Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Tilghman.
Kaitlyn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Back in 2012, I began volunteering as an assistant music director at Calavera Hills Middle School in Carlsbad, CA. I fell in love with teaching as I got to pass along my passion for music and watch the students start to understand it too. One day I created an online post offering private in-home music lessons. I was not sure if I would go anywhere with it, but I worked hard and had amazing success with students. Soon all of the parents were spreading the word and I had clients and offers all over San Diego county and beyond. I was so busy that I decided to open my own location and hire more teachers. My husband, Chris Tilghman, who is also a musician, left his job to join in on the venture. We interviewed maybe a hundred teachers to find the most qualified ones that shared our heart for teaching music education in a positive and encouraging environment.
Tilghman’s Academy of Music instantly grew and became a beloved part of the community. We put on shows and concerts. We offer private lessons and group classes to all ages focusing on all different genres. Most of our students are first chairs in their school bands, orchestras, and choirs. We have seen our students go on to win awards and go on to join honor bands or study music in college. Even more importantly, we make sure all of our students feel that they belong and can learn the type of music that inspires them. As we grew, word continued to spread about the successes and joy of our students. We opened up an international online classroom as the word continues to spread to friends and family across the world. We are very passionate about what we do and love the opportunity to see our students explore their creative side.
My personal credentials include being 1st chair of the Carlsbad High School Band. I received my associate’s in music studies at San Diego Miramar College and then my Bachelor’s in Music at Berklee College of Music. I am currently earning my Master’s in Music Education at Boston University.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been smooth. As we continued to grow Tilghman’s Academy of Music, the challenges also grew. We struggled to receive the permits from the city to open our music school. The expenses to open and remain open have set us back financially. We also strive to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to learn music. Sometimes we lose money on scholarships and reducing rates to offer classes that everyone can be involved in. Enrollment has also been decreasing since the start of Covid and the cost of running a business often is higher than profits, but we are dedicated to our cause and dedicated to our loyal customers. We believe we will recover and come out stronger. There are many times my husband and I work numerous hours without pay so that we can stay open and continue to pay our teachers. This journey has been more of a passion project than a way to make a living.
Please tell us about Tilghman’s Academy of Music.
We are a music academy. We offer private lessons and group classes. We host recitals, contests, webinars, and many other community events. We work to help fundraise for music programs in and out of schools. We teach instruments and vocal instruction. We are proud of the community we have created. Our motto is Building Community Through Music. To us, this is not just a business. It’s our passion and about uniting people. We are special because we customize our programs to each student. Many other music studios focus on one particular method or another. We believe every student should have a method to match their learning style and interests. We also have competitive rates to make sure that anyone who has the desire to learn music can afford one of our programs.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
One of the best experiences I ever had was attending a music summer camp at Berklee in Boston when I was 16 years old. The city was full of life and adventure. Music was everywhere. I made friends I still talk to today. More importantly, I learned a valuable lesson. I took 17 different classes that summer. I walked into my first ensemble class with my classical music folder in my hand and my instruments. I was put into this funk fusion band, where I was the only wind player in the group set up like a rock band. I asked the teacher where our music was and he said there is no sheet music.
I was confused because I did not know music could be played without reading it on the pages. I was introduced to jazz, funk, musical theatre, improvisation and various other types of music. It was the first time I realized music is not one way of learning. It is infinite and can reach every person. I remember that lesson in my own teaching so that I know there are not just good and bad musicians. Music is for everyone. We all have different interests and skillsets. My job now is to help people find those interests and develop them. I also learned that I LOVE jazz music that summer.
Pricing:
- Private Lesson $30 for 30-minutes
- Private Lesson $60 for 60-minutes
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TilghmansAOM.com
- Phone: 7605325130
- Email: TilghmansAOM@gmail.com
- Instagram: tilghmans_aom
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TilghmansAOM
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tilghmansaom
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tilghmans-academy-of-music-oceanside
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