Scotia Music Academy
Scotia Music Lessons
We offer lessons for: Guitar, Voice, Singing, Piano, Percussion, Woodwinds, Brass & Strings
Why Scotia Music Academy is Schenectady's #1 choice for music lessons
Scotia Music Academy is one of the fastest-growing music lesson academies in the nation. We not only teach Guitar, Piano, Percussion, Voice, Strings, Woodwinds, & Brass, but we provide lifelong lessons that you can take with you to the real world. Our music lessons are for all ages from kids, teens, & adults to senior citizens. Several of our students travel from all over the Schenectady area including Scotia, Glenville, East Glenville, Rotterdam, and Rexford.
Welcome to Scotia Music Academy

Our staff consists of experienced music teachers, capable of teaching all ages and levels. We constantly renovate and improve our facilities as well as provide on-going support to our instructors to ensure we are always providing our students and parents with the best possible musical experience.
While you’re researching the best school for you, consider the benefits of becoming a Guilderland Music Academy student and find out why we are Schenectady’s number-one choice for music lessons!
We teach Guitar, Piano, Singing, Voice, Percussion, Drums, Woodwinds, Brass & String Lessons
12 Benefits of becoming a Scotia Music Academy student:

1. Guitar, Voice, Singing, Piano, Percussion, String, Brass and Woodwind Music Lessons in Scotia
All of these instruments are offered in one place. This saves our students time and money, as one family can take multiple instruments on the same day. We offer all 5 of the most popular instruments: Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Violin, Voice, Piano, Flute, Trumpet, and Drums.

2. Most qualified and diverse staff in Scotia and the Schenectady area.
SMA has some of the most qualified music instructors who represent degrees and experience from the top music colleges in our country! Our team of teachers bring a great deal of experience to students weekly without having to travel into Albany, Latham, and Delmar. Our studio is the only music school in the Capital District that is 100% music education. Retail is not our focus, you are! In addition to our instructor’s teaching credentials, our teachers have warm personalities, are extremely friendly, and dedicated to teaching you the style of music that you want to learn in your music lessons.

3. Flexible schedule
With so many amazing teachers, we can always find the right time to allow for music lessons to fit into your life. We are open 7 days a week, operating for 48 weeks per year, average of 4 lessons per month.

4. Professional office staff to serve you
Professional customer service for our students is a priority for us. We have office team members who are available at the front desk to assist our clients quickly and respond quickly to any voicemails left on our system during hours that we are not open. If you leave a message on Facebook you’ll get a quick response too!

5. A proven track record of excellence since 2005
Every year, aspiring music teachers start their own studio, and a year or two later it’s closed. We focus on teaching and do not have a store within our studio. The original, Cady School of Music in Albany, has a proven track record of offering quality music lessons, guitar, voice, singing, piano, and drum lessons in the Capital District, New York year-round. Our full-time focus is teaching music.

6. A comfortable parent’s lounge for our clients and kids play area
Instead of waiting in a music retail store showroom, our clients enjoy a professional parent’s lounge with comfortable chairs, Wi-Fi, magazines, and bottled water service. We also provide lessons in a room with large observation windows at the parent’s request so that you can watch your child’s lesson while you wait. Or if you prefer you can sit in on their lesson anytime you like.

7. Large technologically advanced music lesson rooms
Our rooms are stocked with everything you need for music lessons, including amps, stereos, full drum kits with pads, keyboards, pianos, and more. All you need to bring is your instrument and materials.

8. FREE music recitals held at least twice a year!
Every parent just wants to know how their child is doing and if they are really progressing. The best way for a parent to understand if their investment in music lessons is really worth it, is to have their child participate in a recital. Students who take music lessons at Scotia Music Academy perform voice (singing), piano, guitar, drums, violin, viola, cello, bass, saxophone, oboe, french horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, clarinet, and flute at recitals.

9. Conveniently located near YOU
Located on Mohawk Avenue in the heart of Scotia, NY. Due to its central location, our school is convenient to all areas of Scotia and the Schenectady area. Close to our school, you will find great shopping, dining, and the quaint neighborhood of Scotia.

10. Picture Day
We are the only music school in the Capital District that offers a picture day for their students. Each year we host a free picture day with a professional photographer. This is a service that our student’s parents love as they all want quality photos of their children. Adults are welcome too! Students can bring their instruments to the photo shoot and wear whatever they like.

11. Month to Month lessons
GMA does not require semester minimums for music lessons. Every student here is on a month-to-month basis If you are ready to start, you have nothing to lose as we only want students who truly want to be here and we will not commit you to a long-term contract.

12. Trophies, certificates, and award wristbands to celebrate achievement
We are the only music school in Scotia that gives their students the opportunity to earn special color wristband bracelets (kids and teens love them!), trophies, AND certificates for passing musical tests. Do other schools offer trophies and certificates? A few. But none of them inspire their students with smiling faces by giving them full color, really cool “Musical Ladder” wristbands that they can show off to their friends. The Musical Ladder is our unique method of music education that you can only get here. This program is designed for all students who take music lessons at Scotia Music Academy on voice (singing), piano, guitar, drums, violin, viola, cello, bass, saxophone, oboe, french horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, clarinet, and flute.
More importantly, when our students have a test coming up, they practice more, their parents are proud, their teachers are proud, and everybody wins. You can only get the Musical Ladder here. We also specialize in music lessons for adults.
Scotia Music Academy is growing!
Meet the Director
Bryan Cady
Bryan Cady holds a Master’s Degree in Education from the College of St. Rose in Albany NY. In addition to being the owner of Scotia Music Academy, and an entrepreneur, Mr. Cady has been a public school Band Teacher since 1998. Throughout his career, he has maintained his passion for teaching and incorporated that passion into all aspects of his teaching and business. Mr. Cady has organized student performances in Ireland, France, and Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. And most recently, the student recital at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Mr. Cady is also a recipient of the Albany Business Reviews 40 under Forty award (2009), is an active member of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA), and a member of the Guilderland Chamber of Commerce. With a strong belief in giving back to the communities that support Guilderland Music Academy, Mr. Cady has sponsored Guilderland Baseball, Music in Guilderland Schools, Adopt a Family for Christmas programs in Guilderland, Things of My Very Own, Inc. Lastly, Mr. Cady and his family are Guilderland residents, and his children attend Westmere Elementary School and Farnsworth Middle School.

We offer gift certificates!
Would you like to give the gift of music to someone? SMA has the answer!
Use the form below to choose what level of gift certificate you would like to purchase. We offer either one 30 or 60-minute lesson, or one month of 30 or 60-minute lessons! (4 lessons)
Once a student has finished the lessons in their gift certificate, they can choose to fully enroll and continue their musical journey!