling career and income — people who get to do work they love, in a field they’re passionate about, every single day.”
“That ripple effect goes so much further than I ever imagined,” she continued. “Thirty-plus years later, as a mom, a business owner and a former music teacher, I still believe the same thing I believed on day one: music builds far more than musicians. It builds confident, resilient, compassionate humans — for students and teachers alike. And that’s what keeps me showing up every day.”
About The Music Studio Atlanta
The Music Studio Atlanta is a premier music education center serving almost 1,500 students throughout the metro Atlanta area at its three locations — East Cobb, Vinings and Johns Creek. They offer both in-studio and in-home instruction in piano, voice and a variety of instruments for students of all ages and skill levels and are dedicated to fostering creativity, confidence and lifelong skills through high-quality music education.
The Johns Creek location is newly opened this year, though TMSA has operated in metro Atlanta since the late 1990s.
“We’re so excited to now call Johns Creek home,” Rowe said. “We opened our studio here this past January, and it’s been a wonderful addition to the TMSA family. The Music Studio Atlanta actually got its start back in 1999, so we’ve spent over 25 years building our approach to music education — our Vinings studio opened in fall of 2011, followed by East Cobb in the fall of 2022, and now Johns Creek in 2026.”
She went on to explain that each location has its own personality, but they all share the same commitment to helping students find their musical window. “We’re looking forward to growing right alongside this great [Johns Creek] community,” she added.
For more about The Music Studio Atlanta and the new Johns Creek location, visit themusicstudioatlanta.com/alpharetta-music-lessons.
