Matt's Back at Barrington Music Studio

"Matt's back!"

You may have seen some advertising flyers circulating around Barrington with that phrase. It refers to owner Matt Gray.

“I started here in 2005 and was here most of 2006, then sold to a couple that continued on with the business,” said Gray, a lifelong Riverside resident. “I found a building to buy in Bristol. That was my goal in the beginning.”

That became The Bristol Music Academy, located at 413 High Street.

“Just this past Thanksgiving, November of 2010, I found out the couple had left and this was available again,” Gray continued.  “So I decided to jump in here and come back.”

After some renovations, Gray said, he reopened the school in January.

“We were eager to come back,” he said. 

The “we” refers to Gray and co-owner Christian Staton of Warren. Staton teaches drum lessons, intermediate guitar and piano.

Gray did leave Rhode Island for a while to get his music degree at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Calif., in 1990. He is one of the music teachers at his studio and plays guitar, piano, and harmonica and also teaches voice.

There are 35 students signed up so far in Barrington and more than 100 at the Bristol location.  Young students range in age from 5 to 20, but “we love to see adults come in” said Gray, who teaches adult students of all ages.

It’s a lot easier to learn an instrument when you’re young, Gray said, but it’s never too late to start.  In general, 5 is a good age to start piano and violin lessons; 7-9 is good for guitar and drums. Woodwinds require more lung capacity so they’re better started at around age 10 to 11.

Gray said his Barrington studio offers four sessions throughout the year.  The fall session runs for 16 weeks. 

 This summer, the Barrington Music Studio will be offering music lessons in an 8-week session that starts July 11 and runs through Aug. 31 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Call BMS at 247-0008 for more information.  The school also can be found on Facebook.

“Lots of commonly asked questions can be answered on our Facebook page,” said Gray.

Yes, "Matt's back!"