More Than Just Lessons: School Seeks to Build Community Through Music

Eugene Song decided to become an entrepreneur earlier this year, and so far, he’s savoring the opportunity.

In September, Song opened Green Room Music, one of the area’s newest schools offering individual and group music lessons, on Main Street in Mount Kisco. There are five separate rooms with soundproofing between them.

It is the culmination of a love of playing and performing since childhood when he started taking piano lessons at six years old before moving to guitar several years later.

The Brown University music major not only has extensive experience in playing in bands, but also in music publishing and engineering. Then, after earning his MBA at NYU, he went on to technology-related jobs for about 14 years, including at The New York Times where he worked as a product manager for its e-commerce technology.

But earlier this year something was missing in Song’s life and he searched for his next endeavor.

“If I’m going to be working so hard for the next few decades, why should I do it for somebody else,” reasoned Song, who lives with his wife and children in Chappaqua. “No matter how high you climb the corporate ladder, ultimately at the end of the day, you’re pretty much working on somebody else’s plan, and I don’t want to do that anymore.”

When plotting out his next career move, an acquaintance suggested earlier this year that Song explore opportunities in education. Meanwhile, he was thinking about getting back into the music business.

“And that little seed stuck with me in the back of my head, I think. When I finally gave it time to just breathe, I started thinking, okay, maybe a music school,” he said. “I looked around and thought maybe there’s an opportunity here to start something in Mount Kisco, and one thing led to another and here I am.”

Before the end of May, Song incorporated and opened the doors to Green Room Music on Sept. 9.

“Music is still near and dear to me, I still play and write a little bit,” Song said. “I don’t know if it was a little bit my stint in education technology or what.”

What Song has been looking to bring to his students since Green Room Music’s opening is not only a strong grounding in the fundamentals that his collection of eight instructors offer, but to make sure the students have a fun experience together through music. Finding venues for the students to show off their abilities is also essential.

In the short time since its opening, some of Song’s students have appeared at different types of venues featuring various genres of music, including at Mount Kisco’s Septemberfest, an evening at Mimi’s Coffeehouse in Mount Kisco and at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.

“If I’m going to start a music school, it’s got to be that for people,” Song said. “It’s got to be something above and beyond lessons. Anybody can provide lessons; there are tons of people who provide lessons around here.”

The school offers instruction in piano, guitar, bass, drums and the string instruments in both individual and small group settings.

He has or will in the future offer other types of classes, such as the current Rock Program, which helps students learn how to play music together all while having fun, music production.

While some adults have started taking private lessons, Song also hopes to have more programming for them.

For Song, some of his best memories is the community and camaraderie created through music, which he is trying to recreate at Green Room Music.

“When I’ve been in green rooms it’s always been with my fellow musicians, and it’s been a place to sit and hang out and chill and focus and talk and meet other people,” Song said. “It’s a gathering place, and it’s before you go on stage. That is the central concept around which I wanted to build the school.”

Green Room Music is located at 13 E. Main St. in Mount Kisco on the second floor about Mount Kisco Sports. For more information about the offerings and prices, visit www.greenroomusic.com or call 914-200-4577.