You Be You Music, a nonprofit children's music school, finds home of its own in Millvale

Georgia English rejects the idea that making music is only for the precious, famous few and everyone else is a loser if they try.

“We assign shame to anyone who tries to express themselves musically but fails,” she said. “We laugh at people who bomb their ‘American Idol’ auditions, and we worship those who blow judges away. Adults walk through the world refusing to sing because of comments they received as children.

“That’s trash,” she said. “Music is for everybody.”

English and her husband, Kaston Guffey, are working musicians who launched a nonprofit music school, You Be You Music, in Millvale in 2023 after moving to the Pittsburgh area from Nashville in 2022. They provide free and affordable music classes and private lessons and have a rock band program, beat making and a children’s choir.

“Music belongs to all of us, and childhood and adolescence is a crucial time to reinforce this truth,” English said. “When we are nurtured in a safe creative space, we can all learn to express ourselves and our identities authentically through music. We can embrace imperfection as a part of the path toward musical fluency and learn to fall in love with the process.”

English hails from San Francisco while Guffey is from Missouri. Since meeting in Nashville, they’ve been together for 10 years and married for two.

“We had really burnt out on Nashville and just wanted to be somewhere that felt more real and less commercial,” Georgia said of their reason for moving to the Pittsburgh region. “Pittsburgh just really felt like a nice cultural middle ground. I’m a huge Mr. Rogers fan. His legacy has really impacted the culture here. We wanted to be a part of that culture and those values.”

After beginning You Be You Music at The Maple Leaf, an art gallery on Sedgwick Street in Millvale, the couple moved it into its own home, a storefront they are renting at 143 Howard St. They started offering programming there in May.

Not only do they have more space in a visible location, but it has them right by a playground, helping them reach the “tween” age group, English said.

“Now that it’s right where they hang out, we’ve had kids that we haven’t been able to reach or connect with come in willingly and ask for programs,” she said. “Our location is an opportunity for co-creating programs with kids.”

With 10 teachers, You Be You Music now is serving about 200 students a week, with 80% of them in its free programs, English said. Within its paid services, a quarter of the students are receiving scholarships.

The Maple Leaf was welcoming and provided them with space where You Be You Music could grow, English said.

“We were really attached to The Maple Leaf. It was a wonderful home for us. We started offering programming about the same time The Maple Leaf started launching programming,” English said. “It was kind of cool. We grew up together.”

At the Howard Street storefront, You Be You Music is sharing space with Be Our Neighbor, a program of the Millvale Community Development Corp. that works with refugee and immigrant families.

Jess Landolina said she founded Be Our Neighbor in 2022 when Millvale had a large influx of refugees and immigrants and she saw their unmet needs. She manages Abeille Voyante Tea Co. and is on the board of the Millvale Community Library.

Previously working out of the library and tea shop, the space at You Be You Music is the first time Be Our Neighbor has had its own space to settle into, Landolina said. They have an office and an area where children can play while their parents are helped.

Landolina said she has known English since English came to Millvale in 2022.

“It’s unbelievable the way that she can connect with the kids and really make them feel safe,” Landolina said. “I have seen such an incredible change in the children. They’re so drawn to her and her programming. I can’t speak highly enough about her and her program.”

Their programs have started to overlap.

“We have a lot of really high-need and vulnerable children,” Landolina said. “They are just blooming in the space. They are coming, decorating and spending time there. It’s another space that is a positive and safe space for them.

“We really focus on trying to create positive experiences and focusing on the joy we can create with one another and how that has been a healing experience for a lot of community members. The refugee child joy is the most precious you can see.”

English and Guffey are both guitar players, singers and songwriters. While Guffey is promoting a new album from his band, My Politic, English, who releases music under her own name, said she has paused touring while building up You Be You.

English is pursuing a master’s degree in music therapy at Duquesne University. When she becomes a certified music therapist, English said she will add music therapy to You Be You Music’s offerings.