The Full Story
I was inspired to create the Tabletop Academy of Music in 2021 when the high cost of tuition forced me to drop out of music school.
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At the time, I was heartbroken and scared that my dream of being a professional composer was crashing down all around me. It felt like that despite all of my hard work and effort, I was unworthy to pursue my dreams simply because I didn't have enough money.
As I struggled to cope with the stress of leaving my dream school behind, I learned that my experience wasn't unique. I learned that the institution I was leaving only has an average graduation rate of 63%, a statistic often attributed to the growing cost of tuition. To them, I was just one of the thousands of students who leave every year because they can't afford the cost of a musical education.
I was stunned to realize that what felt like the worst day of my life could be such a common and even "normal" experience for students all over the world. It didn't seem right, and I decided that I wanted to do something about it.
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The Tabletop Academy of Music is my attempt to make quality music education more widely accessible.
Here I try to level the playing field by offering a free online curriculum so musicians of any background can study music composition and develop important skills while pursuing their dreams.
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For now, the TTA is a small grass-roots institution, offering four classes covering various topics in music theory and orchestration. However, with your help, I have plans to expand and provide additional resources for aspiring composers!
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Future Plans
PHASE ONE:
Phase one of the TTA is the current stage I'm working in. In this phase, each of the classes is built using a combination of existing videos (taken from my YouTube channel), additional notes written to accompany them, and a collection of recommended exercises for practicing each topic covered.
Students can connect and share feedback on a free Discord Channel, with sections dedicated to each class. Growth within Phase One will focus on creating additional classes and collecting feedback from students on how to improve the lessons and overall class experience!
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PHASE TWO:
Phase two will involve acting on feedback collected from students and creating an updated curriculum for each of the classes. The focus will be on creating brand-new content for teaching each class, and not simply recycling videos from my YouTube channel.
My goals include moving the TTA to a new (dedicated) website and organizing classes into various certificate programs (e.g., film scoring, music theory, music education, etc.)
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PHASE THREE:
Phase three will focus on expanding the curriculum by opening it up to outside educators and attempting to get classes accredited by the United States Department of Education.
My overarching goal for Phase Three is to build a brand and reputation for the TTA that allows it to be an affordable and quality alternative to a college education for any musicians aspiring to be professional composers.
