Today we’d like to introduce you to Vincent Frank.
Hi Vincent, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I moved back to West Michigan after finishing a music degree at Saginaw Valley State University. That was in the spring of 2020, which was not a great time to be starting a music career due to Covid19. I was lucky enough to get a job that summer teaching guitar for a local studio, and shortly thereafter began accompanying middle school choirs. It was a really crazy time, but I was working solely as a musician, which was pretty cool!
I eventually got connected with another musician through my involvement in the Piano Teachers’ Forum of Grand Rapids. He had an idea to create a joint music studio with myself and two other music teachers. We began renting an office suite in the First Place building, and I officially opened my own music studio in June of 2023. Since then I have been happily teaching voice and piano lessons full time in addition to performing and running operations for The Holland Chorale. I wear many hats but thoroughly enjoy the work I do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think everyone working in an arts field (or any field, for that matter) faces significant challenges, especially when you want to operate your own business. For me, I struggled a lot with feeling confident in the work I was doing. I tried to transform that negative outlook into something more positive by motivating myself to continually learn and grow. I view honing my craft as a life-long mission.
I have been extremely lucky to have supportive friends and family, and a wonderful professional arts network in the Grand Rapids area. We are so blessed in West Michigan with so many music organizations, I see potential everywhere I look!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work primarily teaching piano lessons to beginner and intermediate students of all ages. I work hard to create a holistic musical education, aiming for my students to confidently read, perform, improvise, and compose music. I also enjoy arranging music, especially choral and solo piano music, and self-publish my arrangements.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Get involved in as many groups as possible. So much of the opportunity I’ve had has come from knowing people in various choirs, churches, or music associations. Simply being present at meetings is a great way to expand your network and learn about the goings-on of the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vincentfrankmusicstudio.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093248775961
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-frank-060794159/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@vincentfrankmusic
