Music Academy
2024/2025 School Year
TUITION: $275/semester (12 classes in each semester. Every class is 1 hour)
or
Save $125 by registering for the entire school year for $425
CLASS SCHEDULE –> here
CLASS LOCATION:
After school classes are at Hopkinson, Lee, LAE, Rossmoor, McGaugh and Weaver Elementary Schools. Classes at all campuses start right after school.
All Saturday morning classes and weekday evening classes are at The Youth Center 10761 Los Alamitos Blvd.
All classes require your child to bring an instrument to class. Rental instruments can be obtained by contacting Applied Music Studio (UP TO 50% 0FF for OUR STUDENTS) at (562) 596-1287, appliedmusicstore@gmail.com or any other music store or studio. Click here to reserve.
Meet Our Music Instructors
Angela Craton
Angela received her Bachelors and Masters in Music Education from Drake University where she won the Young Artist Award. Angela brings to the program a blend of 35 years teaching experience and professional playing. Angela plays professionally in the Encore String Trio and has performed as a guest soloist with symphony orchestras. She has played professionally in the Des Moines Symphony and has traveled Europe performing. Angela brings to the students her vast teaching experience with enthusiasm and excellence.
Janet Cisneros
With over 20 years of experience as a clarinetist, Janet Cisneros brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to her role as a music instructor. Her journey in music began with the clarinet, a passion she has nurtured and refined over the decades. Janet spent two inspiring years teaching at Azuza Conservatory of Music, where her dedication to her craft and her students truly shone.
Janet’s love for teaching music to elementary school students stems from her belief in the universal language of music. She is passionate about helping children express their feelings through music, fostering both their creativity and emotional development. Her approach to teaching is centered on creating a positive and engaging environment where students can thrive. Janet is known for her kindness, infectious enthusiasm, and sense of humor, making her music classes both enjoyable and memorable for her young students.
Beyond the classroom, Janet is an avid cyclist who loves riding bikes along the beach. Her active lifestyle complements her vibrant personality, and she believes that staying physically active enriches her ability to inspire and connect with her students.
Janet is more than just a music teacher; she is a dedicated mentor who helps her students find their unique voices and embrace the joy of music.
Johnny Flaim
Johnny is a college student who has been immersed in music for as long as he can remember. A natural talent with a deep love for melodies and rhythms, he’s honed his skills over years of dedication and practice. For the past two years, Johnny has brought his passion to the Youth Center, where he’s been inspiring and educating young minds through music.
Johnny’s two greatest passions are music and education, and he’s overjoyed to combine both in his teaching. Whether he’s helping a beginner find their first notes or guiding more advanced students to unlock their potential, Johnny strives to make every lesson fun, engaging, and meaningful. He’s thrilled to share his love for music with your children and looks forward to being a part of their musical journey!
Jon Lundgren
Jon received his bachelors in Music Education from Cal State Fullerton. Jon played professionally at Carden hall for 7 years, and taught elementary and middle school students in the Fountain Valley Unified School District for 18 years. He has performed with many esteemed artists such as Peter Frampton, The Champs, Sammy Davis Jr, and John Denver. Jon has a love for music and is excited to share it with the kids at The Youth Center.
Caesar Martinez
Caesar is a Woodwind Artist/Educator/Composer based in Seal Beach, CA. Caesar
began his Southern California musical career in 2006 upon being accepted to the
Bob Cole Conservatory of Music for Woodwind Performance. Since then he has
been actively playing/teaching across Southern California and has also had the
pleasure of touring internationally with the Ron King Big Band and the Billy Vaughn
Orchestra. He enjoys playing locally with many jazz bands including the Elliot
Deutsch Big Band, Igor Kogan Big Band, Paul McDonald Big Band, the Dave
Richards Big Band and many others. Currently he can be seen playing with his
own jazz quartet; The Caesar Martinez Quartet, and at Disneyland with the groups
“Mostly Kosher” and the “Swing Cats Big Band”. He also maintains a vibrant
teaching studio and conducts annual recitals for students. His students have been
accepted to Eastman School of Music, OSCA (Orange County High School of the
Arts), have received outstanding soloist awards at Reno Jazz Festival, and have
been accepted to various honor groups across Southern California.
Ruben Rodriguez
Ruben Rodriguez is a versatile multi-instrumentalist and dedicated music educator who recently graduated from UCLA with a minor in music. Passionate about songwriting, guitar, and drums, Ruben brings a wealth of experience in performance, particularly on guitar and drums, but is also adept at playing bass, violin, keyboard, and ukulele. His teaching experience spans the South Whittier School District’s Mariachi Academy, where he taught guitar, violin, and vocals, as well as offering one-on-one private guitar lessons. Ruben’s commitment to nurturing musical talent and his deep understanding of various instruments make him a valuable resource for aspiring musicians. He is also exploring opportunities to integrate his love for music with community engagement and educational outreach.
Instruments in Videos
MUSIC PROGRAM FAQs
My child is not sure which instrument they would like to study this year. Will they be studying one instrument the entire year and how do we choose?
Students study one instrument the entire year.
Do I need to rent an instrument and if so, how is that arranged and what is the cost?
All classes require your child to bring an instrument to class. Rental instruments can be obtained by contacting Applied Music Studio at (562) 596-1287, appliedmusicstore@gmail.com or any other music store or studio. You can also purchase your instrument.
Do you offer make-up lessons?
We do not provide makeups or refunds for missed classes. Please speak with your child’s music teacher in advance to make arrangements.
Why should children learn music?
Students who have early musical training will develop the areas of the brain related to language and reasoning. The left side of the brain is better developed with music, and songs can help imprint information on young minds. Even when performing with sheet music, student musicians are constantly using their memory to perform. The skill of memorization can serve students well in education and beyond. Learning music promotes craftsmanship, and students learn to want to create good work instead of mediocre work. This desire can be applied to all subjects of study. Students who practice with musical instruments can improve their hand-eye coordination. Just like playing sports, children can develop motor skills when playing music. Learning to play pieces of music on a new instrument can be a challenging, but achievable goal. Students who master even the smallest goal in music will be able to feel proud of their achievement. Students of music can be more emotionally developed, with empathy towards other cultures. They also tend to have higher self-esteem and are better at coping with anxiety. Students who have experience with music performance or appreciation score higher on the SAT. One report indicates 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on math for students in music appreciation courses.
A CHILD’S BRAIN DEVELOPS FASTER WITH EXPOSURE TO MUSIC EDUCATION
From: https://musiceducationworks.wordpress.com
A two-year study by researchers at the Brain and Creativity Institute (BCI) at the University of Southern California shows that exposure to music and music instruction accelerates the brain development of young children in the areas responsible for language development, sound, reading skill and speech perception.
The study of 6-7-year-old children began in 2012, when neuroscientists started monitoring a group of 37 children from an underprivileged neighbourhood of Los Angeles. Thirteen of them received music instruction through the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles Program where they practiced up to seven hours each week.
Eleven children were enrolled in a community-based soccer programme, and another 13 children were not involved in any training programme at all.
The researchers compared the three groups by tracking the electrical activity in the brains, conducting behavioural testing and monitored changes using brain scans.
The results showed that the auditory systems of the children in the music programme had accelerated faster than the other children not engaged in music. Dr. Assal Habibi, the lead author of the study and a senior research associate at the BCI, explained that the auditory system is stimulated by music and the system is also engaged in general sound processing. This is essential to reading skills, language development and successful communication.