Documentary Short - Beyond the Music: The Untold Story

Mrs. Valencia Giles started her music school in 2009 during a recession. She was told her music school would never work. Over 10 years later, her school grossed over one million dollars in thirteen months. In this never before seen footage, she tells her entrepreneurial story for the first time. From her humble beginnings as a music teacher with only a few students, to a painful past that caused distressing insecurities, she never dreamed she could be the owner of a thriving business. We also note that her school now has over 1,200 students, which is different from the film noted as time has passed.

After her school won National Music School of the Year for 2020-21 (nominated through MASS in a competition involving hundreds of music schools nationwide), this film was created to give the community a behind-the-scenes look at the heart behind this musical family. This documentary short will challenge you to believe in your dreams no matter the cost! This is the untold story of Valencia Giles and the Lawrenceville-Suwanee School of Music.

It first premiered at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia (Summer of 2021) and on the Saltflix Channel in August of 2021. It received publication in the Gwinnett Daily Post and Shoutout ATL Magazine.

Credits & Thanks:
Director: Cynthia Giles
Videographer/Editor: Rachel Bullard
(racheljanella.com)
Producer: Valencia Giles
Interviewer: Dustin Pennington
Cast: LSSM Team: Students, Teachers, & Parents!
Production Assistant: Marion Cassim
We Love You! We Love Music!