Meet Heather Petero | Teaching Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heather Petero and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heather, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I love this question! The most important factor behind my success is truly the people that I have encountered, for good or bad, and especially those that have loved me enough to lead me to the truth of who I am. The success of my brand is leading others to their true selves through the gifts of music and it starts with authentically caring about others. Truth is hard to come by in this world. Truth in love is even harder. Cancel culture and relativism are enemies of truth and living out truth in love. With that, when people do experience the truth and done in love, there is an attraction, a synergy, that happens. There is a revealing of our humanness together on this journey of music and life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I got started in teaching, I was a bit reluctant. I was in a great career in commercial radio, rockin’ it in a regularly gigging and recording rock band, was leading worship at a church, felt pretty successful in all that I was doing. Then, in 1998 I had a friend who was a voice teacher that was moving out of state. She wanted me to take over her students. I was hesitant because I didn’t want to work with the “stage kids” and their parents. I told her I would help out until they found someone. After my day job at the radio station, I would leave work and go to the dance studio up the street where the lessons were given. About two weeks in, I fell in love with teaching and twenty seven years later, the rest is history. In 2000, we bought our first home in a suburb west of Atlanta. I quit radio and went to full time teaching. I would have to say that teaching found me, instead of me finding teaching. Very much like my mother, I have a gift in seeing what can be—the potential. I also have a strong desire to encourage and help others see they can be more. It is truly my calling and passion.

Challenges
I have had some bumps in the road and sometimes even had to get off of the road to regroup at times. My parents both died in 2011 within nine months of each other, my husband was called into ministry and we had to make some changes, we had a baby, I had postpartum depression, the dot com bubble hit and impacted student enrollment, and on and on. Seriously, without our faith and a community of friends that prayed for us and held us up, we would not be where we are today.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Now, you are speaking some of my love language! I love planning trips and events! That is probably why our recitals are more like a big party, instead of a typical recital!
I live in Atlanta and to start we would hit some of my fave spots:
Food–
Apres Diem, Cafe Intermezzo, R Thomas, Buena Vida, Masti, Chai Pani, Abuelo’s (Sandy Springs), Vanilla Gelato, Sufi’s, Rumi’s, Yalda’s, Zakiya, Nuevo Laredo, No Mas Cantina, L on North, Hamp and Harry’s just to name a few.
Spots–
MLK Center, Aquarium, Little Five Points, Ellijay, Blue Ridge, Dahlonega, High Museum, catch a show at Woodruff Arts or Cobb Energy. Monroe, Marietta Square.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh, this is a hard one! So many people over the years have invested in me! I guess I need to start with the first person that ever believed in me, my mom. My mom was a wonderful person that truly loved people. She was a school teacher and believed that every child had potential to do wonderful things.

The next person that I would love to shout out is my amazing husband, Glenn. Being a full time musician and private music teacher is a hard life and he has been through so much with me over the years as we have built the business. Other than my mom, he is my greatest cheerleader.

Website: https://www.heatherpetero.com

Instagram: @singinsirengirl

Facebook: Heather Petero

Youtube: @heatherpetero7509

Image Credits
Self
Heather and The Tin Roof Band at an Assisted Living Facility for our annual Santa Party event
Heather and an adult student at the Fall Costume Recital. She dressed as Bach!
Flyer