I am so excited to introduce Brandy Berry to the Lake Country community! I’ve known Brandy for about 6 years and her personality and drive has always been magnetic and I couldn’t wait to introduce her on The Faces of Lake Country. Brandy is a local musician and the owner of two music studios and has contributed to this community in the music industry for years. She has an incredible passion for providing student-driven music lessons that are fresh and engaging to her students. She started teaching lessons 11 years ago, opened her own studio (M.K. Music Studios) just 5 years later, and now is the owner of the Lake Country Conservatory of Music. Brandy’s trajectory in the local music industry scene is impressive, and her confidence and dedication to this community is inspiring!
“I think music is one of the most exciting parts of life and the learning experience should reflect that!” – Brandy Berry
About Brandy Berry
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I come from a long line of musicians and artists. I have 12 siblings and every one of them plays something! My parents, Rose & Tray, have been a great support system as I’ve ventured into studio ownership. They’ve each painted at least one room during our renovations! My partner is also a musician and an awesome addition to our studio team. We live with our two cats & our bunny!
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I was born in Oconomowoc and have lived in the Greater Milwaukee Area ever since! I’ve been teaching for 11 years and I opened my own studio in 2016. In 2022, I took over Lake Country Conservatory of Music and I’m really enjoying the new adventure!
Q: Please tell us about your career and what you do, how you chose this path, your growth since starting and what you love most about what you do.
I’ve always loved music, and I’ve been playing as long as I can remember. My first piano lessons were at the Conservatory that I now run! I think for a long time, music lessons were viewed by kids as boring or inapplicable to their lives. It doesn’t have to be that way! After years in the industry, I’ve seen hundreds of students really grow to love our lessons and their instruments. My favorite part of the job is seeing that excitement take root and watching people drive their own lessons and practice schedules based on what they’re really interested in learning.
Q: What was the most difficult challenge in getting to where you are now?
Running a small business can be very all-consuming. In the beginning, there were a lot of things I didn’t know how to do efficiently. I felt like I could never turn off my phone and there was always work to be done on the evenings and weekends. That lifestyle can burn you out even if you love your job! There are still days with long hours, but I see the importance of intentionally putting work aside sometimes better than I did before. Having a great staff definitely goes a long way!
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your work?
I get to work with so many creative people! The teachers at the Conservatory are fantastic. I feel really lucky to have such supportive and talented coworkers. Since I’ve been teaching for a while, I’ve also gotten to watch kids that started taking lessons in middle school graduate from high school, and seeing their progress and how much music has affected their lives is really rewarding.
Q: Do you have any future goals for your business, or do you have anything exciting coming up that you can share with readers?
This is a pretty exciting year for us at Lake Country Conservatory! Since I took over last year, we’ve been hard at work on renovating the entire studio space and we plan on completing those renovations sometime this year. It’s so fun to breathe some fresh life into the space and continue its legacy as an awesome community of musicians.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in the same career field as you?
Come work with us! We always have an open door for musicians who are interested in teaching. If you want to work in the music industry, be ready to constantly learn! The technology and resources available to you are always changing. Having teaching experience is really important if you want to work at a studio, because that takes a lot of practice in itself. Play with as many musicians as you can, and know that you are a part of a community like no other!
Brandy Berry & Our Community
Q: What is your favorite thing about our community, favorite thing to do, or something unique about our community that you love?
I’ve always said that this is a great spot to run a small business! The Oconomowoc community is really supportive of local shops. I’ve never felt threatened by chain-based locations moving in because we really do shop small! I think that’s a unique element that makes our community better and closer-knit.
Q: Is there an interesting person you’ve met here in our community? Why were they inspiring to you?
I’ve met lots of interesting people here, one of which is Matt Spransy. He’s a genius producer and we’ve worked together on many recording projects. He’s also responsible for many of the fantastic concerts you’ve seen around town! Matt is inspiring to me because he considered Oconomowoc’s needs and thought of a way to contribute to the community. I hope to do the same through the Conservatory!
Q: Do you have a favorite coffee shop, cocktail shop, or restaurant?
I will always love Stone Creek Coffee! Their lattes have caffeinated me through many long days of making music, and they’ve made many generous contributions to the area.
Q: What 3 words would you use to describe our community?
Generous, Outgoing, and Community-Minded!
For Fun
Q: What is your favorite book, TV show, movie, poem, or song? Why?
Being a musician has made me forever unable to pick a favorite album. As soon as I think I have one, something new (or old!) comes along & I have a new one!
Q: If you were a drink, any drink, what would you be?
Do you remember when we were kids and we would mix every single fountain drink together at Taco Bell? That drink would be me.
Q: What makes you the happiest?
Sometimes when you’re recording music, you’ll lay down a track and it’s not something you’ve ever heard before. That feeling is incredible!
Q: Any general life advice you would like to share?
Pick a career that is fun for you! Long hours feel shorter when your work is either meaningful or enjoyable. If it’s both, you really hit the jackpot.
Where to Find Brandy Berry
106 N. Main Street
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
