Growing up, Rudy D’Agostino was always interested in guitar, so he decided to pick one up and never looked back.
Soon enough, D’Agostino found himself in a band in junior high school and now decades later he is entrenched in Rhode Island’s music scene as both a musician and owner of The Music Complex RI.
The Music Complex RI is designed to be a one-stop shop for musicians offering lessons on all kinds of instruments, rentals, rehearsal space, a recording studio and an inventory of music equipment.
“It seemed like there was a need for something where you can go and cover everything you need in one shot,” said D’Agostino, who also sings and plays piano.
The business first opened in 1994 in downtown Pawtucket, where there was a store with rehearsal and recording studios all in one building. Then in 2013, D’Agostino opened another location in Smithfield that offers sales, lessons, rentals and repairs.
“We basically do it all,” D’Agostino said.
The Music Complex offers lessons on most instruments to students of all ages and classes on topics such as music theory, composition and performance.
And this lesson program, which hosts about 175 students from ages 3 to 90, is one of the things D’Agostino is most proud of because it offers students the chance to perform in front of a live audience twice a year for free.
“It’s not only music and working toward learning the song but it’s getting up in front of people,” D’Agostino said. “That’s something I wish I had done when I was 10 … so these kids are getting almost like a lesson in public speaking.”
Usually, the concerts take place in the summer and winter, though D’Agostino says he’s planning to have students in the rock band program do a tour and raise money for charity this December.
But the students wouldn’t get to learn and perform if it weren’t for The Music Complex’s teachers. D’Agostino said he’s proud of his teachers’ ability to assess a student’s ability and help them “bridge the gap” to becoming a better musician.
“We attract some of the best teachers,” said D’Agostino, who also used to teach as many as 60 students per week. “They can take anybody at any level and bridge the gap or just start them off from scratch and move them right along.”
The Music Complex’s recording space has also hosted many musicians, including a few well-known names such as Grammy winner Jack White.
Now D’Agostino, who still plays at least three times a week in a band, hopes to expand the business further with another location in Rhode Island. D’Agostino has also recruited his son, Rudy D’Agostino Jr. – who also sings and plays guitar and piano – to teach lessons and run the store.
“I’m passing that down … to the next generation,” D’Agostino said. “He’s following the same path.”
OWNER: Rudy D’Agostino
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Music school, studio and store
LOCATIONS: 615 Putnam Pike, Smithfield and 66 Montgomery St., Pawtucket
EMPLOYEES: Three
YEAR FOUNDED: 1994
ANNUAL REVENUE: WND