Conversations with Dirk Kraus

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dirk Kraus.

Hi Dirk, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Many years ago I began playing the piano. As I grew into a teenager I began to wonder if I could be a piano teacher and support a family. As the university years came and went, I realized that it in fact was a real possibility. After quite a bit of research into which part of the country I should open a music school, my wife and I settled on Fort Collins CO. So in 2001 we moved from Columbus OH, to Fort Collins CO and opened Piano & Guitar Institute. We had exactly ZERO students but a ton of optimism!! Fortunately, a proper music school is just what was needed in Fort Collins. My wife, Jen and I were the only teachers for a while, yet we grew to well over 100 students in the first year. By the middle of year two, we had to move to a larger location. We started hiring teachers to accommodate all the families that were seeking lessons. The business was constantly growing and we decided to test the market in Windsor CO by offering our preschool class at the Windsor Rec Center. this class sold out and had a waiting list two summers in a row. This was our cue to open a second location in Windsor. So in August of 2009 we opened our doors to Piano and Guitar Institute Windsor, and like the Fort Collins location, student enrollment exploded. Operating two locations was a challenge and I had to split my time between the schools. However, we fell into a rhythm, I hired managers to run each school and I travelled between the two, teaching students at each location.

Everything was going exceptionally well. Our big June recital at the Rialto Theatre in Loveland CO was a massive success every summer. We added more performances, including a Beach party in July, a Back to School Blues party in September, a Halloween party in October, and of course a Christmas party in December. We even added an Adult Student Recital in February. Some of these performances had hundred of students performing. .

The next big event for Piano and Guitar Institute was the opening of our Loveland location in 2017. Once again operating multiple locations was a challenge, none-the-less, we grew in Loveland as well. With the three locations, we decided to have a big performance in each city we had a location. This is when June Recitals moved to the Lincoln center in Fort Collins. We put the Beach Party performance at the Bandshell in Boardwalk Park in Windsor, and the Halloween Party performance went to a Middle school auditorium in Loveland.

Then comes 2020 and the pandemic. Unfortunately we had to close the Loveland location almost immediately. The Fort Collins location made it a few years, however it also fell due to the pandemic. Fortunately, the Windsor location was able to stabilize and survived. During the pandemic, we taught all of our lessons virtually with Zoom. By August of 2021, our doors started to open again and the teachers slowly came back into the building to teach in person lessons. I, though, since my students were extremely successful with virtual lessons, moved to Berlin Germany for four years. This of course meant that my personal students remained virtual, while all the other students came back to the building with their respective teachers. Living in Berlin allowed me to gain students in Germany. I also was able to build the virtual part of the business, acquiring students all over the world.

In 2026, the family moved back to northern CO. We have two tenth graders and our oldest is at Ohio University. I now teach about 40 in person lessons and 25 virtual lessons. The school is back to growing again and we still have lots of performances throughout the year.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We have had a few challenges along the way. Early on the school was broken into. Fortunately, nothing was damaged, however one guitar was stolen. The next challenge was a marijuana dispensary opened next door to us, before any regulations were put into place. Many of our families were less than excited about the clientele of that business and stopped coming to lessons. We were able to get out of our lease and moved the school to a new location. Finally, the pandemic was a HUGE challenge. We were able to make it through and the business is still here and thriving. In fact, because of the ability to have virtual lessons, the business actually grew a bit with international students.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
One of the things that truly sets us apart from other music institutions is we begin teaching students to read music and play the piano at the age of 3 years. Once a child is around 3 years of age they are ready for structured music lessons and the piano is a fantastic way to expose your child to music. We have written our own methodology specifically geared towards the preschooler. We include age appropriate activities, fonts, expectations and outcomes! The students that begin at this age learn all sorts of rhythms, notes, harmonies, melodies, key signatures and performance procedure. With five performances every year, EVERY student gets the opportunity to flex and show off what they have learned.

What are your plans for the future?
As for our future, most likely gradual growth, maybe add a second location. We have already done the crazy growth and expanded nationwide, so now it is more of controlled growth and continued success. The business has been open for 25 years, and we are enjoying giving back to the community and connecting with the students and families.

Pricing:

• In-Person Private Piano/ Guitar lessons
• Virtual Private Piano/Guitar Lessons
• Group classes
• We start Piano lessons at the age of 3 and guitar at 6
• 12 week special for $399 (saving $218)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://PianoandGuitarInstitute.com
• Instagram: @pianoandguitarinstitute
• Facebook: Piano & Guitar Institute Online
• Youtube: @pianoland01