Tisho’s Music Academy to be taken over by founders’ children

June 13, 2024 · 0 Comments

Tisho and Mary Balinov are retiring after 25 years running Bolton business

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Every great song needs a great ending.

After 25 years, a Bolton couple are stepping away from their business. Tisho and Mary Balinov, who founded Tisho’s Music Academy, are retiring. Their business, which started out in their basement with a single, dilapidated piano they got for free and rebuilt, will be taken over by their children Kristian and Diana, who they said are more than ready for the task.

Mary said in September of 1998, she and Tisho bought their first home in Bolton. They fixed up a room in their basement, found a piano that was being given away, and started Tisho’s Music Academy.

Tisho has Master’s Degrees in music and has always been a teacher at the academy, while Mary has a sharp business acumen and has always run the business side of the academy.

The couple soon found demand for music lessons in Bolton was high, and they needed to move the business out of their basement. With two young children at home, having their living room as a waiting room wasn’t cutting it anymore.

Tisho’s Music Academy moved to the Courtyards in Bolton, hired more teachers, and experienced a period of great growth. Tisho’s Music Academy finally settled at its current location on McEwan Drive, where it continues to serve the community.

Mary and Tisho said they always believed the quality of the teachers they hired was extremely important.

Mary and Tisho’s children, Kristian and Diana, grew up surrounded by music. This led Kristian to pursue music education, and he went on to graduate with honours from the Metalworks Institute. Diana fell in love with dance and did it competitively for 15 years, even joining Team Canada for the world championships.

“They were both destined to become artistic,” said Mary.

Kristian is following in his father’s footsteps, and he teaches multiple instruments. He’s also a master music producer and runs a professional recording studio at the academy. Diana is following in her mother’s footsteps, and is taking over the business side of things, keeping the same keen eye on customer service excellence her mom always had.

Diana also does a lot of classes for individuals with disabilities at the academy. The non-profit Meaghan’s Music Room, which was co-founded by Mary, runs out of Tisho’s Music Academy. It provides subsidized music and dance education for individuals with disabilities.

Mary said she and Tisho know their children are 100 per cent ready to take on their business, and they’ll be standing by them as they do so.

“We’re happy they made the choice they did… now that we see the two of them stepping in, we’re so proud. They’re so ready and focused,” said Mary.

Tisho said it was the right time to step down and let the next generation lead the way.

“They’re excited, they’re knowledgeable, and we trust them,” said Tisho.