Meet Sarah Chari Grasso | Music School Owner & Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Chari Grasso and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Music is a language that is one of the purest forms of expression of humanity. We strive to connect our community with music, bringing people together. Unity allows us all to impact our community as individuals and in groups. As a musician, teacher and business person, Music By Tritone is my dream job. I get to share my love of music with the world and local community both through teaching and performing. This past year has made the concept of “togetherness through music” even more abundantly clear to me. Music By Tritone has continued to grow despite these uncertain Covid-19 times. During the quarantine time and community isolation, we all shared our emotions (both positive and negative) through music. Music By Tritone utilized virtual performances, virtual lessons, and we enjoyed socializing and sharing our talents in Zoom group ensembles all while being stuck in our houses. I have been amazed at how helpful music has been to our students and their families as well as for myself and my family in this strange year. We’ve all felt so alone and restricted due to this virus and yet many of my students and their families have told me that having music as an outlet turned a bleak day into a joyful one and helped everyone’s sanity. As we find our musical voice, we can share what’s in our heart: the gift of music, of being human -together which makes for the best kind of community and creates a large collective impact on the world.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a pianist, drummer, arranger, composer, teacher and business owner. Depending on the hour, I get to wear many different hats each day. The ability to blend art and business keeps me so busy but also energized because boredom is never an issue. Many music teachers choose to teach the same curriculum daily to all of their students but that would not work well for me. One of my favorite parts of teaching is integrating the music a student desires and needs into a form she/he can play. I let my students pick their own pieces and styles of music and then I arrange or compose a variation at their level for them to enjoy learning. This also stimulates my creative side and allows me to constantly experience and create new music. Joshua (my brother and co-owner of Music By Tritone) and I have focused on building a unique music school that focuses on tailoring every lesson to each student’s needs and desires while ensuring they still are learning the important fundamentals of music. I began my musical journey at three years old when my mother (a concert pianist) started me on the piano. Over the ensuing decades, music has been an evolving constant in my life. Getting to run my own business, be my own boss and help our teachers create successful careers for themselves has been a very rewarding challenge that I’ve embraced daily. One of the most important lessons I’ve realized over the years is that collaboration with hand picked, highly qualified individuals is crucial to success because going at something alone can be incredibly overwhelming. I have also made it my goal to never stop learning in life. Two years ago I started tennis as a complete novice. Although it was humbling, it also has been such fun to grow and learn a new skill and I’ve found myself becoming a better teacher with a student’s perspective.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m an outdoor person so I’d suggest hiking at Red Top Mountain and paddle-boarding and kayaking on the Chattahoochee River. I also love the Georgia Aquarium and Atlanta Zoo so I would include those as must sees. Of course I’d love to catch a concert with at the Tabernacle or a smaller venue like Center Stage in the ATL. My husband is a major foodie so he has spoiled me with Atlanta’s many amazing restaurants including northern Italian food at Sotto Sotto, Greek food at Kyma, Hal’s amazing steaks and delicious sushi at the Orient Express. Atlanta is so full of fun sports events too and I love catching a Braves game at the beautiful Truist Park with my husband and son on a summer night.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are three groups that I feel deserve recognition: Our students and their families, our amazing teaching staff at Music By Tritone and my own family who has had such a great impact on my success. My brother, Joshua Chari and business partner/co-owner at Music By Tritone has had such a profound impact on my life and Music By Tritone’s success. I’m so blessed to get to work each day with my brother. Having someone that you trust and respect as a business partner is so essential to a successful business. I also have the incredible love and support of my wonderful husband Mike, my son Jarod and my sister Mik who despite being in her busy fourth year of veterinary school at North Carolina State still finds time to support me and check in each day. These people and the Music By Tritone community of families and teachers allow me to be happy, successful and excited to come to work every day.

Website: musicbytritone.com
Instagram: musicbytritone
Twitter: @musicbytritone
Facebook: MusicByTritone
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4837QFtRLtTJJGofIbNkhQ