The Story of Musical Surprise
Musical Surprise opened in the Harris Family living room in 2008 with a goal to make music accessible to everyone– regardless of their age or ability. The following year, it moved to an office park near Reems and Grand Ave and quickly grew to 125 students by offering piano, guitar, voice and drum lessons, music therapy services and preschool music in one location.
January 2nd of 2012, Musical Surprise moved to its current location at 303/Bell Rd so that it could continue to accept new students into its programs. By this time, lessons in all instruments were available, and a small retail area was added to the studio.
The studio continued to grow steadily, and expanded into the neighboring suite in November of 2013 to total more than 5,000 square feet! By adding more lesson studios and quadrupling the size of the retail store, Musical Surprise was able to provide band and orchestra instrument rentals for students in local schools as well as repair & sell instruments. Soon, digital keyboards, ukuleles, and supplies and accessories for most instruments were also available. There is also a wide variety of books and sheet music, along with music themed gifts and jewelry. We now offer thousands of retail selections from various vendors.
The teaching studio includes 10 private studios, a keyboard lab and a larger classroom for group classes. A comfortable waiting area welcomes students and parents for waiting clients. There are now 30+ amazing teachers who are degreed/certified educators, professional performers, and college music majors who provide lessons in most instruments as well as early childhood music programs.
Musical Surprise currently provides lessons to nearly 800 students each week, and is your one-stop-shop for ALL things music! Lessons, Retail, Rentals, and Repairs, we do it all!
CEO/Founder, Lance Harris
Lance Harris is the Co-Founder/CEO of Musical Surprise. In this role, Lance coordinates the Marketing, Finance, and Operations teams for Musical Surprise. A big believer in Music Education, Lance supports creating a strong foundation for Music Education Programs, as well as helping to create other programs for all age groups.
Lance has over 28 years of Business Management experience with a focus on Marketing, Technology, Operational Management and Business Expansion. Prior to starting Musical Surprise, Lance held roles as Vice President, Director of Operations and Consulted with various companies on direct response advertising and achieving key performance levels in customer service and operations.
Passionate about Musical Surprise and its possibilities, Lance has worked to increase technology, operational procedures, and multiple campaigns to help in meet future expansion goals.
Lance obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Southwestern Oklahoma University with emphasis in Marketing and Management. Lance also received American Society for Training and Development and Triple “C” Certification from the University of Oklahoma.
To contact Lance Harris please send emails to lance@musicalsurprise.com or request information at www.musicalsurprise.com.
Studio Director, Alexis Devonport
Alexis, the Director of Musical Surprise, is a versatile instructor who teaches private voice, piano, and early childhood music classes. In addition, she is responsible for coordinating Studio Events such as Formal & Contemporary Recitals, Concert in the Park, Rockstar Academy, and in-studio themed weeks. Alexis has been an indispensable part of the Musical Surprise family since spring 2012.
In December 2017, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in K-12 Music Education with a Choral Emphasis from Northern Arizona University. While in college, Alexis worked with several professional voice instructors, participated in elite world-traveling ensembles at Glendale Community College and Northern Arizona University, and sang in master classes. She was actively involved in the performing community, both in school and beyond, featuring in numerous operas and musicals throughout her college career.
Alexis is an active member of various teaching associations, including MTNA, NATS, AZOrff, and NAfME. Her unwavering passion for music fuels her desire to create a fun and engaging atmosphere for her students, believing that music is for everyone, regardless of age, experience, or ability. When she is not teaching or planning events for the studio, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.
As a testament to her teaching philosophy, we quote Robyn Harris, “Any teacher can teach a GREAT student, but a GREAT teacher can teach ANY student.” (2019)
To contact Alexis Devonport, please send emails to lexi@musicalsurprise.com
Studio Manager, Megan Williams
Megan Williams, the Store Manager of Musical Surprise, has been an integral part of the team since March of 2017. As store manager, Megan manages all front desk admin, student scheduling & billing, retail store inventory, and purchase orders. She also oversees instrument rentals & repairs through the store’s Affiliate Company, Music & Arts. She also assists Studio Director, Alexis Devonport, with Social Media & Marketing for studio events and current happenings. Once she graduated with her Associates in Arts from Glendale Community College in 2020, Megan shifted her focus towards helping manage Musical Surprise full-time. This meant helping take the business by the horns by streamlining systems & procedures, training, and helping grow the business into what it is today, nearly doubling the size since she began working there in 2017! Megan also enjoys singing. She was a member of GCC’s Concert & Chamber Choir during her time at the school. You may also even see her performing with the Teacher Band during Musical Surprise events! When she is not working, Megan enjoys watching baseball and spending time with her boyfriend.
To contact Megan Williams, please send emails to megan@musicalsurprise.com
