14 Aug 2017 Conway Institute of Music to be presented award
The Conway Institute of Music and director Jim Skelton will be recognized during a public award ceremony and press conference at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7. What began as a small music lesson studio has grown into the largest private music lesson school in Conway, with an enrollment of more than 350 students.
Because of the explosive growth, cutting edge teaching, and progressive music systems, Jim Skelton, owner and director of the institute, was presented the prestigious award of “2017 Music Studio of the Year.” To win this award, he competed against music studio finalists from Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, and three music schools from Canada. The award was presented by Marty Fort, national business coach and CEO of Music Academy Success System, at the Music Academy Success conference in Cleveland, Ohio, in April.
In celebration of this honor, Fort is coming to Conway to present the award to Jim Skelton along with a presentation by Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry and the honorable Robbie Wills, the 87th General Assembly Arkansas House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, to acknowledge this great achievement. Faculty, students, local and state officials and members of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce will be in attendance. A lunch will follow immediately after the award presentation.
Skelton has operated the Conway Institute of Music in Carson Plaza in Conway since 2009.
“We are very excited and so proud to have brought this award home to Conway and the Central Arkansas area community,” Skelton said.
Skelton studied music at the University of Central Arkansas and is a honor student from the Atlanta Institute of Music in guitar performance. He has played and taught music professionally for 30 years and worked with artist Joe Walsh and Peter Frampton. He was a student of guitar legend Jimmy Herring, who was the guitarist for the group’s Aquarium Rescue Unit, Wide Spread Panic and the Allman Brother Band.
Skelton also has firsthand knowledge of how difficult it can be for parents and grandparents to come by a music program that can accommodate busy schedules while keeping students happy and learning. Skelton’s goal was to create an exceptional music school that brings music to the forefront of education and showcase how talented the students here truly are.
With lessons in piano, guitar, drums, voice, bass, ukulele, violin, viola, cello and banjo, the Conway Institute of Music is the only music school in Arkansas that has the “Musical Ladder System,” a student award achievement program where students earn wristbands, certificates and trophies. The Musical Ladder System is used in more than 200 music schools across the world.
The announcement of an international award is an indication of the dedication to creating a music fun-filled environment in Central Arkansas. The public is invited to the award ceremony. For more information, visit ConwayInstituteofMusic.com.
