Program Helps Fledgling Business Take Flight

When Vera and Paul Schmitz heard that the City of Lockport was looking to give start-up businesses a boost, it was music to their ears.

The couple learned about the city’s business incubator program from fellow music instructor Mike Barder just days before the application deadline.

The program, intended to give new businesses a boost a time when few startups are opening their doors, offered entrepreneurs a chance to score a rent-free space to help get their business off the ground.

In June, the trio opened the Lockport Conservatory of Music, offering instruction in voice, guitar and piano in a space at the historic Lockport train station, 133 W. 13th Street. The location is one of two vacant sites the city is offering rent free to startups for one year.

After the year is up, the space will be available for rent at below-market rates.

“The whole point of the program is that after two years, we should be on our feet enough to move into another space,” said Barder.

Vera said the site has given her and her husband the chance to expand upon what they were already doing. The seasoned music instructors have offered private, in-home music instruction for a number of years.

“It’s almost like we restructured what we were doing,” she said.

What sets the conservatory apart from other music schools is its emphasis on classical training and techniques, the couple said.

“Paul and I are both classically trained musicians,” said Vera, who holds a degree in vocal performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Paul has a bachelor’s degree in guitar performance from Columbia College Chicago and a master’s of music in guitar performance from Roosevelt University.

The Lockport Conservatory is focused on providing classical training for serious music students, Vera said, including providing master classes, theory classes and performance opportunities.

“We felt that what a lot of the areas around here are lacking is a higher-end lesson,” she said. “We teach classical techniques … We also really hope to fill a void in college preparatory terms.”

Vera said the conservatory offers an affordable option for private lessons to students who hope to pursue music in college.

“Those lessons can be very pricey,” she said. “You’re looking at $75 to $125 an hour, whereas I can give you something comparable for $26 for a half-hour.”

In addition to lessons, the conservatory offers instrument repair. Barder, who has 13 years’ experience, offers everything from basic repairs to major restorative work.

Customers can also make an appointment to have their instruments repaired on the spot, as opposed to the days or weeks it can often take at other shops, said Barder, who offers appointments 24 hours a day.

“They really don’t want to come back in a week to pick it up,” he said. “It’s really better quality service than I’ve seen outside of Chicago.”

Lockport Conservatory hours are from 1 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 5 pm. Saturdays; and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays, or by appointment. Fees for half-hour sessions are $26 each or $113 for a month. Hourlong lessons are $50 each or $217 per month.

Lessons are offered to ages 9 and up for guitar, 6 and up for piano and 11 and older for voice lessons, Vera said, although exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.

“We don’t want to say that we’re right for everyone,” she noted, emphasizing the school is focused on helping serious students develop their talents.

Prospective students are invited to meet with an instructor for a free interview to see if the program is right for them.

“Come on in and we’ll schedule an appointment and we’ll talk,” Paul said.

Lessons are available for beginners through advanced musicians, and there is no maximum age limit.

“We really believe in what we [offer] here,” Versa said.

The business incubator program has allowed the music school to launch at a time when many businesses are struggling.

“Everyone’s gotten hit, especially the arts,” Barder said. “I like the fact that we have a better quality of product to offer,” he said. “The hardest part is going to be leaving here.”

For more information, visit the Lockport Conservatory's website at www.lockportconservatory.com or call 815-838-2982.