When Steve Shapiro first moved to San Francisco, he was not familiar with Community Music Center. A friend in Bolinas, who happened to be CMC’s sixth Executive Director and who was moving on from CMC, suggested he apply for the job. After an interview with the board, Steve realized it was a perfect fit—for him and for CMC. What he thought might be a few years turned into thirty-three.
During Steve’s tenure, CMC grew in remarkable ways. He helped launch some of CMC’s signature tuition-free programs: the Teen Jazz Orchestra, the Young Musicians Program, and the Mission District Young Musicians Program. He also oversaw the organization’s expansion to the Richmond District, which brought new opportunities as well as challenges. While the new branch fulfilled CMC’s mission by serving families with significant financial need, it also required deeper fundraising and community support.
Through it all, Steve found joy in the people who worked at CMC. Everyone was absolutely dedicated to the mission and to helping each other succeed. He remembers mentoring staff and faculty, helping each of them do their best work, and fostering a culture of collaboration that shaped CMC’s programs and community.
When Steve retired, he faced something completely new: for the first time in his life, he had control over how he spent his time. It was freeing but also a little daunting. He decided to return to studying classical piano, which he had last played at age 16. And of course, he knew exactly where to go to start lessons. Steve shared that he sees CMC as “one of the great resources” because it allows people of all ages and backgrounds – not just young students – to study music. “Music has become the center of a very satisfying retirement,” he says. Today, he studies, plays in a trio with two flutes and a cello, performing free concerts at libraries and senior residences, and continues to find joy in the discipline and creativity that music offers.
“If everyone made music, the world would be a better place.”
Today, Steve remains closely connected to CMC as a student, a donor, and a friend. He plays in chamber ensembles, studies with teachers who inspire him, and continues to build relationships across the community. For Steve, CMC has always been about people. All of its teachers, staff, and students are a family.
Steve’s 33-year journey at CMC reflects the organization’s enduring values: thoughtful teaching, musical excellence, and a deep commitment to community. His story is one verse in CMC’s ongoing song, one that continues to be shaped by everyone who learns, teaches, and makes music here.