Minnesota School Of Music

Lessons Offered

Where are Lessons Offered

About Me

If you're looking for professional music lessons that are both educational and FUN, you've come to the right place. Because at Minnesota School of Music, we balance musicianship and fun by teaching  you the music YOU want to learn. Located in Blaine, MN, we are the area's leading music school and offer piano, guitar,  bass, voice, and ukulele lessons to students ages 5 and up. Our friendly, knowledgeable instructors  are 100% devoted to helping you reach your musical goals. What's more, as a national award-winning music school, our professional office staff is here to support you along your musical journey.

To get started, call us at (contact me)

My Musical Education Background

Hi,

My name is Eric Nehring. As the Director here at MNGA, let me be the first to welcome you to our website. As a husband, educator, and father of three, my life’s mission is to live “Guided by Christ, in Service of Others.” And at MNGA, that is what we are all about—serving others. In fact, our school’s mission is to build value into the lives of our students at every lesson.  Though we’ve grown to become a nationally recognized school in just three short years, we began with very humble roots. For those of you who like “rags-to-riches” stories, feel free to grab a coffee and cozy up in your favorite E-Z chair.

It was May, 2013. I was teaching at the University of Minnesota as a Doctor of Musical Arts student. My wife and I had one child, and were expecting our second. Though teaching at a Big 10 university was an incredible honor, I felt unfulfilled. Sure, I was teaching. But, “Am I really making a difference?” I often asked. Driven by the desire to mentor young people, I did what any married father awaiting a second child would do—I quit my job and started a music school. Well, sort of.

You see, we didn’t exactly have any students. We didn’t yet have a building. Aaaaand…we didn’t have any money. Worst of all, very few people believed in us. Frankly, it was hard. Demoralizing. Maybe you have been there. Before we even got started, we were ready to give up. Thankfully, God had a different plan.

In June 2013, we began selling all of the personal belongings we could. TV’s, radios, mini-fridges, the list goes on. Every day was a different item and a different pawn shop. To save on expenses, we often ate toast for dinner and I began cutting my own hair (it was ugly). But, by mid-Summer, we managed to save $175 and on July 13, 2013, we officially filed with the MN Secretary of State—Minnesota Guitar Academy was born.

In August, we rented a bedroom of a rambler home. Modest, but it was a start. We began placing flyers around town, set up a few internet profiles and, within a week, we had enrolled our first student. By September, we had three. Then, October came and we had earned just enough to build a DIY website. By Christmas, we had a total of 12 students and were beginning to smile again. Fast forward.

In May of 2014 we opened our first commercial location. Over the next 6 months, we grew. And grew. And grew. By December 2014 we had outgrown our space and signed a lease on a 2500 square foot, state-of-the-art facility in Blaine. To say we have been blessed would be an understatement. But it wasn’t easy.

What began as a dream has blossomed into a full-blown reality. We now open our doors to hundreds of guests each week. Our customers are people who share our values of family, faith, education, and hard work—people who want their children mentored by positive role models. This is a responsibility we take very seriously and we are grateful to have earned the trust of our community. We continue to work tirelessly toward our vision of becoming Minnesota’s leading music lesson provider. And if we sound like a company who you can relate to, we’d like to welcome you as well.

If you are still reading, I invite you to give us a try. If, after your first lesson, you are not completely convinced you’ve come to the right place, we will refund 100% of your remaining tuition. This is a guarantee we have offered since we began in 2013; a guarantee we proudly stand behind; and, due to our high customer satisfaction rate, a guarantee we have never had to honor.

If you would like your child to learn music from people who share your values, give us a call. You’ll be glad you did.

Sincerely,

Eric Nehring, Director

Genres and Subjects Taught

Classical, Country, Rock, Pop, Jazz, Christian

Lesson Rates

$32 per 30-minute lesson

Ages / Skill Levels Taught

5-18

My Certifications and Awards

Master of Music: Guitar Performance, University of Minnesota
Bachelor of Arts: Guitar Performance, University of St. Thomas

2016: "Best Places for Guitar Lessons in Minneapolis" - (contact me) 

2016: "Faith, Belief, Action" Award - Music Academy Success - Charlotte, N.C.

2016: "Action Man" Award - Action Coach Metro North - Maple Grove, MN

2015: "Best Music Shops in Minnesota" Award - CBS News - Minneapolis, MN

2015: "Best Places for Guitar Lessons in Minnesota" - CBS News - Minneapolis, MN

My Musical Influences

We currently serve the communities of Anoka, Andover, Arden Hills, Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Centerville, Circle Pines, Coon Rapids, East Bethel, Fridley, Ham Lake, Hugo, Lexington, Lino Lakes, Mounds View, New Brighton, North Oaks, Oak Grove, Plymouth, Shoreview, Spring Lake Park, and St. Francis.

Service Area

Jared
Andover, MN

"...best music teacher I ever had..."

Robynn
Blaine, MN

"The first time my daughter held her guitar in her hands it brought tears to my eyes. She's wanted to play the guitar since age 3, and The Childbloom Guitar Program [at Minnesota Guitar Academy] has made her dream come true!"