The Retraction: A Musical Warning from the 1662 Witch Trials
In the small town of Auldearn, Scotland, in 1662, a peasant woman named Isobel Gowdie was caught in the gears of a brutal legal system. Unlike many of her peers, whose stories were lost to time, Gowdie’s trial left behind a chillingly detailed paper trail. This April, her words return to the stage at CMC […]
Bringing the Music Home: David James Honors His Father’s Legacy in the Mission District
After years of research, reflection, and musical exploration, San Francisco composer, singer, and guitarist David James created Mission Rebel No. 1: Looking for Rev. Jesse James — a deeply personal work examining the life of his father, Rev. Jesse James, a preacher and activist in the Mission District. What led him to center an album […]
From the Classroom to the 50-Yard Line: Irene Giovannetti’s Super Bowl Moment
It is a long way from a quiet music lesson to the center of the biggest sporting event in the United States. For Irene Giovannetti, a music teacher and graduate student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, that distance closed in an instant earlier this month. Giovannetti, who teaches group piano classes and trumpet […]
Ready to Jam? CMC’s Summer Jazz Workshop Returns
For local musicians looking to sharpen their improvisation skills, CMC is bringing back its popular Summer Jazz Workshop. Designed for adults and high school students, the workshop focuses heavily on small group playing, pulling students out of the practice room and onto the bandstand. Max Yoshimoto, a student from a previous year, knows the feeling […]
Game On: CMC Launches First-Ever ‘Pianolympics’ for Young Musicians
Piano lessons often make people think of quiet recital halls and serious solo performances. But this Sunday March 8, CMC is changing that with the first-ever Pianolympics. The event will take place in CMC’s new Piano Lab and will turn music theory into a fun, high-energy game. It’s designed especially for beginners ages 8 to […]
Make Music, Make Friends: Summer 2026 Starts Now!
It’s almost that time of year again! The classrooms of our Mission District Branch are about to fill with the sounds of tuning violins, rhythmic drumming, and young voices finding their range. While school doors close for the summer, our doors at 544 Capp Street open to a world of musical possibility. We provide a […]
From the Boardroom to the CMC Stage: Meet David Neuman
For twelve years, David Neuman helped shape the future of CMC as a member of the board of directors. This February, he will take the stage at 544 Capp Street as a performer, continuing his long relationship with the organization he considers his “musical home.” “As a serious amateur musician who always made room in […]
Remembering Betty Wong
On December 13, 2025, we lost a legend and community pillar. Betty Anne (siujunn-:bood:) Wong passed away, leaving behind a 64-year legacy at CMC that simply cannot be replaced. However, Betty was never one to be pinned down to a single style or genre of music. One day, you might find Betty in Room 5 […]
More Than Just Jingle Bells: Renaissance Roots and Live Jazz
If you want to escape the typical “Jingle Bells” loop this season, CMC has two solid options coming up. They’re bringing together distinctive Eastern and Western sounds for a celebration that feels both timeless and lively. The Winter Celebration: From Renaissance to Hans Zimmer On December 21, faculty member Shirley Wong-Frentzel leads the Annual Winter […]
A New City, a New Studio: Alex Belkin Finds Home at CMC
Moving to a new city involves a thousand logistical hurdles, but for a musician, one challenge looms larger than the rest: finding a place to practice freely. For Alex Belkin, a saxophonist who recently relocated to San Francisco, the search for a sanctuary to practice his craft led him to CMC in the Mission District. […]