This is an unprecedented time in our history. A global pandemic has led to social distancing directives and the closure of most businesses nationwide. This has challenged many McKinney business owners to strive to regain their footing and offer services in ways they never have before. When The Guitar Sanctuary Performance Academy found itself in this situation in March, it sought to preserve its lesson program and found a way to meet the needs of the students through online virtual lessons.
The Guitar Sanctuary Performance Academy had explored online options before, but it was an unfamiliar territory, which proved to be an obstacle in catching on. All of that has changed now. It's situations like these that cause people to think in new unconventional ways. Many times people won't act until forced by events, and quarantine is a perfect example.
In response to the COVID-19 mandates, The Guitar Sanctuary Performance Academy now offers three online lesson program formats; Facetime, Zoom, and Skype. Facetime has proven to be the platform of choice for most students so far. Managing partner, Shane Frame couldn't say enough good about how his teachers have adapted to this change and made it work. "The challenge in moving from face to face to online instructions was to make the lessons engaging and productive," Shane said. To do that, the teachers had to rethink how they teach and how they were coming across to their students. The key was to make every lesson pointed, interesting, and moving along the student's progress. Shane boasts that his teachers are passionate and conscious about being productive. They are specific in their lesson planning and about staying on time.
Some of the benefits that have come from virtual lessons are that lesson times have become more flexible, and in some cases, students are getting even more time with their teacher. Lesson flexibility is especially helpful for the business executives who have last-minute changes to their schedules and can't make an in-person lesson time. Also helpful is that now lessons aren't limited only to the days that the facility is open. As a result, students have more days to choose from in scheduling their lessons.
An additional benefit of online lessons for younger students is that parents are able to hear what's going on in the lesson. They are more engaged in the student's instruction and understand the value of the instructor. Shane says the parental involvement has been phenomenal.
The Guitar Sanctuary Performance Academy prides itself on matching the right instructor with the needs of the student. Shane asks several learning style questions of prospective students to ensure they are partnered with a teacher who will influence and inspire the student to be their best.
In addition to being the managing partner, Shane is a musician himself and performs several times a year. He has also created a McKinney Music Live Facebook page with a two-fold purpose. The first is to expose extraordinary talent and venues that make-up the McKinney, Texas music scene. The second is to get local musicians connected to each other. Recently a McKinney Musician Relief Fund Concert Facebook watch party was posted. It's not too late to watch and enjoy music from your talented local McKinney musicians. Make sure to check it out.
The Guitar Sanctuary is accepting new students! Contact Shane via email at Shane@theguitarsanctuary.com. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates and visit their website at www.theguitarsanctuary.com.