As CMC continues to reflect on these times, the need for music is more important than ever. The simple joy of musical expression, connecting with a teacher, or being in a class with others lifts the spirits and breaks the isolation so many people are experiencing. CMC is raising the bar in accessibility by creating the Free Sampler Series for new, returning, and current students to stay connected to music.
Mix and match classes, workshops, and a lesson free of charge. On January 30, try out free classes in piano, ukulele, Music for Children, and cello at Plug & Play Music Day. The free sampler series includes free private lessons as part of Free Trial February. Take free one hour workshops with CMC faculty from the Cultural Traditions Department at CMC Sessions starting February 9 and continuing through May. All the programming in this series takes place online.
Free Trial February
January 25–February 28
New, returning, and current students are invited to take one free trial lesson in the month of February. To redeem the offer, fill out the form to speak with our registration team before February 19, 2021.
Plug & Play Music Day
Saturday, January 30 from 1:00–3:15pm
Free
The afternoon’s featured classes are perfect for beginners, families, and the adventurous. Try Beginning Piano with Christopher Basso, Music for Children with Daniel Fabricant, Uke’n Sing with Beth Wilmurt, and Beginning Cello with Erik Andersen. Visit our website to see more schedule details.
CMC Sessions
Explore a rich selection of music topics with CMC faculty!
February 9–May 25
Free
Take a deep dive into jazz, Chinese-American, Latin, old-time, gypsy jazz, and genre-crossing styles with CMC faculty from the Cultural Traditions Department. The sessions offer engaging discussions, inspiring demonstrations, and musical tips in a creative format.
Starting on February 9, Maestro and Nola Curtis are launching the series by leading a workshop on the impact of Black culture on ensemble singing. On February 23, Jon Jang shares his musical language and reflects on his trajectory as a Chinese-American jazz artist and composer. March features sessions by Charlie Gurke and Miguel Govea. In April, Omar Ledezma Jr. and Erik Pearson each give workshops. Scott Feichter and Allison Lovejoy both teach sessions in May.
Plug & Play returns this January, featuring piano, Music for Children, Uke n’ Sing, and cello demo classes.
Kick off your new year by plugging into inspiration and musical community at Plug & Play Music Day. You’ll get an inside look at online group classes and private lessons at Community Music Center by trying out an online music class demo with CMC’s talented faculty. Play with new musical skills and explore easy to learn music.
No experience is necessary to participate.
RSVP to this event and we’ll send you Zoom links to each online class. In the RSVP process indicate which classes you are interested in attending to receive those Zoom links. Zoom links will be sent out 48 hours, 2 hours, and 10 minutes before the event via the email used to register.
RSVP HERE.
Schedule:
1:00–1:30pm (PST): Beginning Piano with Christopher Basso
Ages: 8 and up
Christopher will share techniques for starting to learn the piano. You’ll learn how to find notes on the keyboard and apply those to a simple melody and chords, playing with rhythms and musical elements.
1:35–2:05pm (PST): Music for Children with Daniel Fabricant
Ages: 4 to 7
For the little music-makers, Teacher Daniel will introduce musical skills through rhythm games, singing, creative movement, dancing, and musical play in an interactive and engaging class.
2:10–2:40pm (PST): Uke’n Sing with Beth Wilmurt
Ages: 8 and up
Do you like to sing but want to learn to accompany yourself on the uke? Do you play some uke and want to learn to sing along? Beth will guide you through learning a simple tune—the words, the chords, and give you some fun strums to choose from.
2:45–3:15pm (PST): Beginning Cello with Erik Andersen
Ages: 8 and up
Join Erik for an introduction to the cello and some basic ear training. Erik will share fun and simple ways for getting acquainted with this beloved instrument and tuning your ear. Anyone who doesn’t yet have a cello is welcome and should come prepared with a pen or pencil or chopstick, ready to sing, and with a willing imagination!
Online Indian Rhythm & Drumming Workshop with Rohan Krishnamurthy
Community Music Center and Rohan Krishnamurthy invite you to a series of online Indian Rhythm and Hand Drumming Workshops!
Directed by acclaimed percussionist, educator, and entrepreneur, Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy, the online workshops will be open to participants of all ages and backgrounds—no musical experience needed. Participants will learn the foundations of rhythm, ways to improve rhythmic time and feel, essential hand drumming techniques, vocal percussion, and approaches to improvisation. Sessions will feature interactive performances and Q&A with guest artists.
This is a workshop series meeting over six Sundays on January 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 10am–11am. from 10am–11am. Students can enroll in individual drop-in sessions ($35/session) or for the whole 6-week session ($150 – save $10/session). Series enrollment will be available through February 1.
Individual drop-in sessions can be purchased here by clicking “Select a Date” to choose your session.
Enroll in the full 6-week series here. Series registration will be available until October 12.
This workshop will be hosted online via Zoom. A link will be emailed to workshop participants before the classes. For questions, email rohan@rohanrhythm.com.
During the month of February, you are invited to book a free trial lesson. You’ll meet our dedicated and talented faculty, and see for yourself what online music lessons are like. New, returning, and current students can redeem this offer.
Welcome to the CMC community!
How it Works
1. Fill out the form at the link below to book a lesson.
2. A registrar will follow up with you to finish the scheduling process and connect you with your teacher.*
Online Indian Rhythm & Drumming Workshop with Rohan Krishnamurthy
Community Music Center and Rohan Krishnamurthy invite you to a series of online Indian Rhythm and Hand Drumming Workshops!
Directed by acclaimed percussionist, educator, and entrepreneur, Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy, the online workshops will be open to participants of all ages and backgrounds—no musical experience needed. Participants will learn the foundations of rhythm, ways to improve rhythmic time and feel, essential hand drumming techniques, vocal percussion, and approaches to improvisation. Sessions will feature interactive performances and Q&A with guest artists.
This is a workshop series meeting over six Sundays on January 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 10am–11am. from 10am–11am. Students can enroll in individual drop-in sessions ($35/session) or for the whole 6-week session ($150 – save $10/session). Series enrollment will be available through February 1.
Individual drop-in sessions can be purchased here by clicking “Select a Date” to choose your session.
Enroll in the full 6-week series here. Series registration will be available until October 12.
This workshop will be hosted online via Zoom. A link will be emailed to workshop participants before the classes. For questions, email rohan@rohanrhythm.com.
CMC Sessions
Take a deep dive into jazz, Chinese-American, Latin, old-time, gypsy jazz, and genre-crossing styles with CMC faculty from the Cultural Traditions Department. The sessions offer engaging discussions, inspiring demonstrations, and musical tips in a creative format. Participants are invited to interact with the faculty through a Q & A. CMC Sessions are free and open to all levels of music students.
Meet these talented and inspiring faculty at the CMC Sessions:
February 9, 2021, 6:00pm (PST)
Free
Join Maestro and Nola Curtis for an eye-opening session dedicated to the impact of Black culture and music on ensemble singing. From field songs to barbershop quartets, the Curtises will discuss and demonstrate how Black culture has influenced American music, paying special attention to ensemble singing styles. Their session will provide historic and cultural context as it dives into choral singing, background singing, classical music, and American quartet singing. They’ll cover a wealth of styles, including blues, jazz, country, gospel, reggae, funk, and barbershop quartet.
This event will be conducted online via video conferencing. RSVP to receive the link to join, emailed prior to the start of the discussion.
People who are interested in this workshop can dive deeper by exploring Vocal Harmony Workshop, the Older Adult Choirs, and private lessons.
Online Indian Rhythm & Drumming Workshop with Rohan Krishnamurthy
Community Music Center and Rohan Krishnamurthy invite you to a series of online Indian Rhythm and Hand Drumming Workshops!
Directed by acclaimed percussionist, educator, and entrepreneur, Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy, the online workshops will be open to participants of all ages and backgrounds—no musical experience needed. Participants will learn the foundations of rhythm, ways to improve rhythmic time and feel, essential hand drumming techniques, vocal percussion, and approaches to improvisation. Sessions will feature interactive performances and Q&A with guest artists.
This is a workshop series meeting over six Sundays on January 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 10am–11am. from 10am–11am. Students can enroll in individual drop-in sessions ($35/session) or for the whole 6-week session ($150 – save $10/session). Series enrollment will be available through February 1.
Individual drop-in sessions can be purchased here by clicking “Select a Date” to choose your session.
Enroll in the full 6-week series here. Series registration will be available until October 12.
This workshop will be hosted online via Zoom. A link will be emailed to workshop participants before the classes. For questions, email rohan@rohanrhythm.com.
Online Indian Rhythm & Drumming Workshop with Rohan Krishnamurthy
Community Music Center and Rohan Krishnamurthy invite you to a series of online Indian Rhythm and Hand Drumming Workshops!
Directed by acclaimed percussionist, educator, and entrepreneur, Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy, the online workshops will be open to participants of all ages and backgrounds—no musical experience needed. Participants will learn the foundations of rhythm, ways to improve rhythmic time and feel, essential hand drumming techniques, vocal percussion, and approaches to improvisation. Sessions will feature interactive performances and Q&A with guest artists.
This is a workshop series meeting over six Sundays on January 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 10am–11am. from 10am–11am. Students can enroll in individual drop-in sessions ($35/session) or for the whole 6-week session ($150 – save $10/session). Series enrollment will be available through February 1.
Individual drop-in sessions can be purchased here by clicking “Select a Date” to choose your session.
Enroll in the full 6-week series here. Series registration will be available until October 12.
This workshop will be hosted online via Zoom. A link will be emailed to workshop participants before the classes. For questions, email rohan@rohanrhythm.com.
CMC Sessions
Take a deep dive into jazz, Chinese-American, Latin, old-time, gypsy jazz, and genre-crossing styles with CMC faculty from the Cultural Traditions Department. The sessions offer engaging discussions, inspiring demonstrations, and musical tips in a creative format. Participants are invited to interact with the faculty through a Q & A. CMC Sessions are free and open to all levels of music students.
Meet these talented and inspiring faculty at the CMC Sessions:
February 23, 2021, 6:00pm (PST)
Free
Join composer-pianist Jon Jang’s reflection about his unique life and music. Jon will open the presentation by honoring Paul Robeson, who was an early influence and the first artist to explore heterogeneity in music. Jon, who earned a B.Mus. degree in Piano Performance at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music during the mid 1970s, will reflect on his maverick outlier years as an undergraduate student who did not confine his music studies to 18th & 19th Western European classical music.
In the second part of the presentation, Jon will discuss his modern harmonization of Chinese folk songs in his works for “jazz” ensembles. Jon will conclude his presentation by talking about his “classical music” works informed by Chinese traditional music such as Island: The Immigrant Suite No. 2 for the Kronos Quartet and Cantonese Opera singer and the Chinese American Symphony commissioned and performed by the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra and the Oakland East Bay Symphony.
This event will be conducted online via video conferencing. RSVP to receive the link to join, emailed prior to the start of the discussion.
People who are interested in this workshop can dive deeper by exploring private lessons and the jazz program.
Online Indian Rhythm & Drumming Workshop with Rohan Krishnamurthy
Community Music Center and Rohan Krishnamurthy invite you to a series of online Indian Rhythm and Hand Drumming Workshops!
Directed by acclaimed percussionist, educator, and entrepreneur, Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy, the online workshops will be open to participants of all ages and backgrounds—no musical experience needed. Participants will learn the foundations of rhythm, ways to improve rhythmic time and feel, essential hand drumming techniques, vocal percussion, and approaches to improvisation. Sessions will feature interactive performances and Q&A with guest artists.
This is a workshop series meeting over six Sundays on January 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 10am–11am. from 10am–11am. Students can enroll in individual drop-in sessions ($35/session) or for the whole 6-week session ($150 – save $10/session). Series enrollment will be available through February 1.
Individual drop-in sessions can be purchased here by clicking “Select a Date” to choose your session.
Enroll in the full 6-week series here. Series registration will be available until October 12.
This workshop will be hosted online via Zoom. A link will be emailed to workshop participants before the classes. For questions, email rohan@rohanrhythm.com.
