Piano, percussion, voice lessons, oh my! These are just a few things The Octave School of Music has been enlightening the children of the New Orleans area on since its move to The Big Easy in 2018. Jay and Angelle Broussard were a match made in musical heaven—with Jay teaching music and Angelle studying music business in college—and founded The Octave School as a way to share their most cherished passions with others.

Their motto is simple: Play What You Like; Like What You Play. To Jay, this means encouraging students to learn what they want, how they want, and not forcing them into a box or confining their talents to what they would only learn through books.  

Many of the instructors have master’s degrees in music or are currently working towards obtaining them. Plus, The Octave School of Music is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. to accommodate homeschooled students and families with early schedules. 

Whether a child wants to take piano, voice, violin, drums, guitar, ukulele lessons, or even more, they are sure to find their fit within the school. The school accepts students ages four and older; however, it also offers “Zumbini” classes for children ages zero to four and their caregivers as a bonding experience through music, dance, and play!

What sets The Octave School apart as the Face of Music? That would be their ability to masterfully teach young musicians, especially those with special needs. All students also have the opportunity to perform in biannual recitals, which are completely optional and come at no extra cost.

“This year we’ll focus on the kids and getting them where they want to be, bringing out their originality,” Jay says. “Because we know every student is different, and their lessons should match them.”