OKEMOS - John Dewey the owner of Okemos Music Academy started the academy as Strings Connection in the year 2000.

"It was just a one man show I taught violin lessons and did instrument repairs but as we got going I added more teachers and we've evolved into a full blown music academy," said Dewey, owner of Okemos Music Academy.

He is very passionate about music and wants to share his love for music with others.

"Music is so important just think about music it's passionate it's fun it's expressive and it does so many things for people. There's no politics involved in music there are no wars involved in music, we just enjoy music so much its a passion of mine it's an obsession of mine," Dewey said.

The music academy offers lessons for a variety of instruments.

"Guitar, piano, voice drums, violin, viola, cello, base, clarinet saxophone, ukulele, banjo, you name it we teach it," Dewey said.

Okemos Music Academy is even capable of teaching students with little to no experience how to play instruments.

"I had another student who is six years old playing cello and he never played any instruments before. Anyone can learn," said Dilek Engin, Music Teacher at Okemos Music Academy.

The Okemos Music Academy even offers a Musical Ladder System for students.

The purpose of the Musical Ladder System is to celebrate student achievement through wristbands, certificates and trophies.

"Every three months students will test within the curriculum that they're working on and they have the opportunity to earn the different wrist bands and trophies as they progress," Dewey said.

As a result of business excellence and musical instruction, The National Music Academy of the Year award was given to Okemos Music Academy at the Music Academy Conference in Charlotte, Virginia.

"Im proud to bring this award back to our community and to Okemos, it's quite an achievement," Dewey said.