In 1996, upon graduating from Musicians Institute (PIT) in Los Angeles, Jim Berretta had a vision of starting his own private teaching practice. Berretta Drum Instruction, Inc. was born, and through the years, so were over 600 aspiring drummers ranging from age 2 to over 80. As BDI continued, he expanded on his vision and opened Berretta Music Academy in the fall of 2021. A music school recruiting the finest and most talented staff of instructors on a wide array of instruments. Along with top tier private music instruction, BMA offers a clean and spacious state of the art facility in Clearwater, Florida. After just one year in business, we finished runner-up in the Creative Loafing "Best Of The Bay" Contest for Best Music School (Non-Degree). https://www.cltampa.com/best-of/2022/music We finished as a regional winner in the Guide To Florida 2025 Edition under Music Schools and Instructors https://guidetoflorida.com/best-of/winners/2025/arts-entertainment after receiving an honorable mention in the Guide To Florida 2023 Edition https://guidetoflorida.com/best-of/winners/2023/arts-entertainment .Business Rate ranked us as the #1 Music School For 2025 in Clearwater, Florida ! https://businessrate.com/report/1818020?geocatSerial=1442082832&monthStartDate=2025-07-01&scoreType=br .Most recently, we are proud to announce we finished as one of five winners across the whole state of Florida as "Best of Florida Winner" for Music Schools and Instructors in the Guide to Florida 2026 Edition https://guidetoflorida.com/clearwater/arts-entertainment/berretta-music-academy
Jim is a strong believer that everyone, no matter what age, will have a more fulfilled life experiencing the gift of music lessons. Whether you're a a beginner or an advanced student, let BMA guide you on your own personal journey.
We currently offer private music lessons for one hour, both in person in Clearwater, Fl and online. Half hour lessons are available for our younger students.