MARLENE COOPER-WILLIAMS was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she received her formal music education from the University of Minnesota. Marlene began playing the piano at four years of age. Coming from a very musical family, piano and vocal performance was very much a part of her family structure. By age seven, it was apparent that Marlene needed to be further challenged in her musical training. With a highly unusual audition arranged with three influential professors at the University of Minnesota, Marlene was admitted into the private piano instruction program. She studied at the University of Minnesota for the next seven years, during which time she performed solo concerts, won competitions with the Minnesota Music Teachers Association and played with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra. During this time period, Marlene was also involved in many aspects of music in high school as well as outside organizational playing and singing. However, her main focus was always music education.

During her years at the University of Minnesota as a full time student, she began doing some private piano teaching. Marlene realized that this would be her calling. So, she continued to teach on a part time basis. However, also desiring to experience business, Marlene took a position as Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of the International Division at National Car Rental in Minneapolis. This is where Marlene learned the art of business negotiations, franchising of locations, and many other intricacies of a corporation. This experience proved to be most helpful in the founding of her music schools she would later own and operate after relocating to California.
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