Give In-School Music Classes to Los Angeles Youth

Thank you for your dedication to providing equity and access to high-quality music education in under-resourced schools across Los Angeles County. Your commitment has given Abby, a fifth grade choir student, the space to fully express and share themselves with the world. Abby believes:

“Music is such a big part of the world, and it helps me connect with friends and have once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I’ve learned techniques on how to sing and project [my voice] that have helped me gain confidence.”

Music and arts education benefit students in so many ways. 92% of surveyed ETM-LA partner school students feel music class helped them learn to focus. Furthermore, California Education Code requires schools to offer sequential arts education to all students. Yet, only 11% of California schools meet these state requirements (Arts for LA, 2024). Abby expresses why every child needs music education:

“A lot of my friends at my old school loved singing but never had music in school and we should change that. When [students] learn new music they didn’t know existed, they can discover new things about themselves. Singing helps them imagine a bigger life for themselves.”

As ETM-LA embarks on our 20th year of programming, we want to thank you for your generosity and heart. Because of you, ETM-LA has:

• Provided high-quality, sequential music education to over 150,000 total students
• Guided 15 schools to graduate from our model, sustaining their music programs independently
• Placed 130 Music Teachers who have since been hired by a school district

Thank you for your belief in our mission to ensure that all children have hope for a brighter future through music.

Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA) has been a whirlwind of activity these past few months, hosting our two-week Summer Music Program for students, intensive week-long Summer Academy for educators, and launching our 20th year of programming!

This summer, students eagerly worked with ETM-LA Music Teachers who fostered the excitement of expanding their musical knowledge and skills. Music pathways included string ensemble, band ensemble, singing, and general music with a diverse mix of musical genres including blues, classical, film, pop, and rock. On the final day of the program, families joined in on the fun at the culminating performance. A parent expressed, “My child loved the summer program and got to explore music theory, learn fun, challenging songs, and make new friends! He’s excited to come back next summer!”

Last month, over 60 ETM-LA music teachers, interns, and local educators came together to begin preparations for the new school year. Summer Academy featured workshops designed to equip educators with vital skills, allowing them to thoughtfully develop strategies to enrich their music classrooms. Participants explored over 45 sessions including Special Needs Strategies, Jazz in the General Music Room, Teaching Music Tech for Beginners, and many more. Music teachers of all levels experienced sessions tailored to their needs and interests, ensuring everyone the opportunity to grow and advance their skills for the new year. A new music teacher shared, “It can be really scary going into your first year of teaching in a school when you’re the only music teacher. So this was really nice, because before I even start I get to have this week of meeting all these people who are my resources, so I don’t have to jump into it alone.”

This 2025-26 school year, ETM-LA welcomed a total of 16 new music teachers and music teacher interns, further expanding our reach to students and communities across LA County.

As ETM-LA enters our milestone 20th year of programming, we stand firm in our belief that access to quality music education for all children should be non-negotiable. Yet, program fragmentation and threats to music education still exist. ETM-LA presents a multi-faceted solution to support cohesive, yearlong comprehensive music education as a core subject for every student in under-resourced schools. We began in just two schools reaching 800 children. Now, 20 years later, ETM-LA reaches over 18,000 students across 42 schools and five school districts. To date, we’ve impacted over 150,000 children with music education. Our work is built on four key pillars:

1) Deliver yearlong, sequential, culturally responsive music instruction.
2) Recruit, train, support, and place music teachers & teaching interns.
3) Provide ongoing professional development for music & classroom teachers.
4) Support schools and districts in building sustainable music programs.

For the next 20 years and for as long as it takes, ETM-LA remains resolute in our mission. We will continue to come alongside our communities in ensuring sequential and comprehensive music education as a right for all students, regardless of background. Schools must continue to be safe places where care, self-confidence, connection, creativity, cultural inclusivity, and community abound freely. ETM-LA stands hopeful that our impact and the transformative benefits of learning music will be amplified for generations to come.