Josh Ross is starting his career by combining the two main subjects he studied in college, business and music.
Ross graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelors degrees in both business administration and music earlier this year. So he launched the J-RO School of Music, a new business that teaches young people about music by using both classical and contemporary examples.
"Everyone teaches classical," says Josh Ross, founder of
J-RO School of Music. "That's great but if someone wants to learn about pop or hip-hop there aren’t many places that do it."
The idea is to swim with the current when it comes to teaching young people about music by teaching them fundamentals for songs they are already excited about. Ross does camps and workshops that put equal emphasis on contemporary music, like pop, rock, musical theater, and hip-hop, and classical music.
"What's great about it is the kids are familiar with the songs and then they want to learn how to play them," Ross says.
The J-RO School of Music has facilitated 50 students so far this year. The students have ranged in ages from 7 to 70-years-old. Ross, who is releasing his own acoustic rock album this fall, would like to up those numbers beyond 100 and open his own storefront for the company over the next year. He hopes to use the base of that business to do more community outreach so underprivileged kids can have equal access to music education.
"I want to make it sustainable so I can provide some programs for children who don’t have those opportunities," Ross says.
Source: Josh Ross, founder of J-RO School of Music
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.