Arias & Arpeggios Music Academy, located at 12365 Huron St. #200, is a music studio that services the north metro Denver area offering engaging and convenient lessons to students who love music. We spoke with owner Chelsey Hanel to learn more about the experiences and programs they provide.

What can you tell us about your business? 

Chelsey Hanel (CH): We’ve operated in Westminster since 2017. We started as a humble at-home studio and we found a vacuum in the music lesson industry that focused not just on performance and excellence but built on how fun music is for kids.

What instruments do you teach? 

CH: Piano is our main instrument, and our teachers can teach piano lessons at all levels, but we also teach:

  • Voice: pop, rock, musical theater, and classical styles
  • Guitar/Ukulele
  • Strings: violin and cello
  • Little Jammers Music Class: piano, drums, ukulele, and voice in a rock band format for ages 2.5-6 years old

What makes your business unique? 

CH: Our students are simply kids who love music. We teach scales and teach out of proven curriculums, but more importantly, our teachers are empathetic and care deeply about each of their students. Each lesson gives us a window into our students’ worlds and that helps us provide a safe place for them to create and experiment with music in ways they may not have felt comfortable with before learning at Arias.

Why did you choose Westminster? 

CH: When we opened in 2017, Westminster seemed like the perfect place for a new music studio. With two major highways cradling the city, clients could easily get to us. Most importantly though, Westminster as a city was seeing growth. With an active City Council and plans to develop older parts of the city, it was clear that we wanted to be associated with Westminster.

Which direction is your business heading and what’s on the horizon? 

CH: As many small businesses experienced, coming out of the pandemic came with many uncertainties. But with a strong client base and the support of the community, we have been able to remain consistent and explore different growth opportunities. In 2022, we moved into a larger space here in Westminster and were able to open our doors to host a small theater group as well as many more music teachers from the area while also increasing our class offerings. With these programs, we’ve seen our studio go from about 20 clients a week in 2017 to now over 150 clients per week, effectively increasing our influence on the youth and culture of the Westminster community beyond what we ever thought was possible.

You were recently awarded a Capital Improvement Grant by the City of Westminster to assist with the buildout of your new location. The grant was used to offset the costs of purchasing new tangible property assets (including signage, furniture, AV equipment and more); how did this grant help your business? 

CH: This grant has helped us not only beautify and grow into our new space here in Westminster, but it has helped us grow into a home for many teachers who share the value of teaching kids who love music. By purchasing equipment and creating many spaces for lessons and even a small theater in the studio, we are able to serve more students than ever not only through music, but through theater experiences as well!

For more information about the Capital Improvement Grant and to apply, visit our business resource webpage.

To learn more about how the City of Westminster can support your small business, visit our Economic Development webpage at www.westminstereconomicdevelopment.org.