Ryan Wurtz enjoyed being a music teacher even before he called himself one.
A musician since his teenage years, Wurtz started formally teaching music after he graduated from the UMKC Conservatory of Music in 2004. But even before that, Wurtz said the more informal teaching moments — where someone asks about a song he’s playing or asks him to show them a chord — always came naturally to him.
This week, Wurtz will officially take the next step of his music-teaching journey by opening his new studio, Shawnee Music Co. The studio will celebrate its grand opening in downtown Shawnee on Thursday.
Shawnee Music Co. operates at 5900 Nieman Road
- The studio operates out of a space in downtown Shawnee just off West 59th Street and Nieman Road.
- In the lower level of the building, the studio neighbors commercial real estate agency Select Sites and soon-to-open aesthetic clinic Dew Aesthetics & Wellness.
- Shawnee Music Co. offers lessons by appointment every day of the week.
The studio offers one-on-one music instruction
In addition to Wurtz, Shawnee Music Co. has four more instructors — all of whom are performers as well.
Altogether, the studio offers instruction in electric and acoustic guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, piano, and voice. Wurtz said the studio may also soon add violin lessons to its repertoire.
Shawnee Music Co. caters to musicians of all ages. For the younger crowd, the studio will also partner with local group Stepping Stones KC — which offers small group classes and music therapy for children.
For each age group, Wurtz said, teaching music has different perks. For example, learning a new instrument often brings a “nostalgia” factor for adults — like learning a Pink Floyd song they grew up listening to.
And for children, he said, the fun part is getting to watch them find an outlet to express themselves that they might not have found yet in or outside of school.
“Maybe they’re not the biggest sports person in the world, so they’re trying to find something that fits them,” he said. “It’s really cool when that becomes music. And seeing one of your students go out and do a gig, and start transitioning into an active member of the music community — that’s really fun.”
This is not Wurtz’s first music studio
After several years as a performer in the Kansas City music scene, Wurtz began teaching at Brookside Guitars in Kansas City, Missouri. At the time, in 2010, the guitar store and studio had just opened.
Not long after starting to teach at Brookside Guitars, Wurtz became a co-owner of the studio. He’d always wanted to expand to the Kansas side, and having performed many times at the nearby Aztec Shawnee Theatre, he said downtown Shawnee felt like a great fit.
“It’s just such a thriving area, and it honestly seemed like all the pieces fit,” he said. “To be a part of this community kind of seemed like a no-brainer. It kind of reminds me a lot of the way the community is in Brookside, where it’s very neighborhood-centric and very local-centric.”
With the upcoming grand opening, Wurtz said he’s looking forward to sharing music with the Johnson County community.
“I love the people part of it,” he said. “With a lot of your students, you’ll get to kind of have friendships and just get to know people from all different walks of life. Beyond just the fun of sharing music with somebody, I do really enjoy the people side of it.”
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