Fall River Arts Academy bringing performers to Carnegie Hall

FALL RIVER — Want to make it Carnegie Hall?

Practice, practice, practice at the Fall River Arts Academy.

Starting on April 1, the first 40 students who sign up for music lessons at the Fall River Arts Academy will be going to Carnegie Hall to perform in December as part of the academy’s limited-time program.

The Fall River Arts Academy, the educational arm of TJ’s Music on South Main Street in Fall River, launched the program this year to give aspiring singers and musicians a goal, said owner Todd Salpietro. And in keeping with the old joke, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice,” the Arts Academy has plenty of teachers lined up to help students realize that dream.

Though registration starts on April Fools’ Day, this trip to Carnegie Hall is no joke, added Salpietro.

The Fall River Arts Academy offers private lessons and programs. A couple times a year, they have photo day with their students and they host two recitals a year. “We love to see our kids perform. It gives them an opportunity for the next step,” said Salpietro.

In addition to the two recitals a year, they decided to branch out to “epic opportunities” like playing at Carnegie Hall, said Salpietro, who secured the opportunity through his connections in the music business.

On Dec. 1, at 1 p.m., the first 40 students who sign up for music lessons and continue them through the year will perform at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. “This is an all-skill opportunity,” said Salpietro. “Whether you’re a student who just started a year ago, or six months ago, or next week, I still think you deserve the opportunity because preparing yourself to play at Carnegie Hall — which is the elite — is going to give young students the incentive to practice and get better just as much as it would for someone who’s seasoned.”

They will also be providing bus transportation to Carnegie Hall. The venue seats 268 people so students’ friends and family will have the opportunity to purchase tickets see them perform. Salpietro said he’s already heard from a lot of people who are interested.

Since they’ve launched the Fall River Arts Academy in 2017, they’ve gone from 80 students taking lessons at the store to just signing up their 300th student. They have more than 24 teachers offering lessons in guitar, piano, violin, voice, drums, viola, cello, bass, trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, flute and ukulele. Students range from age 4 to 80, said lessons coordinator Andrea Rodrigues.

They also use a national incentive program called the Musical Ladder System that rewards students with wristbands and trophies every six months to give students the incentive to practice.

Music education has always been an important part of the business, said Salpietro. When he launched TJ’s Music in 1997 (originally on Pleasant Street) he was teaching drum lessons to 75 students a week.

Over the years students who took various lessons there have gone on to success in many fields. Aaron Lessard, for one, went to Berklee College of Music and now he’s in Nashville performing regularly, said Salpietro. Another former student, Morgan Deplitch, was a contestant on “American Idol” in 2014 and in 2004, and 8-year-old drumming student Austin Garant performed on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and Salpietro went along for the performance.

“Some of our students grew up to be pilots, doctors, pharmacists. Of the students that I’m still friends with on Facebook, it’s a successful group,” said Salpietro.

From time to time, they also bring in well-known names from the music realm for one-day music clinics, including Jason Bittner from Shadows Fall and Styx drummer Todd Sucherman, who has been at the store three times. German drummer Benny Greb was at the store in early March for a performance.

As the drummer in the Pantera tribute band Trendkill, Salpietro has performed in several countries including Venezuala, Germany and Belgium.

Through the Carnegie Hall opportunity, he’s hoping to give that chance of performing in an impressive venue to his students. “I think it’s going to be great for a student. If a student takes lessons here for a couple years, they’re going to have a resume that’s unbelievable,” said Salpietro. “We’re so excited about this.”

Enrollment will officially begin, Monday, April 1. For details, call 508-567-5555. The Fall River Arts Academy is located at TJ’s Music Store, 347 S. Main St.