San Francisco Community Music Center

San Francisco Community Music Center
Location
San Francisco, California

United States
Information
TypeMusic
Established1921; 104 years ago (1921)
FounderGertrude Field
Executive DirectorJulie Rulyak Steinberg
GenderAll
Age rangeAll
Websitesfcmc.org

The San Francisco Community Music Center is a nonprofit music school located in San Francisco, California, US.[1] The CMC is the oldest community arts organization in the San Francisco Bay Area.[2] The school's stated mission is to make "high quality music accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, regardless of financial means."[3]

History

Two buildings, blue with white trim, on a sunny day. They are separated by a courtyard. The right building bears a sign with the name and logo of the Community Music Center.
The CMC on the day of the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new expansion building, February 2024.

The Community Music Center was founded in 1921 by Gertrude Field, evolving from her Dolores Street Girls Club.[4][5] The main branch has remained in the same building in San Francisco's Mission District since the founding of the school.[4]

In 1983, the CMC opened a second branch in San Francisco's Richmond District.[4]

In 2012, the CMC purchased the property next door to the school's main building in the Mission District, in order to provide ADA-compliant accessibility and double the number of students. In November 2019, the San Francisco Planning Commission approved the plans for this expansion.[4][6]

In December 2019, the CMC was added to the city's Legacy Business Registry, in recognition of the school's decades of service to the community.[4][7]

In February 2022, its centennial year, the CMC held a groundbreaking for their Mission District expansion.[8][9] The newly completed expansion was opened to the public in January 2024,[10][11] and a grand opening ceremony was held the following month.[12][13]

Programs, staff, and faculty

The New Voices Bay Area TIGQ chorus performs at the National AIDS Memorial on World AIDS Day 2019.

Julie Rulyak Steinberg serves as the Community Music Center's executive director.[4][14] Sylvia Sherman is the program director.[15]

The CMC serves over 3100 students annually.[4] Private lessons and group classes in voice, instruments, composition, and music theory are offered, with tuition assistance available on a sliding scale.[1][5]

The CMC hosts several tuition-free programs, including choirs for adults aged 55 and older,[16][17] the Mission District Young Musicians Program for students aged 13 to 18,[18] a Black Music Studies program, led by Maestro Curtis and Nola Curtis,[19] and the New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus, a mixed voice choral ensemble for transgender, intersex, and genderqueer singers, led by Reuben Zellman.[4][15][20] Former ambassador and philanthropist James Hormel was one of the first donors to help fund the New Voices chorus.[15]

Notable guests and alumni

A group of teens play and hold various jazz band instruments while Marcus Shelby plays upright bass. They are standing outdoors next to a blue building with white trim.
Marcus Shelby performs with the CMC Teen Jazz Orchestra in the school courtyard.

Notable guest performers and instructors at the school have included Emanuel Ax, Jascha Heifetz, Max Roach, and Marcus Shelby.[5][21]

Notable alumni include singers Johnny Mathis[21] and Lucine Amara.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b Lagos, Marisa (November 29, 2014). "Community Music Center a constant amid Mission District change". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  2. ^ "S.F.'s Community Music Center celebrates 90 years". San Francisco Chronicle. October 13, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  3. ^ "Mission, Vision, & Values". San Francisco Community Music Center. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Collister, Nikki (December 17, 2019). "Community Music Center to expand Mission District campus". Hoodline. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c B., Marke (August 24, 2015). "Pick up your horn and blow!". 48 hills. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  6. ^ Gereben, Janos (May 20, 2014). "Community Music Center to Have New Home". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  7. ^ "Community Music Center and The EndUp Gain Legacy Status". SF Station. December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  8. ^ Veltman, Chloe (February 15, 2022). "100-Year-Old SF Community Music Center Breaks Ground on New Building". KQED. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  9. ^ Kotapish, Paul (March 15, 2022). "The Community Music Center Sails Into Its Second Century". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  10. ^ "Growing in Harmony: A Look at the Renewed CMC Campus". San Francisco Community Music Center. January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  11. ^ Gilbert, Andrew (February 15, 2024). "Walking through the expanded Community Music Center". Mission Local. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  12. ^ Kaliss, Jeff (February 21, 2024). "Community Music Center Celebrates Grand Opening of New Building". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  13. ^ Ayyoub, Loureen (March 8, 2024). "Community music center in S.F. Mission District expands". CBS Bay Area. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  14. ^ Blot, Jennifer (April 8, 2022). "Mind the Music". Nob Hill Gazette. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Madison, Alex (August 1, 2018). "Music center launches genderqueer chorus". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  16. ^ Chien, Jen (October 17, 2016). "Older adult choirs bring joy and community to San Francisco seniors". KALW. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  17. ^ Lee, Lauren (April 12, 2019). "Study sings the praises of choir membership for lonely older adults". CNN. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  18. ^ Cortez, Jennifer (June 10, 2019). "Community Music Center receives $16K grant to fund music program". Mission Local. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  19. ^ Fancher, Lou (April 18, 2022). "Celebrating Black Music History at SF Community Music Center". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  20. ^ Freymann, Jeffrey (November 19, 2018). "New Voices Bay Area Makes its Debut". KDFC. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  21. ^ a b Zane, Maitland (January 18, 1997). "Making Music Accessible / Center celebrates 75 years of educating San Franciscans". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "Lucine Amara: Opera Diva Reaches High Note of 90". New Jersey Stage. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
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