🎵 Who Is Mr. Craig? The Story Behind Harmanny Music Education
If you’ve searched for music lessons in Spring Tx and found your way here, or you came across this blog post, you might be wondering:
Who is Mr. Craig?
Hi, I’m Craig—though most of my students and families know me as Mr. Craig.
And while Harmanny Music Education officially began in 2020, my story with music—and teaching—goes back much further than that.
🎹 It Didn’t Start With a Plan
My journey into music education didn’t begin with a clear vision or a business strategy.
It started in high school… with my very first piano student.
I didn’t have a system.
I didn’t have experience.
Honestly—I didn’t really know what I was doing.
That first attempt didn’t last long.
But it planted something that would come back years later in a much bigger way.
🎶 The Unexpected Path
In 2002, I found myself at a crossroads.
After spending five years in college preparing for a career that didn’t work out, I was trying to figure out what came next.
So I started teaching music lessons.
At first, it wasn’t about passion or purpose—it was about making ends meet.
But somewhere along the way…
I realized I truly loved it.
⛪ A Life in Music
Music has always been part of my life.
🎹 I started piano at age 5
🎺 Picked up trumpet in 5th grade
🎼 Learned organ in middle school
🎤 Sang across styles—from Broadway to worship to jazz
Over the years, I’ve played:
🎹 Piano
🎺 Trumpet
🎤 Voice
🎼 Organ
My influences are all over the place—in the best way.
From church hymns and classical music…
To country and 80s pop…
To my first concert: Johnny Cash at a county fair.
Music has never been just one thing to me—it’s always been wide, creative, and personal.
🎯 Taking the Leap
For years, teaching was something I did alongside working as a church musician.
But in 2006, after a position was cut, I made a decision that changed everything:
I went all in on teaching music full-time.
No guarantees. No perfect roadmap.
Just a willingness to step into something that felt right.
👨👩👧👦 Life Beyond the Studio
Over the years, life has changed in the best ways.
I’ve been married for 21 years and am a proud dad to two incredible daughters:
🎭 Ella (17), who loves musical theater and singing
🥁 Emily (14), a singer and percussionist
Music is a big part of our home, not just my work.
It’s something we live every day.
🧩 A Bit More About Me
When I’m not teaching, you’ll probably find me:
🎼 Composing or arranging music
🏈 Talking about or watching sports
🔥 Grilling in the backyard
🌱 Working in the garden
I’m someone who enjoys creating, building, and finding joy in the little things—and music has always been at the center of that.
🎵 Why I Started Harmanny Music Education
By the time Harmanny Music Education officially launched in 2020, it wasn’t the beginning of my journey—it was the continuation of it.
Everything I had experienced up to that point—
The uncertainty…
The pivots…
The growth…
All of it shaped what Harmanny Music Education would become.
Not just a place for lessons…
But something personal.
🎹 More Than Just a Teacher
At the end of the day, I’m not just someone who teaches music.
I’m someone who:
- Found purpose through an unexpected path
- Built a career through real-life experience
- And continues to grow alongside the students and families I work with
And I’m grateful every day that this is what I get to do.
👉 “Want to know how Harmanny Music Education started? Read the full story here
Find out more about Summer Music Lessons in Spring TX with Harmanny Music Education here.