Music Academy
TUITION: $145/quarter (7 classes in each quarter)
Pay for all 3 quarters & Save $40!
CLASS LOCATION:
After school classes are at Hopkinson, Lee, LAE, Rossmoor, McGaugh and Weaver Elementary Schools. All Saturday classes are at The Youth Center.
All classes require your child to bring an instrument to class. Rental instruments can be obtained by contacting Applied Music Studio (50% 0FF for OUR STUDENTS) at (562) 596-1287, appliedmusicstore@gmail.com or any other music store or studio.
Click here to reserve.
Classes That We Offer
Little Musicians|Grades: K
Little Musicians Flute Master Class|Grades: K
Beginning Strings|Grades: 1-5
Intermediate Strings – Master Class|Grades: 3-5
Beginning Flute & Clarinet Master Class|Grades K-5
Beginning Band (Sax, Clarinet, Trombone, Trumpet)|Grades: 1-5
Beginning Band | Instrumental Winds Master Class|Grades 3-5
Adagio (Beginning Strings)|Grades: 1-5
Allegro (Orchestra/Advance Strings)|Grades: 3-5
Beginning Band (Sax, Clarinet and Flute)|Grades: 4-5
Guitar Ensemble and Drums|Grades: 1-5
Rock Band Ensemble|Grades: 2-5
Classes and Times Available After School Monday thru Friday
Monday – Weaver (after school)
Tuesday – Lee & Rossmoor (after school)
Wednesday – McGaugh (after school)
Thursday – Hopkinson (after school)
C21: Little Musicians (Introduction to Flute (NUVO Flute) & Music) | Grade K with Ms. Cheryl Loofbourrow
Students will learn how to play flute through rhythm and fun activities.
C22: Beginning Violin, Viola, Cello | Grades 1-5 with Mrs. Angela Craton
Class for students have never played a string instrument. Students will learn correct instrument position, bowing technique, and note reading. The students will be able to play familiar songs by the completion of this class.
C23: Beginning Flute and Clarinet | Grades K-5 with Ms. Cheryl Loofbourrow
Rent a clarinet (Yamaha, Vito, etc.) or flute (Yamaha, Artley or Gemeinhardt)
U mouthpiece for grades 1 & 2.
For K-1 grade, buy a NUVO flute.
Grades 1-5: Classes are both knowledgeable and fun! If your student practices 15-20 minutes a day, they can expect to learn a scale, and 4 songs. Please bring a folder to every class to collect music.
Grade K- Students will learn 2 or 3 songs.
C15: Little Musicians | Grade K with Mrs. Angela Craton
Students will learn how to play violin through rhythm, stories and fun activities.
C16: Beginning Violin, Viola, Cello | Grades 1-5 with Mrs. Angela Craton
Class for students have never played a string instrument. Students will learn correct instrument position, bowing technique, and note reading. The students will be able to play familiar songs by the completion of this class.
C12: Little Musicians | Grade K (Introduction to Violin & Music) with Mrs. Maureen Carter
Students will learn how to play violin through rhythm, stories and fun activities.
C13: Beginning Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello) | Grades 1-5 with Mrs. Maureen Carter
Class for students have never played a string instrument. Students will learn correct instrument position, bowing technique, and note reading. The students will be able to play familiar songs by the completion of this class.
C14: Beginning Band (Saxophone, Clarinet, Trumpet, Flute) | Grades 4-5 with Mr. Kody
This course is for beginning students. Students will learn correct playing posture, basic note reading and simple rhythms. Students will play short familiar songs. Students will pick to learn one of the following instruments: saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, or flute
C18: Beginning Violin, Viola, Cello | Grades K-5 with Mrs. Maureen Carter
Class for students have never played a string instrument. Students will learn correct instrument position, bowing technique, and note reading. The students will be able to play familiar songs by the completion of this class.
C20: Beginning Flute & Clarinet Master Class | Grades 1-5 with Ms. Cheryl Loofbourrow
Rent a clarinet (Yamaha, Vito, etc.) or flute (Yamaha, Artley or Gemeinhardt)
U mouthpiece for grades 1 & 2.
For K-1 grade, buy a NUVO flute.
Grades 1-5: Classes are both knowledgeable and fun! If your student practices 15-20 minutes a day, they can expect to learn a scale, and 4 songs. Please bring a folder to every class to collect music.
Grade K- Students will learn 2 or 3 songs.
C6: Little Musicians (Introduction to Violin & Music) | Grades TK/K with Mrs. Angela
Students will learn how to play violin through rhythm, stories and fun activities.
C7: Beginning Violin, Viola, Cello | Grades 1-5 with Mrs. Maureen Carter
Class for students have never played a string instrument. Students will learn correct instrument position, bowing technique, and note reading. The students will be able to play familiar songs by the completion of this class.
C8: Intermediate Strings | Grades 3-5 with Mrs. Angela Craton – MASTER CLASS
This class will expand the student’s musical knowledge of notes, rhythm, vocabulary, scales and repertoire. Students will play in harmony in a group setting. This class will progress at a faster pace than the Adagio class.
C9: Beginning Band | Instrumental Winds | Grades 4-5 (Flute, Saxophone, Trombone, Trumpet, Clarinet) with Mr. Kody Kuehnast
This course is for beginning students. Students will learn correct playing posture, basic note reading and simple rhythms. Students will play short familiar songs. Students will pick to learn one of the following instruments: saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, or flute
Classes and times available Saturdays
Saturday – The Youth Center (open for students from all schools)
C1: Adagio (Beg. Strings) | Grades 1-5 | 9:00 am Mrs. Angela Craton
Class for students have never played a string instrument. Students will learn correct instrument position, bowing technique, and note reading. The students will be able to play familiar songs by the completion of this class.
C2: Allegro (Orchestra/Int/Adv Strings) | Grades 3-5 | 10:00 a.m. Mrs. Angela Craton
Class for students who have completed two semesters of Adagio or have prior permission from the teacher. This class will expand the student’s musical knowledge of notes, rhythm, vocabulary, scales and repertoire. Students will play in harmony in a group setting. This class will progress at a faster pace than the Adagio class.
C3: Beginning Band | Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute Master Class | Grades 1-5 | 8:00 a.m. | Instructor Mr. Rod Browarny
Class for first time band students who will learn about the instrument and how to play songs. Students will learn correct playing posture, basic note reading and simple rhythms. Students will play short familiar songs. This class will expand the student’s musical knowledge of notes, rhythm, vocabulary, scales and repertoire. Students will pick one band instruments to learn during the year.
C4: Guitar Ensemble and Drums | Grades 1-5 | 11:00 a.m. Mr. Jon Lundgren
Class for first time guitar students who will learn about the instrument and how to play songs. Students will learn correct playing posture, basic note reading and simple rhythms. Students will play short familiar songs. This class will expand the student’s musical knowledge of notes, rhythm, vocabulary, scales and repertoire.
C5: Rock Band Ensemble (Band) | Grades 2-5 | 12p.m. with Mr. Jon Lundgren
Class for students who want to learn how to play together in a live band situation (guitar, drums, bass, vocals etc). This class is geared toward preparing students for middle school. Students will play in harmony in a Rock Band setting. Basic knowledge in chords and rhythm is required for this class.
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.
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.
Cheryl Loofbourrow
Flutist and Music Coach Cheryl Loofbourrow has performed and taught music lessons since her teens. She has freelanced with various orchestras including LA Pops, LA Jewish Orchestra, South Coast symphony, Orange County Chamber Orchestra, Cypress Pops, LB Mozart festival, LB Bach Festival, Veracruz Symphony in Mexico, and with the West Coast Pops Orchestra on the Cypress Summer Concerts. She also has performed with the orchestra at the Dolby Theater , and Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles. At 16, she won an audition to Solo the Milwaukee Symphony, and as a Music Performance major at USC won the wind competition with the USC Symphony. She also enjoyed recording flute solos with World Vision TV and the 61org of Easter.
Her favorite professional Trio events include the Queen Mary Brunch for 2 years, a reception for Bob Hope on a ship in the Long Beach Port, Michael Eisner’s Birthday Party, and the opening of the Nixon Library with four presidents. The Trio continues to play weddings, concerts, and dinner parties. Cheryl has coached McAuliffe Middle School students for 2 years, and the El Monte High School Flutists for 9 years, besides her private music studio. Cheryl plays flute, piccolo, piano, clarinet, uke, and write original songs.
Rodney Browarny
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Rodney Browarny started out as a professional musician at 20 years old and has made it his career for over 40 years. He specializes in woodwind clarinet, saxophone, and flute. As a musician, Mr. Rod has worked with many great performers such as Louie Bellison, Stix Hooper, Keith Grecko, and Sunny Stitt, to name a few. He has also performed in his own band, as well as many other bands, at various hotels and restaurant venues like the Hilton Hotel, Hyatt Hotel, and Hollywood Palladium, and in jazz clubs like the Blue Parrot.
Rod began teaching professionally in his late-20s at various music studios before working for the Irvine Yamaha Music Center in 2000. He has been with the South Bay Yamaha schools since then. Mr. Rod has experience working both one-on-one with students and in classroom settings. His unique quality is his old-school style as a professional teacher, strongly pushing for the student’s No.1 sound. Many of his students have made it to the Advanced Band at the local Irvine schools, and several have stayed with him for up to 7 years. He teaches all styles of music, from classical to jazz. Reliable and dedicated, Mr. Rod takes pride in passing on his enthusiasm to his students, a quality that he hopes will last for their lifetimes. Mr. Browarny joined The Youth Center in 2022.
Kody Kuehnast
Kody Kuehnast is a wind player coming from the Long Beach area. Having learned clarinet with the Los Alamitos Youth Center’s program, he continued on with music and played in the Middle and High School Bands in the Los Alamitos Unified School District. Currently, Kody is pursuing a degree in Music Education from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach. Kody loves working with students of all ages, and his supportive and encouraging teaching style is effective at keeping students engaged and excited about music.
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.