The year will also mark a change in its name and ownership. The new name will be Willow Music School and its new owner is music teacher Bradford Lee, who joined the staff as a private instructor in 1993 after the school had changed its name from Reik Music.

"I wanted to avoid using 'Glen' in the new name because I didn't want the school to look like it was exclusive to Willow Glen," Lee said. "I wanted a name that was distinct but would also suggest that it was open to anyone."

The name may be new but as far as anyone can remember the 1202 Lincoln Ave. location has always had a music school and a shop for selling records or instruments.

"The top level here has always been dedicated to music education," Lee said in his bare-walled office on the long building's top floor. Only a desk, a couple of chairs and an upright piano occupy the office. But he and approximately seven other teachers share offices where they instruct a mixed clientele of adults and children in classical, jazz, rock, contemporary, ethnic and folk music.

"Jazz and rock appear to be the most popular types of music taught among students," said Lee, who would also like to see Willow Music School become more than just a school. "I'd like to see this school someday putting on recitals."

And Lee is no stranger to performing in front of an audience. He's part of a five-piece R&B band called Too Smooth, which once landed a gig opening at an Oakland Raiders rally. He noted that performing before an audience is an important part of a musician's growth.

A handful of celebrities have come to Willow Glen to record in the center's recording studio or become part of the staff. One of them is the legendary jazz musician and instructor Harvey Leventhal, who came in 1958 to teach saxophone and clarinet. He also managed the center's music department, where he sold and rented instruments. He died of a heart attack in August 1996, but not before helping establish the annual Tapestry in Talent event held in downtown San Jose.

Chuck Berry, The Judds, Ray Charles and Kenny Loggins are among the other major musicians who have dropped by at least once to do business.

Gordon Stevens, who owns the building, said he hopes that under Lee's leadership the school will continue its long tradition of producing professional musicians.

"We've had several dozen students who have gone from here to perform with the San Jose Symphony," Stevens said.

Yet with the cutting of music and art classes in public schools, Stevens said, "the music world is in pretty weird shape."

But he adds, "Cultural institutions and the private sector have tried to cover for that."

Stevens said one of the music center's students, 16-year-old Greg Davis, a junior at Valley Christian High School, is taking lessons at music school to better his chances of making it as the head pianist in a school band during his senior year.

"I really wanted to improve how I played, and learning with Brad helps me out a lot," said Davis, who has been a student at the music school for 2¹/2 years.

He meets with various teachers for about a half-hour once a week.

"I'm not exactly a beginner anymore," Davis said, "but I'm not sure I can call myself an intermediate yet."

Lee adds, "That's the interesting thing about how people learn music--people advance at different paces. You can grow beyond being a beginner but you can spend years moving around as an intermediate-level musician."

"There's always more to learn," Lee said.

For more information about the Willow Music School, 1202 Lincoln Ave., Suite 201, call 408.286.8828.