Franchise News


Oct 04, 2023

Bach to Rock Music School Opens its 25th Multi-Unit Franchised Location

From left: Adam Durand, B2R Coon Rapids;
Judy Shoulak; Don Zbinden, B2R Minnetonka; Jake Shoulak and 
Chris Hawkey, country music star & KFAN celebrity, celebrate the opening of 
Bach to Rock's 25th multi-unit location.
From left: Adam Durand, B2R Coon Rapids; Judy Shoulak; Don Zbinden, B2R Minnetonka; Jake Shoulak and Chris Hawkey, country music star & KFAN celebrity, celebrate the opening of Bach to Rock’s 25th multi-unit location.

Bach to Rock, America’s music school for students of all ages, proudly announces it recently opened its 25th multi-unit franchised location, signifying a milestone in the brand’s growth over the last ten years. The new location in Minnetonka, Minnesota, is the third Bach to Rock school owned by franchisees Judy Shoulak and her son, Jake Shoulak. Bach to Rock has ten multi-unit franchisees covering the states of Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The expansion is a strong indicator of the franchise’s viability and the demand for Bach to Rock’s unique approach to music education and creative enrichment.

“Bach to Rock represents a growth opportunity for franchisees, and the trajectory of success is demonstrated by our ten franchisees who own multiple schools.  Fifty-six percent of all Bach to Rock sites are multi-unit locations,” said Brian Gross, president of Bach to Rock. “We’ve doubled in size in the last few years, primarily because our current franchisees have experienced success, are passionate about the Bach to Rock mission and purpose and saw the great opportunity in opening more locations.”  The Bach to Rock franchise comprises 33 franchisees who collectively own 44 locations. An additional 12 schools are corporate owned.

To mark this milestone, a review of common attributes among Bach to Rock franchisees revealed they share a deep commitment to helping children explore their musical passions, and they wanted to make an investment in their communities that would deliver returns both tangible and intangible. “Bach to Rock owners are dedicated to what they are doing, they’ve become financially successful doing it, they love their communities and want to give back by providing access to progressive, high quality music education,” said Gross. “While there is no one typical ‘type’ of Bach to Rock franchisee, our franchisees are highly motivated, hardworking and hands-on leaders. They want to provide a space for children to explore music, in an inclusive, welcoming and fun environment that makes an impact on families.”  Additionally, most Bach to Rock franchisees share a background in music, entrepreneurship, business or education.

Many franchisees experienced a pivotal moment that was key in their decision to choose Bach to Rock school ownership. “What really solidified our decision was visiting several Bach to Rock schools,” said Judy Shoulak. Every time we walked in the door, we could feel the positive energy and see and hear the joy and confidence emanating from the students.” No stranger to franchising, prior to Bach to Rock, Shoulak was President and Executive Vice President of Buffalo Wild Wings, North America. “Bach to Rock franchise ownership is different.  We are transforming lives through the power of music.  We are building children’s confidence, making a lasting impact.  There is no better feeling than seeing a student grow and evolve as they pursue something they love.” Bach to Rock has a series of profiles here that provide a deeper look into the back stories of top franchisees.