Music Education Partners

Building Community Through Music

It is the core belief of the Pasadena Music Education Partners that music is a vital part of an individual’s growth, education and development.

Mission-To support music education in the Pasadena region through a cooperative network of teachers, students, professionals and musicians, so that every child, regardless of capability, age, background or financial standing has the opportunity to learn to sing or play an instrument, participate within a quality music ensemble and have access to exceptional music performance and instruction opportunities.

As a professional orchestra the Pasadena Symphony Association seeks to support and foster a love and knowledge of orchestral music.  The PSA believes that participatory music instruction is an invaluable experience for an individual with a wide range of intrinsic and instrumental benefits.  The Pasadena Symphony Association can offer the support of a full time staff, a wide database of professional musicians, and a wealth of information and administrative support.

Los Angeles Children’s Chorus

The mission of Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC) is to educate, develop and inspire musically talented children to attain the highest level of choral artistry. Since its founding in 1986, LACC has educated more than 1,000 young singers and currently includes 250 choristers in five ensembles from communities across the greater Los Angeles area. Choristers rehearse once or twice weekly and take weekly musicianship classes.

Pasadena Community Youth Orchestra

At PCYO, we believe that whoever wishes to enter the world of music should be granted that wish. You bring the will and the dedication–leave the rest to us. PCYO accepts students from ages 8 to 17.  We offer diverse music instruction in a group setting on almost any instrument.  Students contribute to a kind, caring atmosphere, and are expected to practice regularly and play in the end of season concert.  We have a wide variety of instruments to loan.

Pasadena Suzuki Music Programs

Established in the early 1960s by Elizabeth and Harlow Mills, PSMP has been nurturing young musicians in the Pasadena area for over 40 years.

Pasadena Young Musicians Orchestra

The Pasadena Young Musicians Orchestra (PYMO) celebrates over 50 years of performances. The institution has provided musical training for gifted young instrumentalists of high school and junior college age. Orchestra members represent 32 different schools, and come from diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds. They all come together to work towards one common goal: to learn how to play in a symphony orchestra.

Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra

The Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO) has been training tomorrow’s classical musicians since 1972. PYSO is considered among the best youth orchestras in the Southland. This exceptional ensemble is comprised of talented middle school students from grades six through nine. These committed young people receive advanced instruction and challenging music opportunities through a rigorous program that emphasizes ensemble playing.

Saturday Conservatory

The Saturday Conservatory of Music was established to provide affordable, quality music instruction to children in the greater Los Angeles area, primarily targeting children from lower income families.

SAPPA

SAPPA began operation in 2002. It was created to provide training for youngsters interested in competing for music and arts scholarships. SAPPA soon grew into a music workshop program, reintroducing basic musical skills into communities with little or no music education opportunities. The program focuses on areas with high percentages of at-risk youngsters who are often not able to afford formal music training. The workshops bring age appropriate general musical instruction to youngsters (ages 7 through 18) that is consistent with the standard arts frameworks of the California Public School systems.

VYMA

The mission of the Verdugo Young Musicians Association (VYMA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is to enable children to discover the dedication, teamwork and joy of making music together and to enhance their musical skills through high level music education in nurturing, non-competitive ensemble settings. This mission is fulfilled through free and tuition-based orchestral, chamber, jazz and choral programs that serve young people from the San Gabriel to the San Fernando Valleys. Our participants are “real musicians . . . only younger.”

VYMA Outreach at Longfellow Elementary

VYMA Music Project is inspired by El Sistema, the immensely successful model of music education that produced Gustavo Dudamel, now Director of Los Angeles Philharmonic. The Music Project was initiated by VYMA in partnership with Pasadena Unified School District LEARNs. One Title I PUSD school, Longfellow Elementary was selected as a pilot school in 2009. It will be continued in 2010-11 as it proved a success. The program aims to provide very young children with a free systematic and high quality classical music education by creating children/youth orchestras.