Erick Peralta: My musical home
Erick Peralta, pianist and CMC faculty member (Beginning Jazz Ensemble/piano), found his musical home at CMC at a young age. He grew up in the Mission District under the creative influence of his father, who was the bandleader of a salsa band. Erick would attend rehearsals when he was as young as three, where he would sit on his dad’s lap at the piano. Not surprisingly, Erick showed musical promise early on. Pianist, trumpeter, and CMC faculty member Marco Diaz was in his father’s band at the time and was also a CMC student. He recommended that Erick study music at CMC.
Eva “Nena” Aldaz: Going full circle
As part of our Centennial celebrations, the Mission District Young Musicians Program will be presenting a special intergenerational performance at Acción Latina’s community art stroll Paseo Artístico: History Matters in the Mission on Saturday, October 23. This event will highlight alumni in collaboration with the young musicians and feature an appearance by beloved local superstar and CMC alumni La Doña (Cecilia Peña-Govea). Older Adult Choir members from the Mission District will be also singing with the ensemble, making three generations of CMC students performing together! One of the alumni performing at Paseo Artístico will be Eva “Nena” Aldaz.
Marco Diaz: Musical beginnings at CMC
Marco Diaz’s commanding presence in the Bay Area music scene has its foundations in the scholarship program at Community Music Center. For this trumpet player and pianist, who is the bandleader for Cuban singer Bobi Céspedes and a central member of the John Santos Sextet, Diaz’s love of music first began in public school. “I heard the trumpet for the first time when I was in fourth grade,” said Diaz. “I knew that was the instrument I was going to be playing.” This passion for music was nurtured and developed through the scholarship program at CMC taking Diaz through his high school years in the early 1990’s and preparing him for studying music at San Francisco State. “I started taking piano lessons at CMC in the eighth grade,” said Diaz.“In my first year of high school, I auditioned for a scholarship, and I was awarded piano lessons, trumpet lessons, and jazz theory. That blew everything open for me. That was it. I was hooked.”
Maestro Curtis: Legacy, history, and America’s Got Talent
Maestro Curtis, CMC faculty member since 2013, is having quite a moment. His family band The Curtis Family C-Notes are going to be competing in the America’s Got Talent (AGT) quarter finals on August 24. Then on August 31, he’ll launch the Black Music Studies Program, CMC’s newest tuition-free program. As teachers at CMC, Maestro and Nola Curtis have taught piano and voice, directed choirs in the Older Adult Choir Program, and taught group classes. Their five children have grown up in the halls of CMC studying various instruments and participating in the Vocal Harmony classes their parents taught. “Community Music Center has literally changed our lives,” said Curtis. “The community of musicians and the leadership has allowed us to thrive not only in what we love to do, but as community activists.”
CMC leads free summer arts programs for San Francisco youth
It’s a musical summer for San Francisco youth with CMC leading arts programs at the Mission District Branch and in public school in San Francisco.
Remembering Michael Jordin
May 19, 2021 By Julie Rulyak Steinberg We are very sorry to share news of the passing of our dear faculty member, Michael Jordin. Michael was a part of the CMC community since 1999 as a dedicated winds teacher at the Richmond Branch. He was also an active performer throughout the Bay Area and a […]
New Voices Bay Area Chorus performs on Billboard Music Awards pre-show
We’re so happy and proud to announce that the New Voice Bay Area TIGQ Chorus, directed by Reuben Zellman, appeared on the Billboard Music Awards: The List Live on April 29, 2021. They musically announced the BBMAs Finalists for Top Billboard 200 Album.
How to up your Field Day fundraising
An interview with Stephen Shapiro
Stephen Shapiro is an all-star Field Day fundraiser. He was the top fundraiser for Field Day in 2019. This year, he currently leads in Virtual Field Day fundraising. Steve has some great pointers for those who might need a little encouragement and tips for asking friends and family to donate to Virtual Field Day. It’s also important to mention that Steve Shapiro was the Executive Director of CMC for 33 years. He retired in 2011. He’s no stranger to fundraising professionally and knows CMC’s work first-hand having initiated many of CMC’s core programs.
“What we’re listening to” with Michaela Overall: Summer Madness!
This month’s Spotify playlist is curated by piano faculty member Michaela Overall. What do Bob Marley, Bach, John Coltrane, and Barbara Steisand have in common? Michaela Overall calls her eclectic, elegant playlist “Summer Madness,” and in the video above, she talks about why it’s called that and why these artists all appear together.
Anything Goes Chorus turns 40!
CMC’s oldest vocal ensemble, Anything Goes Chorus, is celebrating its 40th anniversary! Since the chorus cannot produce an anniversary concert, they put together three professional videos, the first of which has just been released.