Covington School of Music

General information

The seeds for LAAPA were planted in early 1978 by Wanda Cullen, Founder and Director Emeritus. She began teaching piano lessons out of her home in River Ridge, LA. As her methods of instruction became increasingly popular in the New Orleans, River Ridge, and Harahan/Kenner area and she developed a waiting list of students, she then hired an additional instructor, and then another, and so on.

The demand continued to grow, and Wanda moved her school into its first commercial location in the mid 80s. She changed the school from "Wanda Cullen, School of Music" to River Ridge Music School at that time.

In the late nineties, the Mandeville School of Music opened on the Northshore followed by the Covington School of Music in early 2004 at which time the parent school name Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts was established to better represent and consolidate the three campuses within the local communities.

Today, the Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts offers all of the most popular music and dance programs under one roof with the most friendly and personable faculty you'll find in Mandeville, Covington, River Ridge, and New Orleans!

Our music and dance lessons and classes are offered year round to students ages birth through adult! We are a true community school of music and dance here to enrich the great culture of our region.

At our Mandeville School of Music, Covington School of Music, and River Ridge School of Music & Dance, we offer Private Piano Lessons, Semi-Private Piano Lessons for all ages as well as Private Voice Lessons, Violin Lessons, Drum Lessons, Guitar Lessons, Trumpet, Trombone, and Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Cello Lessons and more. Whether you are brand new to music or already experienced and ready to take your training to the next level, our University Degreed instructors will customize a lesson plan for you!

At our River Ridge School of Music and Dance, in addition to all of our music classes and programs, we offer dance classes ages 2-adult! Dance Classes include Ballet Classes, Hip-Hop Classes, Jazz and Tap Classes, Tumbling Classes, Zumba, Creative Movement, and Parent and Tot. All of our Dance Faculty are either University Degreed in Dance or hold equivalent professional certifications such as "Dance Masters".

We invite you to read feedback from our students at http://laapa.com/testimonials to see why more students in New Orleans and on the Northshore choose to study music and/or dance at the Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts.