A new era has begun for Walker|West Music Academy. On a sunny spring afternoon last week, the beloved Rondo-based institution opened its doors to the public for a ribbon-cutting and celebration at its brand-new home, located at 650 Marshall Avenue in St. Paul.
The grand opening event drew students, alumni, community members, and local leaders alike to honor Walker|West’s 36-year legacy and to witness a milestone: The academy now owns a building designed for its mission, securing its future as a cultural and educational anchor in the historically Black neighborhood.
“It’s strictly for us,” said co-founder Reverend Carl Walker, standing proudly in the bright, window-lined lobby during the celebration. “We have now gone from a leased space to one that we own and one that is indicative of our style, the African American style.”
“It’s not a building that we tried to make into a music school,” said co-founder Grant West alongside his longtime music partner. “It’s a music school that was designed as a music school. That’s the big difference.”
Founded in 1988 by Rev. Walker and fellow musician West, Walker|West began with one piano and a shared vision. “Grant taught the right hand, I taught the left,” Walker laughed, recalling how they first brought their piano students together in a duplex on Hague Avenue. Over the years, they grew into a nationally recognized institution with an unwavering commitment to Black musical excellence.
The journey has been anything but easy. The academy spent decades in rented spaces, including its longtime home at 777 Selby Avenue, which had once been a barbecue restaurant. “It had years and years of grease in the carpeting,” West remembered. “But people from the community brought in plants, wallpaper, paint, and transformed it.”
That community effort was a vital part of Walker|West’s enduring success. Despite the rough exterior of the Selby corridor in the 1990s, the school became a refuge. “It was a sacred space for the block,” Walker said. Inside, students of all ages found joy, discipline and belonging through music.
The new facility sits on a site with its own unique history. It was once home to Brown-Johnson Elementary, a parochial school that closed in the 1970s. The building later became a corporate office before being acquired by Walker|West in 2021. With the help of supporters, city and state funds, and a community-driven capital campaign, the building has been fully transformed into a vibrant hub for music and culture.
That same spirit was on full display at last week’s grand opening. Inside the new facility, the buzz of the public mingled with the sound of jazz pouring from a live student ensemble. Attendees explored sunlit classrooms, music studios, and gathering areas lined with artwork, creating an atmosphere that invited both learning and connection. For many, the transformation was a powerful moment of reflection and celebration.
One alum, who began at Walker|West as a teenager working the front desk, was visibly moved. “It’s perfect,” she said. “I could literally cry. It’s long overdue. Even back then, you could tell it was a magical place — and now it has a space that reflects that magic.”
Walker|West’s new facility includes more than just classrooms and music studios. The academy’s expanded offerings include not only music lessons and ensemble opportunities but also more room for community events, student showcases, and cultural programming rooted in African American traditions. The facility is a space where individuals can immerse themselves in both the history and future of Black music and culture.
“This is the result of people believing in us,” Walker said, looking around at the vibrant celebration. “We’ve had students from all over, from right here in Rondo to Elk River. People came because they heard about the work we’re doing.” And now, for the first time in its history, the academy has a permanent home that reflects the excellence of that work.
Later this summer, the academy will unveil its next major addition: a 200-seat concert hall located just around the corner. “We anticipate it being ready around August,” said Walker. A concert grand piano made by a Black piano maker — the only one of its kind in the U.S. — will grace the new performance venue. Walker says this addition represents a bold step forward for the academy, creating even more opportunities for performances, cultural programming, and showcasing the next generation of musicians.
The grand opening also featured an emotional moment as longtime supporter Reverend Walker shared his thoughts on the significance of the new space. “This building stands as a testament to the community that built it,” he said. “It’s more than brick and mortar. It’s a home for our culture, our creativity, and our future.”
Despite the building’s newness, the mission of Walker|West remains unchanged. “This place belongs to the community,” said West. “It’s for everybody. It’s a place where we remember who we are — and imagine who we can become.”
The facility is now not only a music school but also a cultural beacon in the heart of St. Paul. “We’ve had several former students walk through these doors and cry,” Walker recalled. “They said, ‘This is what we needed back then—and now we have it.’” His words reflect the deep emotional bond that the academy has built with its students and alumni over the years.
For Walker|West, the opening of this building marks the beginning of a new chapter, one rooted in the same commitment to excellence and community that has defined its past. “This is for us,” said West, surveying the lively crowd. “This is for the people who believed in us before we even had a building, and it’s for the people who will keep this place alive for generations to come.”
Aria Binns-Zager welcomes reader responses at abinns@spokesman-recorder.com.