A violinist and computer engineer, Sam Walder has combined his two passions to bring music education into the 21st century with Trala, an online music school that announced a $8 million Series A raise on Thursday.
"There is a big mismatch between where music education is and where the rest of the world is," he told Chicago Inno. "It just feels so ancient. I grew up playing violin and the main method of learning an instrument still was written in 1954."
That system was designed around a parent-student-teacher triangle and required the existence of a "housewife," which Walder said feels misogynistic and outdated.
"I thought to myself, 'Why is everyone learning like this?'" he said. "All my friends stopped playing as well because they thought they'd start with 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' and then I become Joshua Bell, or if I don't I quit."
Walder's "mission-driven" startup aims to make top-notch music education accessible for everyone with technology that listens to users play their instruments and provides instant feedback, as well as one-on-one lessons with teachers. Half-hour lessons cost $40, and hour-long lessons cost $70.
The online music school has already attracted a diverse group of 1,000 students, including truck drivers, politicians, firefighters, grandmothers, surgeons, construction workers and more, and in 2022 added 30 new music teachers to its roster.
A graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Walder had "no interest" in being a "[Silicon] Valley startup."
"I think post-Covid you can do anything anywhere," he said.
While Chicago may not be as well known for its music scene as Los Angeles or Nashville, he called it a "natural choice" for the company.
"We've got incredible musicians, tons of venues, a really good recording scene and indie scene so I don't think there's anything preventing Chicago from growing its music industry," he said.
While other startups around the country have experienced fundraising woes as venture capital has dried up, Walder thinks that good businesses will always be invested in.
"I think it was 40 days between the first pitch and closing" for Trala, he said. "Rounds are still getting done, and while it's a difficult time right now for startups, if you have a good business."
Trala's Series A was led by Seven Seven Six, with participation from Lachy Groom Fund, Altman Capital, Next Play Ventures and Concrete Rose Ventures. The latest investment brings the company's total funding to $15 million.
Walder is looking to expand his team in 2023, including adding hundreds of new teachers to the platform.
