North Idaho Rock School has moved into the former Vital Health acupuncture center at 213 W. Appleway, in Coeur d’Alene.

Owner Jacob Burrows says he formed North Idaho Rock School LLC in January, but he’s been teaching guitar for seven years.

“It was my side job for six years,” Burrows says. “I had 20 to 30 students at any point in time.”

In 2020, Burrows lost his job in sales, and decided to teach guitar full time to a roster of 50 students. The waiting list for lessons quickly expanded, he says.

Burrows hired a few instructors and opened the school in a space at 1420 E. Third, in Post Falls. 

“We grew out of the space that we were in,” Burrows says. “In nine months, we’ve grown from 50 students all the way to 155.”

The school currently contracts with eight instructors for lessons in acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, piano, violin, voice, and drums. Burrows says he hopes to add rock band, group guitar, and piano classes in the future.

Piano instruction cost $25 per lesson. All other instruments cost $35 per lesson.

Burrows says scholarship forms are available on the North Idaho Rock School website.

“My family could never have afforded private music lessons,” he says. “So, anybody who fills out that form, I want to give them an opportunity.”

Burrows says he eventually will form a nonprofit organization associated with the school that will provide free musical instruments to children who can’t afford to buy their own.

“Our whole purpose is to change lives through music,” he says of the school.

Lessons are held at the school between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays. The office is open noon to 5 p.m.

He says he’s seeking one or two guitar teachers to serve some of the students he’s been working with.

“Now that this has grown to what it is, my schedule has gotten super packed,” he says. “With teaching and running the business, I need to be able to replace myself.”