FAIRFAX CITY, VA. — For Music Love Academy founder Madalina Petric, opening a music school in Fairfax City is the culmination of a dream that began in childhood.
"Today is an incredibly emotional and meaningful moment for me, because Music Love Academy is not simply a business or a school. It's a dream that I have lived in my heart for many years,” she told attendees at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday.
Petric, who said her ties to Fairfax City began years before she opened the school at 10359 B Democracy Lane in Old Town.
“Music has truly been my life since the age of 5, when I first began studying piano in Romania,” she said. “I hold two master's degrees in piano performance and arts management, and throughout nearly three decades as a performer, educator and arts leader, I have devoted my life to helping people not only learn music, but truly fall in love with music.”
Petric began teaching in the Fairfax area for 13 years and currently teaches about 50 students a week.
“Before anything else, I'm a wife and a mother… and motherhood has deeply shaped the way I see education, children, and the importance of creating nurturing environments where people feel safe, inspired and valued,” she said.
Over the past decade, Petric also led music programs for Music for Life, helping provide free music education opportunities for the low income public school children in the community. That work, she said, “deepened my understanding of accessibility, equity and the incredible impact music can have in a child's life.”
Thursday's ribbon cutting formally recognized the school, which has been open since February.
Monika Blakely, program assistant with Fairfax City Economic Development opened the event by introducing city staff, the Old Town Fairfax Business Association and other guests before inviting Mayor Catherine Read to speak.
Read said the ceremony was meant to highlight what has already been happening at the school since it opened.
“This ribbon cutting is really to sort of raise up what has been going on here since February, and to let people know, in our community, beyond our community, what Music Love has to offer,” she said.
The mayor described Music Love Academy as a small woman-owned business that serves residents “from the youngest to adults of every age and ability, and also people of every ability, differing abilities.”
“Everyone deserves a chance to be a musician, to study music, to appreciate music, to learn music in whatever way they want to address being a musician,” she said.
Read, who called herself “not a musician,” said she still sees a place for adults like her at the school.
“Even if you're an adult like myself who's never taken up an instrument, that does not mean I can't learn to play the piano. And that's why the Music Love Academy exists,” she said.
She also thanked Petric for choosing Fairfax City.
“You could have chosen a lot of other communities. You chose this community, and we're very appreciative that you've established your business here, and we hope you feel like you are being supported and that we are a good partner in establishing and growing your business,” Read said.
Tina Disch, executive director of the Old Town Fairfax Business Association, said she was pleased to see another business open in the city’s historic core.
“We are so excited to be here today. We love ribbon cuttings in Old Town Fairfax, mostly because it means that people understand the beauty of what Old Town Fairfax offers, the walkability,” Disch said. “As parents are maybe dropping kids off, they can meander and get something to eat.”
Disch said the association hosts regular gatherings for local business owners.
“We have a community of folks who meet regularly, who rely on each other, who collaborate and are really trying to help each other build their business,” she said. “We do meet the first Tuesday of every month. We have coffee at Commonwealth. So we welcome you to join us next month and get to know the other folks as well.”
Music Love Academy is designed to serve a wide range of ages and needs, according to Petric.
“At our academy, we welcome everyone from babies to adults. We create a program from every stage of life, because I truly believe music is for everyone,” she said.
The school offers private and group instruction in piano, violin, guitar, voice, drums and other instruments, taught by a staff of about 15 instructors.
“At Music Love Academy, excellence matters deeply to me. Every teacher is carefully selected, not only for their musical background, but also for their abilities to connect with students in meaningful and supportive ways,” she said, adding that the school has focused on accessibility."
“I personally developed programs for neurodivergent learners, including adaptive music experiences that support different learning styles, sensory needs and communication approaches in a nurturing and strength-based environment,” she said.
The academy also offers “wellness-based adult programs” based on her belief that “music can be deeply healing and restorative," according to Petric. “Music has the power to regulate, connect, comfort and help people through many stages of life."
Petric hopes families see the academy as a place where students can develop both musical and personal skills.
“When I was young, my parents saw potential in me before I fully saw it myself. That's exactly what I hope for every parent who walks through our doors,” she said. “I hope families bring their children here, not only to learn an instrument, but to discover confidence, creativity, discipline, joy and again, truly fall in love with music.”
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