Meet The Owner's
Charissa Wheeler
When Music Junction owner Charissa Wheeler isn’t performing herself, she’s helping make sure the young musicians of SoCal know how to. Charissa studied piano and singing since the age of 4, and became a full-time private piano/voice instructor to many LA families for 10 years. In 2012, she opened the first Music Junction with business partner and musician, Bob Vaughan. The school has now grown into two Burbank locations and services 400 local music students. The Music Junction was built using the same recipe that made Charissa so popular with her own original students: by creating an engaging learning environment for young students that strikes a balance between fun and the fundamentals, with kind-hearted and talented teachers.
As a member of the Kiwanis club and a local advocate for music education, Charissa created the annual charity singing contest “Burbank Singing Star.” Produced by The Music Junction in conjunction with the Kiwanis Club of Burbank, “Burbank Singing Star” is a dream that Charissa formed and brought to life in order to help showcase the many young and talented kids of the area, and support a charitable cause at the same time. Judges include representatives from Disney, American Idol, the Grammy’s, Broadway, and other Billboard Charting Artists. Complete with a red carpet, celebrity judges, and family festivities, this glitzy annual show has quickly become a fun community event that lets young local children shine. Beneficiaries have included the Burbank YMCA, the Burbank Unified School District, and the Kiwanis Club of Burbank.
As a long-time performer, Charissa played synth, keys and vocals in the bands Chance and the Low Brigade, and Kill the Complex, and has played many roles in musicals including Hope in “Anything Goes”, Hodel in “Fiddler on the Roof”, and the lead in the one-woman musical, “Song and Dance”, originated by Bernadette Peters. As a Singer/Songwriter, Charissa has written the folk-rock album, Walk Alone. She received a B.F.A. degree from Millikin University, and completed 5 levels of music theory examinations with the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA), who also awarded her a Certificate of Excellence for service as a piano accompanist. She was also featured in concert as a state-wide piano finalist at Northrup Auditorium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Charissa is committed to raising awareness about how music education enriches our children’s lives, and plays an important role in their brain development. She does this through public speaking, and by creating programs and events like “Burbank Singing Star” that facilitate musical experiences for our local youth.
Bobby Vaughan
Bobby Vaughan is the Co-owner and Director of Operations at Music Junction. Bobby commits love, energy and focus to ensuring that Music Junction provides its students and families with the best possible experience when bringing music education into their lives. Bobby believes that learning and playing music is a vital development tool for people of all ages, and for all areas of one’s life. That's what drives Bobby to strive for impeccability at Music Junction, in the promise to deliver highly-experienced music educators with great musical talent who connect and engage with their students, leaving a life-long, positive impact. Bobby is also accountable for making sure Music Junction provides a friendly, supportive and communicative staff for its students and families, so that students have the best possible environment for their music education journey....
This is Bobby’s passion, and he takes pride in running Music Junction, because music has played such a key role in creating joy, fulfillment, peace and ease in his life. It all started for Bobby when he joined the renowned Tucson Boys Chorus in his Arizona hometown at the age of 8 years. Later he took up trombone, and eventually bass guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and songwriting. Bobby played in multiple bands in L.A. for 3 decades, which opened up a myriad of music opportunities in performing, writing, recording, engineering, producing, film scoring, voice-over work, teaching, promoting, touring, and managing. Currently he manages the band, The Baby Goats!
Aside from the music world, Bobby practices and instructs yoga, has a knack for backyard farming, loves to spend time in the kitchen, and adores hanging out with his 2 cats, 2 dogs, and his beautiful fiancée!
Music Junction in the Media
Music Junction interview with Davi Davinport
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Charissa speaks about Burbank Singing Star, our annual charity singing contest, the importance of music education, and more, on the Davi Davenport show!