Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Philpott.
Hi Kimberly, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey to a career in music education started in elementary school. I had a wonderful teacher who took the time to get to know me and my musical interests starting from our very first lesson. By the time I reached high school, I was all in! I was accompanying our high school concert choir, memorizing the lyrics to Broadway musicals, and pouring over course catalogs for colleges and universities with music education programs. I wanted to be a choral director … and an accompanist, and a performer, and a musical theater director! But most of all, I wanted to be a music teacher.
I began teaching private lessons in college and still love every minute of it! Harmony Music Studios began 15 years ago with a single teacher, then two, then three. Our growth initially came from handing out flyers and by word of mouth. From there, Harmony has expanded its reach to cover Durham, Chapel Hill, and parts of Cary. Our studio has gone through many transitions, including moving online during the pandemic, then back to in-person lessons, but our instructors have always remained committed to providing high-quality, individualized instruction to our students. They have a huge heart for seeing our students thrive.
Harmony Music Studios was born out of a love for the musical journey and for the appreciation we have for teachers who inspired us along the way. I am thrilled for the chance to pass along these experiences to the next generation of musicians!
Alright, 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?
There are ups and downs running any small business, but the desire to move forward through music has kept Harmony going and growing! Because we teach private, in-person lessons, we faced an interesting challenge during the pandemic. But we have a great team who worked together to transition to online lessons while keeping our students engaged. And when we were ready to resume in-person instruction, the flood gates fortunately opened for us! Everyone was excited to get back to learning and making music in person, and the studio has seen tremendous growth ever since!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a passionate music educator who has dedicated my career to helping students of all ages broaden their musical awareness and develop a lifelong love for music. I’ve spent over 20 years of my career as a teacher, performer, accompanist, vocal coach and choral director.
I love preparing students for musical theater and vocal auditions! I have also performed Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, La Suora Zelatrice in Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Philia in Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, in addition to other theater roles. In addition to teaching and running the studio, I have also worked as director of music for local churches for many years, leading adult choirs, children’s choirs, handbells, instrumental ensembles, etc.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
When it comes to supporting local business and working together as a community, the Triangle is amazing! So much of our growth is driven by word of mouth, and we receive so much support from our local neighborhoods and schools. Over the years, our studio has been fortunate enough to work with local non profits such as Kidznotes and Musical Empowerment to help empower youth through music education, and seeing that work grow and support our community is terrifically rewarding.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.harmonymusicstudios.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harmonymusicnc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harmonymusicstudios
