The family-owned music education franchise built on inclusion and play keeps expanding its national footprint, with licenses now sold across 19 states.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Musicologie, the music education franchise founded by husband-and-wife team Kay and Joseph Barker, just crossed the 100-license mark, a milestone reached just over two years after selling its first franchise, positioning it among the few national brands in a category still dominated by independent, single-location music schools.
Kay and Joseph founded Musicologie in 2014 after years spent touring in their folk/pop band, Bella Ruse. Teaching lessons between tour dates to supplement their income, the pair discovered their real passion was in the classroom. "The goal has always been to make music, but when we started teaching lessons to supplement our band income, it became obvious teaching was our passion," Kay told Columbus Alive in an earlier interview.
That philosophy runs through every studio via The Musicologie Method®, built on a safe environment and education through play. It reflects the brand's mission to create inclusive communities of music explorers and empower teachers to build sustainable careers; one now reaching major markets nationwide through hundreds of teachers and hundreds of thousands of lessons a year.
"Every one of our 100 licenses represents a franchise owner who chose Musicologie after evaluating the brand and the space. That kind of conviction validates everything we've built: the method, the model, the community," said Joseph Barker.
Musicologie's franchise model centers on a membership-based program that helps build long-term customer relationships, backed by hands-on franchisee support.
"Reaching 100 licenses is a full-circle moment for us. We started this in a one-car garage because we believed every neighborhood deserved a place like Musicologie, and now we get to build that with a hundred other people who believe it too. We're just getting started!" said Kay Barker.
The private music lessons industry is estimated at $800 million in the U.S., and more than half of American parents enroll their kids in music lessons, per Pew Research Center.
About Musicologie
Founded in 2014 by Kay and Joseph Barker in Grandview Heights, Ohio, Musicologie is a music education franchise built on a membership-based lesson model. The brand has taught more than 10,000 students and now has 100+ locations in development. Learn more at musicologielessons.com/franchising.
About REP'M Group
REP'M Group is the franchise development firm behind Musicologie's growth strategy, supporting the brand's franchise sales, marketing and expansion efforts nationwide.
Media Contact Alexis McConvey
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SOURCE REP’M Group
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