A Message From Our Founder

It’s been a very interesting 2023 so far to say the least. At the moment I am up in the Sacramento area. About a month ago my mother took a fall and broke her leg. She spent 2 weeks in the hospital and has been home now for about three weeks. I’ve been up here several times and expect to be up here off and on for the next several months. This has not been easy for me, given my schedule, but I love my mom and I want to be here with her as much as I can.

The good news is that she is recovering. I am so thankful for that. I am unique and blessed in that I am 60 years old and I still have my parents, step parents and my 104 year old grandmother all living.

Almost all the people I talk to who are my age, have lost at least one parent and certainly do not have a grandparent still living. I can’t think of anyone I currently know that is near my age and has a grandparent still living.

I feel lucky. I have had the opportunity as an older person to really get to know my parents and my grandmother. I have and can, still ask them questions about their present lives, and their pasts, and get their ideas and advice on life.

I didn’t grow up with both my parents. My parents divorced when I was 5 and I lived with my mom. Growing up I saw my dad and stepmom on most holidays, and when we were young, my sister and I would visit them for several weeks at a time in the summer. Several years ago, my dad (his name is Terry) and my stepmom Sara moved back here to Fresno. The last several years have been such a blessing. I have really gotten to know my father and my stepmom. It has been awesome. It honestly has been one of the biggest joys of my life (-:

I guess I wanted to write this month about family because my family is on my heart. I love my family. I understand the joys and pain that people feel in regard to their families. I’m dealing with it right now in my life for sure. Believe me, I get it. Families have hard “stuff.” Families have a history. Families are full of human beings trying to figure “it” out, whatever “it” is. Families need grace. Families need understanding. At the end of the day, families, people, I, need love. 

Peace to you and your family today and always.

Love Debi

Debi's 104-year-old grandmother is quite the music lover!

Software Update!

FMAA Students and Parents,

We at Fresno Music Academy & Arts, know that it has occasionally been frustrating with the software, we have, whether it's a scheduling issue or a billing issue, and we are so sorry for that. We wholeheartedly appreciate your patience and understanding with us. With that being said, we've been going over ways to remedy the situation and have now found a new software that should be much more reliable and user-friendly! It's called "Opus1", and it is software specifically made for music schools. We are so excited to make the switch starting around the first week of March with full implementation by April 1st!

Now, with new software also comes a learning curve for students, parents, and office staff, but we are confident that it will be an easy transition if we are all on the same page from the beginning. In this software, you as a student or parent are more in control of your scheduling regarding cancellations and makeups. For example, we will have a new cancellation policy where if you cancel before 24 hours, you automatically get what's called a "make-up credit", and you can use that to schedule a private make-up lesson during the instructor's makeup schedule. The new cancellation policy will be detailed in your new profile through "Opus1" and will be available to go over as soon as we make the switch.

We will also need everyone to te-input their card and billing information through the website as well before April 1st. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions at all either by calling the office or just coming up to the front desk and we'll be happy to assist you. Thank you for your continued understanding and patience as we go through this exciting change!

- FMAA Staff

ViSTA Theater Update!

Our new soundproofed wall is complete and ready for the Rogue festival! Thank you to everyone who donated to this cause, it's going to make a huge difference to our performance space!

New Artwork!

Check it out! Our gallery is full of new works you won't want to miss!

Leslie Martin returns to the Doris Gallery with new work sharing a view of the world through the faces of a diverse cast of characters. These include family members, her mother’s and father’s ancestors from Florida and Appalachia, celebrities, and anonymous yet familiar women.

Some paintings communicate to us about the lost times and places of the past, while others bear a spiritual manifestation. Leslie paints the magical, unexplained, and cinematic nature of dreams. Fresno landmarks represent a bygone time of people and places including local bands she loved (The Miss Alans, Let’s Go Bowling) and performed with Max Lowenstein Trio, Sippy and Old Guzzler. Some of the faces belong to unknown yet familiar people who exemplify a particular time and place through their blonde hair with dark roots, or orange chiffon dress.

Martin lost two dear family members last year, a portrait of her cousin Dale is included along with the portraits of Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond and Liza Minelli she painted for him. He enjoyed making up stories about what the people in the paintings were saying to each other on his bedroom wall. The people in Martin’s people dwell in worlds with strokes of intense color and the flattening of the picture plane, recalling the work of Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse in the early 20th century.

Mardi Gras!

We had a great time at the Mardi gras parade celebrating 25 years of music lessons!

Kindness Week!

Thank you for participating in kindness week in February! We hope you carry the spirit of love and giving into the rest of the year, as we aspire to do!

FMAA needs your help to bring home the win! Click the link below to vote for your favorite local businesses to give them a better chance of getting the recognition they deserve!

Elvis Stickers

New merchandise is available in our front office! Including STICKERS of our beloved kitty cat, Elvis!

Classic Elvis with his fantastic pompadour AND a limited edition Santa hat version are on sale now... Keep an eye out!

Student Rewards

Congratulations to Fresno Music Academy and Arts piano student, Camille (who you may also recognize from our North location) for earning her Apprentice Wristband and Certificate today! She studies with Dave A.

Keep up the awesome work, Camille!

It starts now! Click the button below to see all the upcoming performances of Rogue Fest 2023!

We've been having a lot of fun at our silent movie events with Nate Butler. Just a heads up, Nate will be taking a break during the month of March to allow the Rogue shows to use the ViSTA Theater space!

We'll see you again after Rogue!

Heads up! Because of the upcoming Rogue Festival festivities, we have decided to postpone the rest of our artist sessions. Stay tuned for updates in the upcoming months!

Band Fantasy Camp!

Do you dream of singing with a band? Now’s you’re chance to see your dream turn into a reality!

Join David Aus and Debi Ruud for an amazing weeklong camp, culminating in a final concert where YOU sing with the band!

GET YOUR SONGS READY, OUR THIRD ANNUAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION IS HERE! The theme is: TOMORROW

CASH PRIZES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE WINNERS OF BOTH AGE CATEGORIES (17 & BELOW, 18 & ABOVE)

All entries are limited to residents of Fresno and adjacent cities and counties. There is a $10.00 entry fee.

Music Stand Give-Away

This month's winners are:

TOWER - Beau Lewis

NORTH - Arisi B.

We hope you enjoy that music stand and put it to good use! Remember, practice makes perfect!

Each month we are giving away one music stand valued at $35 to a lucky student here at FMAA! Each time you show up to your lesson in person, write your name on the slip of paper provided and enter to win! You may enter each week that you come in!

🎶 Importance of Patience 🎶

Perhaps the most important quality in a musician looking to perfect their instrument is patience, especially if you’re just starting out.

No one becomes a virtuoso overnight, so if you hit a wall, don’t worry, just keep going until you get it right. It takes a lot of time and effort to be a truly great musician. 

Don't take your frustrations out on your instrument! Keep calm and carry on practicing!

OUR HOURS:

Monday - Friday, 10AM - 7PM and Saturday, 9AM - 3PM

We offer lessons in: Voice, piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, drums, violin, flute, clarinet, and a recognized early childhood music program MUSIC FUNTIME.