Meet Ardes Abad of Arts Development School of Music

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ardes Abad.

Ardes, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
From a provincial town and without any means to study, this young boy with an inclination on the arts had the desire to learn music. One summer, he had an opportunity to take summer piano lessons when his parents gave him a break. This started during his late teen years and almost a few more months to graduating in high school where each student is all ready to pursue their collegiate ambition.

Being the eldest of a poor family of a developing third-world country, Philippines, expectation was to choose the mainstream courses: such as Commerce, Engineering, and other like courses. But when I took Music, a path to my career choice, acceptance was quite trying knowing that being in this field, I will be one of those starving students. There was a belief that the family table will not be well sustained when I run my own. Determination and endurance proved to be a good working virtue!

I prepared myself for a collegiate audition determined to complete my Piano Performance and Music Education Degree which has shaped my destiny. My whole teaching experience and profession became the machinery to my profession. Upon completing undergraduate courses, music-making is still a part of my life. There is still a quest to pursue Graduate studies in SWBTS in Fort Worth, Texas, and USC, Los Angeles. Thus, I was involved in collaboration with groups (choir and sacred music) and individual coaching and teaching. As a result, Arts Development School of Music evolved and produced talented students. As founder and director, I find a sense of fulfillment seeing most of our students are happy in the pursuit of arts-related courses in their collegiate levels.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As what most struggling artists were going through, the financial aspect has been a part of a smooth process. Since educating the community has been a part of Arts Development School of Music’s mission, professional fees to sustain teacher’s professional remuneration was compromised. We believe that there is a need of giving more and reaching out to the community through understanding what music is all about. This need was developed to meet the mission to serve and reach out to the community.

As the student populate our teachers’ schedule, Arts Development School of Music evolved from a very small unit that moved from the city of Downey to Bellflower to accommodate sizeable square footage area for the school with a good parking area for its student client. We now find a conducive music learning center but soon realize that there are obstacles to accommodating student and family clients.

Based on my experience as an instructor and director of the school, there are a lot of kids, students who are gifted and talented that are not able to meet the professional tuition fee required by such arts and music learning center. Thus, with these, we have developed ways to accommodate families with kids who are gifted students. We are offering them the opportunity through partial Parent-Work Scholarship in order to achieve their ambition and desires. Some student has been with us for some number of years and had displayed their skill and talent through their dedication in their individual lessons. The school offers them their tuition fee at the lowest rate possible avoiding the annual inflation rate that may affect their family budget.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Arts Development School of Music is a recipient of the Best Music School Award by the Bellflower Business Recognition for many years, is a music learning center with a mission to integrate every individual’s educational growth and development through learning and enjoyment of arts and music that promotes student maturity in their creative thinking and expression.

Sessions are individualized in the Piano, Vocal, Winds (Flute & Recorder), Strings (Violin & Cello), Drums and Percussion, and Guitar. Regular Master Classes, Recitals, and Artistic Performances are part of the school’s event that makes this school unique and popular in the community.

We are proud to have individual teachers who are caring, understanding without compromising the quality of each student’s quality of education. Quality teaching and good service to our students set us apart from others.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up was all dependent on how my parents and teachers trained me. I’ve learned to be responsible with decisions I make, manage money for a living, treat people well, handle pressure, giving regard and respect to older people. I am glad that I was molded well to be strong and determined. Otherwise, coping through life would be difficult when encountering with failures and struggles.

I’m a person that works productively and creatively in seclusion, introvertedly so as to say. However, life goes beyond being alone. We need to work hand in hand and thus my other personality wheel of being a little extrovert from time to time runs relatively well to work competently with others.

Interest with social interaction seems to be an energizer to me. Working with the younger generation who has varying perspective in life: family, relatives, friends, and gender makes life worth.

Contact Info:

• Address: Arts Development School of Music
  10044 Rosecrans Avenue,
  Bellflower, CA 90706
• Website: www.ardesMUSIC.com
• Phone: Text friendly: 562-502-7871 || Voice 562-804-7676
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ardesMUSIC
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ardesMUSIC
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/ardesMUSIC
• Yelp: www.yelp.com/ardesMUSIC

Image Credit:
Marnin Grace || https://marnsmotions.com
Tricia Quiambao Catan || tmp photography

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.