We offer a free, multi-year instrumental music program specifically for East Oakland, providing up to 6 hours per student of weekly after-school and Saturday instruction in instrumental classes, performances, and peer-led, teacher-guided practice. By partnering with Title I schools, a public library, and a community center, we ensure access to music education for all students and support their growth—both musical and otherwise—through their high school graduation.
In California, instrumental music education is one of the most inequitably distributed opportunities in education. Here in Oakland, this is especially true. Oakland has some amazing, high-quality music programs in its wealthier neighborhoods. But in East Oakland, where there is just as much talent, curiosity, and thirst for knowledge as in other areas, the problem is ACCESS. We invest in the communities we serve by building long-lasting relationships, especially with after-school programs and school principals who want to see their whole community—not just their school—thrive.
Our vision is to expand our offerings so that every child in Oakland who wants to play an instrument can get access to an instrument and musical training.
Our Programming:
Town Strings Ensemble – Summer Saturday Orchestra Camp – Saturday Program – Musical Mentoring – Volunteer Opportunities – University Protege Program – Student Teaching Opportunities – Program 6 Days a Week – Fairyland Performance – Play On! Festival – Concert Performance Opportunities
We currently have programs at:
Urban Promise Academy – Achieve Elementary – Oakland Unity Middle School – Oakland Unity High School – Garfield Elementary School* – Melrose Library (In collaboration with the Oakland Symphony MUSE program)
(*Only for Garfield students)
Students come from over 20 different East Oakland Schools!
Achieve – Acorn Woodland – Allendale – Burkhalter – Cleveland – East Oakland Pride – Garfield – Glenview – Global Family – Greenleaf – Home School – International Community School – Liberated Kids (SDE) – Life Academy – Lockwood – Markham – Manzanita Community – Melrose Leadership Academy – Montclair – Oakland Unity High School – Sequoia – Urban Promise Academy – United for Success – Unity Middle
Our mission is to provide music programming in underserved East Oakland communities. Anyone who wouldn’t have this opportunity otherwise is welcome in our program, for FREE!
Generous donor and grant support allows us to keep the music going—striving, inspiring, believing, and loving these kids—all through the lens of music.