Drew’s School of Music opens in Hartsville, honoring a son’s legacy through music

A mother’s dream, years in the making, became reality on Wednesday, Sept. 30, when the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce sponsored the ribbon cutting and grand opening of Drew’s School of Music, a new local music school founded as a tribute to a young musician and teacher gone too soon.

Located at 640 S. 4th Street, the school was created by owner and lead instructor Gina Wilkerson to honor the memory of her son, Drew, a talented young music teacher who passed away in 2025. A large crowd turned out for the celebration, including several of Gina’s and Drew’s own music students.

“It was a dream of mine a long time ago,” Wilkerson said. “I had talked with him (Drew) about doing this when I retired.”

Wilkerson said it took about a year from the planning stages to arrive at the day her dream actually became reality.

Drew’s School of Music was founded with a simple mission: to provide a welcoming space where students of all ages can share, learn and enjoy music.

Wilkerson brings more than three decades of music education experience to the school, having taught in the Marlboro, Chesterfield and Darlington school districts. She holds both a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Education.

Inside the front lobby, visitors are greeted by a beautiful cabinet displaying Drew’s picture along with other personal items honoring his memory. It is a quiet reminder that the school’s name carries a deeper meaning: every lesson taught and every song shared continues the legacy of a young educator who loved music and the students he taught.

For Wilkerson, the school represents both a professional milestone and a deeply personal one, a place where her son’s spirit and her own lifelong passion for teaching come together.

Drew’s School of Music is located at 640 S. 4th Street, Hartsville, SC 29550. For more information, please call 843-951-0033, visit them online at drewsschoolofmusic.com or email them at gwilkerson39@gmail.com