Requiem for a Dream: Moline’s Sound Conservatory to Close Next Month
Just two months after being sold to a new owner, the Sound Conservatory, 504 17th St., Moline, is planning to close at the end of October.
Since November 2023, Sound Conservatory – which first opened in March 2022 in downtown Rock Island – has been in the transformed former Carnegie library (built in 1903). The stately historic landmark had long operated as Moline Public Library until 2008 and was vacant over 15 years. The busy music school (with over 370 students and 14 faculty), retail music store and performance venue was transferred from business founder, teacher and pianist Andrzej Kozlowski, to Ben Tinsman of Bettendorf, a 25-year-old veteran musician himself who has taught piano at Sound Conservatory.
“Over the past three years, Sound Conservatory has grown into the region’s largest music academy, a respected name in piano retail, and a vibrant performance venue that has welcomed internationally renowned musicians, comedians, and artists of all kinds. What began as a vision has become something much larger, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built,” Kozlowski posted on Facebook July 1.
Sound Conservatory hosted a Chamber Music Quad Cities concert in May 2025.
“I’m deeply grateful for everyone who supported this dream—from our students and families to the performers, educators, and staff who brought it to life,” he said. “I wish Ben every success as he leads Sound Conservatory into its next exciting chapter. It’s been my passion and focus since opening the doors in March 2022, and I know it’s in good hands.”
“It is certainly tough,” Tinsman (vice president of finance for Twin State Technical Services) said Monday, Sept. 22 by email. “I did acquire the business, but ultimately had no choice but to shut down. The financial burden is just too great for anyone not running it as Andrzej did, and we were unable to reach a new agreement with the landlord. I am glad I tried to help keep the business going and did everything I could for teachers, students and the community, but ultimately there just was not a path forward.”
Tinsman pictured at Sound Conservatory, which moved in fall 2023 from downtown Rock Island to the 1903 former Moline Public Library at 504 17th St.
“We are deeply thankful to everyone who has been part of our journey, students, families, performers, and music lovers alike,” the business posted recently on its Facebook page. “Whether you joined us for lessons, attended concerts, or simply stopped into our shoppe to talk music, your presence made Sound Conservatory a special place. It has been our privilege to share in your musical growth and passion.”
From October 27–30, they will be open for lessons only, and retail sales will conclude on October 25. For all outstanding instrument rentals, Sound Conservatory will contact clients directly over the next few weeks.
They are offering 50% off everything in the retail instrument shoppe and piano showroom during a going-out-of-business Clearance Sale through Oct. 25th during regular business hours (10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Fridays, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays).
Kozlowski on Monday expressed bitter disappointment (as have many QC residents) in the Sound Conservatory news.
“I am devastated and profoundly disheartened by the decision to close Sound Conservatory,” he said by text. “What my wife and I built was not just a music school, it was a labor of love, created through years of tireless dedication and personal sacrifice. We gave everything to build something lasting for the community, a place where students could grow, teachers could thrive, and the transformative power of music would be shared with all.
“To see that legacy dismissed and dismantled so abruptly by new ownership is not only painful, but deeply troubling,” Kozlowski said. “The choice to close the Conservatory feels short-sighted and disconnected from the values that originally gave this institution life. It disregards the impact this space has had on countless lives and the vibrant community that rallied around it.
Charlotte Blu performed at a Library Sessions concert at Sound Conservatory, April 27, 2025.
“I sincerely hope that the teachers and students who made Sound Conservatory what it was will find a way to continue their work, and that the spirit of what we built will live on despite the decision to abandon it,” he added. “I have always believed that true leadership means serving something greater than oneself — that community, art, and education are worth fighting for. It is heartbreaking to see that belief cast aside so quickly, and with so little regard for what this place has meant to so many.”
Kozlowski (a Renaissance man who has experience as a contractor, piano builder, restorer, tuner, and mover, as well as a dazzling performer) removed the old library stacks and opened the glittering new performance space (topped by a huge chandelier hanging from a 24-foot-high ceiling) in early August 2024. In 2025, he planned to offer events 50 weeks of the year, including highlighting many local and young musicians.
Sound Conservatory’s last concert was Sept. 13, with Library Sessions, Chapter 4. “This one-of-a-kind concert series is all about stripping things down to the essentials: acoustic instruments, authentic voices, and songs that speak straight from the heart,” its Facebook page said. “Each artist performance features original songs with storytelling about the lyrics, writing process, and inspiration behind each song. This series brings the audience together, creating a shared musical experience that’s as personal as it is powerful.”
That date featured local artists Cody James (Rock | Folk | Blues | Pop: Warm & fuzzy songwriting), Mo Carter (Bold | Soulful| Dynamic: Striking original songwriting), and Soultru (Indie Soul | Jaded Gospel: Lyrical, emotional, and deeply honest songwriting).
Tinsman in July 2025 said Sound Conservatory really fills a niche following the closure of Foster Family Music in Bettendorf and West Music moving out of Moline.
An aerial view of the 1901 building at 1600 2nd Ave., Rock Island, when it was formerly occupied by Sound Conservatory (which moved in fall 2023 to downtown Moline).
“What Sound Conservatory does is really unique, selling pianos, having that awesome performance space, and that really helps feel good about being there,” he said then. “It is a community of musicians there, and that’s something really cool and unique about the store.”
Tinsman bought his first piano there in fall 2023, and tried it out with some Chopin, which formed an instant bond with Kozlowski, since the Polish piano wizard (1810-1849) is both their favorite composer. Tinsman has taught there since February 2024.
Kozlowski, a native of Poland, moved to the U.S. permanently in 1992, trained at the prestigious Juilliard music school in New York City, and has been considered a permanent resident (green card) by the government. He said Monday that his application for U.S. citizenship was “terminated” by the current administration without giving any formal cause or reason.
“I was then notified that my eligibility to renew my permanent residency (green card) was revoked,” he said by text. “So I am being forced to leave the U.S. That was the reason I had to sell the business.”
Kozlowski and his wife will move to Ireland, where he will continue his performance and composition career in Europe.
According to the American Immigration Council, the first six months of the second Trump administration’s enforcement agenda is unprecedented because it effectively makes any noncitizen in the interior of the United States a possible target for detention and deportation for the first time in recent history. Under this Trump administration, no one is a priority—so everyone is a priority, the group said.
For more information on Sound Conservatory, visit its website HERE.
Sound Conservatory has focused many of its concerts on Quad Cities-based, and young musicians.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.