Give In-School Music Classes to Los Angeles Youth

Our school music programs are back in full swing with the sound of music! Despite having a summer break, ETM-LA students and teaching faculty stayed sharp and inspired through weekly practice and teacher preparation. 

Students eagerly took part in strings, band, singing, dancing, and general music during ETM-LA's Summer Music Program with a diverse mix of musical genres including contemporary, classical, film, pop, and rock. They found their flow during freestyle rap activities and even had the opportunity to lead fellow peers through learning conducting skills. On the final day of the program, friends and family joined the fun at the culminating performance. The concert represented all of the hard work each student put in over the two-week camp.

A parent expressed, “Gregory was a little hesitant at first, but he fell in love with it and didn’t want it to end! He was sad after it was over. So thank you for providing that opportunity for the kids.”

In August, music teachers and local educators kicked off the new school year at ETM-LA’s weeklong Summer Music Teacher Academy with culturally relevant and diverse strategies for teaching music in under-resourced communities. Participants not only learned best practices in pedagogy, classroom management, and student engagement, but also had the opportunity to exchange and try out new ideas with each other throughout the week.

Guest presenter Dr. Alice Hammel, 2023 National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Lowell Mason Fellow, led a full-day workshop on “Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs,” with a focus on Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Dr. Hammel shared her diverse experiences and insights, helping attendees understand how to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all students.

“Helping our students learn to solve problems themselves is such an empowering and important thing to do…This is what they need; this is what’s going to help them in life and…what’s going to help them engage with others.” – Dr. Hammel, 2024 ETM-LA Summer Academy

The Academy also featured workshops on Modern Band Approach for the General Music Classroom, Storybooks: Literacy in the Music Room, Orff it Up!, Social Emotional Learning, and additional topics – offering a wide range of tools and strategies that empower teachers to engage, research, and delve more intentionally into their music classrooms. One participant said they learned “new activities and how to scaffold activities for students [in a way] that is inclusive for all.”

ETM-LA unswervingly fosters music classroom environments that respond with genuine empathy and constant support, and encourages teacher-student collaboration that ensures the student’s needs are heard and effectively addressed. Therefore, Cultural Equity and Inclusion (CEI), Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) remain paramount in our ongoing practices and training. 

This past school year, ETM-LA provided in-person music instruction and resources to 38 schools and approximately 18,500 students across LA County. In our 19th year of programming, we are reaching a planned 41 partner schools and approximately 19,000 students. Your support helps ETM-LA to continue closing the opportunity gap for under-resourced schools that remain deprived of in-school, yearlong music programs. We look forward to nurturing the power of music with thousands of students across LA County!