Vivaldi Music Academy Lawsuit: Unpaid Wages, Landlord and Lender Claims

The Vivaldi Music Academy lawsuits center on a Houston chain of music schools that closed abruptly on October 16, 2025, leaving dozens of teachers unpaid and founder Zeljko Pavlovic and his companies facing claims from lenders, landlords, contractors, and former staff. The largest documented actions include a landlord suit that produced a default judgment exceeding $1.18 million and a separate lender case over a $2.6 million promissory note.1ABC13. Music Teachers Say Owed Thousands in Back Wages After Vivaldi Academy’s Sudden Closure2UniCourt. Branford Partners LLC vs Vivaldi Music Academy

How the Closure Happened

On the afternoon of Thursday, October 16, 2025, the academy began calling parents to say the school was closing immediately. Three Houston locations and the San Antonio branch were still operating at the time; all shut down.1ABC13. Music Teachers Say Owed Thousands in Back Wages After Vivaldi Academy’s Sudden Closure

The trouble had been visible for months. Teachers reported late and missing paychecks starting in March 2025. Five staff members hired that June as “assistant directors” said their titles were reclassified to “student concierge” and that their first paychecks, due June 17, never arrived.3Fox 26 Houston. Houston Music School Faces Allegations After Staff Say They Go Unpaid for Months The Bellaire and Memorial branches had already quietly closed earlier in 2025.1ABC13. Music Teachers Say Owed Thousands in Back Wages After Vivaldi Academy’s Sudden Closure Court records also show Pavlovic and the academy had filed for bankruptcy in 2019, though the outcome of that earlier proceeding is not publicly reported.4Fox 26 Houston. Former Instructors Say Vivaldi Music Academy Owes Them Thousands in Unpaid Wages

Before the closure, the academy told FOX 26 it could not comment on “pending legal matters” but said teachers were being paid consistently and that it had conducted an internal audit and was adding new financial controls.4Fox 26 Houston. Former Instructors Say Vivaldi Music Academy Owes Them Thousands in Unpaid Wages The day after the shutdown, Pavlovic said his team was “finalizing all remaining administrative matters, including the review and resolution of outstanding contractor payments.”1ABC13. Music Teachers Say Owed Thousands in Back Wages After Vivaldi Academy’s Sudden Closure

Teachers Owed Back Wages

One former teacher estimated that between 50 and 75 instructors across Texas were owed unpaid wages, with individual claims running from roughly $3,000 to about $30,000. Some teachers reported evictions and vehicle repossessions tied to the missed pay.1ABC13. Music Teachers Say Owed Thousands in Back Wages After Vivaldi Academy’s Sudden Closure Some instructors said they were owed as much as $11,000 for work performed between April and June 2025.3Fox 26 Houston. Houston Music School Faces Allegations After Staff Say They Go Unpaid for Months

A few have taken action individually. Former contractor Huang Tiange filed a small claims case in Fort Bend County seeking more than $1,000 for services dating back to December 2024.4Fox 26 Houston. Former Instructors Say Vivaldi Music Academy Owes Them Thousands in Unpaid Wages

The Landlord and Lender Suits

Two of the biggest cases involve real estate and lending.

Branford Partners LLC sued Vivaldi Music Academy and Pavlovic in Fort Bend County District Court in September 2025 over a breached lease covering roughly 4,800 square feet. The complaint alleged more than $83,500 in past-due rent and common-area charges, about $2.46 million in future rent, and roughly $575,000 in estimated re-letting costs. A default judgment was entered on December 1, 2025. A writ of execution for $1,186,789 followed in February 2026 and was served in May 2026.2UniCourt. Branford Partners LLC vs Vivaldi Music Academy

An earlier landlord dispute is also pending. B.B.S.I., L.C., LLC sued Vivaldi Music Academy LLC, Dream Big Play Music LLC, and Pavlovic in Harris County District Court in June 2024, alleging breach of a retail lease. The case, No. 2024-38884, was assigned to Judge Jaclanel McFarland in Court 133.5Trellis Law. B B S I L C LLC vs Vivaldi Music Academy LLC

On the lending side, a July 2025 suit alleged Pavlovic failed to repay a $2.6 million promissory note. The lender’s attorney told ABC13 that no lawyer had appeared for Pavlovic and that the lender was pursuing a default judgment. ABC13 also reported Pavlovic had been sued multiple times in civil court for fraud and failure to repay loans.1ABC13. Music Teachers Say Owed Thousands in Back Wages After Vivaldi Academy’s Sudden Closure

Other Cases Filed Around the Closure

Additional matters appear on the dockets:

What Texas Wage Law Says for Former Teachers

The teachers’ claims fall under the Texas Payday Law, codified in Chapter 61 of the Texas Labor Code. Employers must pay all wages due on scheduled paydays. When an employee is fired, final pay is due within six calendar days. A worker who is not paid can file a wage claim with the Texas Workforce Commission within 180 days of the date the wages were due.7Texas Workforce Commission. Texas Payday Law

One important limit applies here. The TWC cannot investigate claims against an employer that has filed for bankruptcy; affected workers must go through the bankruptcy court instead.7Texas Workforce Commission. Texas Payday Law The classification of many Vivaldi instructors as independent contractors rather than employees may also complicate their TWC claims, since the Payday Law protects employees. Some contractors may instead have claims under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which carries a two-year statute of limitations that extends to three years for willful violations.

Employer exposure under Texas law can be substantial. Hiring a worker while intending not to pay, then failing to pay after a demand, is a third-degree felony, and each unpaid pay period counts as a separate offense.8FindLaw. Texas Labor Code § 61.019 The TWC can impose administrative fines, use liens or bank levies to recover wages, and require an employer to post a bond securing future wage payments for up to three years.7Texas Workforce Commission. Texas Payday Law Whether any Vivaldi teachers have filed formal TWC complaints has not been publicly reported.

Where Things Stand

As of mid-2026, Vivaldi Music Academy remains closed. The Branford Partners landlord case has produced a default judgment above $1.18 million, with a writ of execution already returned.2UniCourt. Branford Partners LLC vs Vivaldi Music Academy The $2.6 million promissory note case was heading toward a possible default judgment as of October 2025, with no attorney appearing on Pavlovic’s behalf.1ABC13. Music Teachers Say Owed Thousands in Back Wages After Vivaldi Academy’s Sudden Closure Other suits filed around and after the closure remain on the docket, and there has been no public indication that the affected teachers have received the wages they were promised.