August 2026
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In this issue, we bring you exciting news about student milestones, new staff joining our team, and a volunteer highlight.
A NOTE FROM JANE
We are still glowing from our most recent concert during which we performed the challenging and beautiful Danzón #2 by Mexican composer Arturo Márquez. The performance was the culmination of such hard work by our students and tremendous dedication of our teaching artists. This magnificent work called for instrumentation that exceeded our current capacity and we were fortunate to include many guest artists - including percussionist Allen Biggs, violist Ben Simon, our board chair emeritus Tiana Wimmer on violin, and so many more. I was honored to play second oboe to ELM graduating senior, Daisy M., who, after playing the opening oboe solo, finished the piece on violin with the cohort she began ELM with ten years ago. Her mastery of two challenging instruments is almost incomprehensible to me.
ELM students played to a packed audience that included Mexican Consul General Marcos Mena who was beaming as he spoke to the crowd and congratulated our students on the exuberant performance.
While we are bombarded by so much that is worrisome in the world, we are lucky to have so much good news at ELM. At the aforementioned concert, we graduated our largest class - 12 high school seniors - all of whom had participated in ELM since second grade, and all of whom are college bound. A generous anonymous donor doubled the college scholarship that we were able to offer all who applied.
We are also honored to have been named the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce's 2026 Small Business of the Year. To be recognized as a vital part of this community means everything to us, and this honor belongs as much to you, our supporters who make it possible, as it does to us.
This week we began renovations that will transform our home at 2960 Kerner into a true music center with improved acoustics and a space large enough to bring our full orchestra together under one roof. This definition of renovation seems especially apt:
"To restore to a state of renewed energy, vitality or purpose, often surpassing its original condition, by infusing creativity and innovation."
Warmly,
Jane Kramer, PhD, Founder and Executive Director
P.S. Please contact me for a tour and to learn how you can support ELM.
STUDENT NEWS
elmCATS Chamber Concert & Recital
On May 3rd, the historic Throckmorton Theatre provided the perfect backdrop for one of our most intimate events of the year: the elmCATS Recital. elmCATS (Community of Artists, Teachers and Scholars) is a pathway for ELM's most dedicated students to deepen their musical studies through private lessons, coached chamber music, and individualized performance opportunities beyond our regular ensemble programming. The performances were personal, polished, full of heart, and a powerful reminder of how far these students have come and how much further they will go. Here’s a small taste of the beauty of the afternoon.
ELM's Spring Concerts
Our Spring Concerts were nothing short of magical, from our youngest students plucking their strings, to elmYO delivering a magnificent performance of Danzón No. 2. There were tears in the room and more than a few moments that took our breath away. We are so incredibly proud of each student who took that stage. This year's concerts were also a true community affair. Our ELM teaching artists, visiting artists, and community members joined the students on stage, and in a very special moment, even our own Jane Kramer picked up her oboe and played alongside the orchestra and board chair emeritus Tiana Wimmer played violin. It was a beautiful reminder that at ELM, music belongs to everyone. Please visit our YouTube page for the full video of Danzon No. 2.
Graduation Highlights
This spring, ELM proudly celebrated our largest graduating class ever — 12 extraordinary young musicians who have spent years pouring their hearts into their instruments, their studies, and this community. Each one of them is heading to college this fall, a milestone that reflects not just their individual perseverance but the power of what happens when young people are truly believed in. Together, they will pursue fields as varied as music, marine biology, pre-law, accounting, political science, civil engineering, early childhood education, and business at universities across California and beyond. We could not be more proud of the scholars and leaders they have become, and the ELM family will be cheering them on every step of the way.
FACULTY NEWS
New Faces
After a long search, ELM is thrilled to introduce Miranda Ling Shepherd, our new Development Director, to ELM. Miranda has deep experience in philanthropy at the intersection of arts, education, and social impact. Please join us in welcoming her. For more information about Miranda, check out our staff page and feel free to contact her at: miranda@elmprogram.org
A warm welcome also to Becca Lee, our new Academic Program Coordinator. Becca will work closely with Claudia Lang, our high school/college counselor and coordinate our reading buddy program. If you are interested in becoming a reading buddy, please contact Becca at becca@elmprogram.org.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Volunteer Spotlight - Brian McLeran
For this newsletter, our volunteer spotlight is in memory of Jan Goldberg. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jan, a longtime ELM supporter and reading buddy, who passed away on June 20, 2026. Jan brought the same warmth and generosity to ELM that defined her whole life, from raising a family in Tiburon, to building Delicious! Catering into a beloved community institution over 47 years, and lending her time and heart to organizations across Marin, including ELM.
As a reading buddy, Jan showed up week after week for our students, offering encouragement and connection that reached far beyond the page. Her commitment to ELM's mission, and to the children she read with, will stay with us. During COVID, Jan and the Delicious! team also prepared 40 hot meals per week for ELM families. She was a remarkable supporter of our community.
In her final wishes, Jan asked that gifts made in her memory support ELM and the American Bach Soloists, two organizations she loved. We are deeply grateful for her years of support, and hold her family in our hearts. If you would like to make a donation in Jan’s memory, please click here. A note will be sent to her family letting them know.
FAMILY FUN - FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AT ITS BEST!
Music & Memory: The Lullaby Project
We celebrated the mothers of our ELM community with a Mother's Day party that was as warm and vibrant as the women it honored.
Students made handmade cards and crafts for their loved ones, and families got a glimpse into our Music & Memory: The Lullaby Project, as our staff shared original melodies our students and parents have been composing. This was a moving preview of the meaningful work underway. In addition, our moms were serenaded with a lovely performance by our flute ensemble from the patio overlooking the lawn.
It was a beautiful afternoon full of music, pride, and the kind of joy that only happens when a community truly shows up for one another.
GRANT NEWS
ELM is thrilled to announce that we have received funding from Marin Cultural Association, the Comis Foundation, Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation, and Bill Graham Memorial Foundation this quarter. These grants will allow us to continue to provide musical excellence, academic enrichment, and community for our ELM students.
If you know of funding opportunities that may be a good match for ELM, please let us know by emailing development@elmprogram.org.
COMMUNITY RECOGNITION
ELM Named Small Business of the Year!
We have some exciting news to share - ELM has been named the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year, and we couldn’t be more proud!
This recognition means so much coming from the broader San Rafael community. You - our donors, volunteers, and families - are the reason we show up every day, and it's deeply meaningful to see that dedication reflected back to us in this way. When the community sees what ELM is for our students and their families, it fills our hearts.
We are proud to stand alongside the remarkable businesses and organizations that make San Rafael such a vibrant, generous place, and we are grateful beyond words for your continued belief in our students and our mission.
Here's to the young musicians who inspire us every single day. This one's for them.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
We are delighted to announce these upcoming events and would love for you to join us.
International Day of Peace Festival
Sunday, September 20, 2026
San Geronimo Valley Community Center
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Great Lawn, Yerba Buena Gardens
Mission St. between 3rd & 4th Streets, San Francisco, CA
ELM Winter Concerts - Save the Date! Tickets available soon.
Sunday, December 13, 2026 Time TBD
Marin Center Showcase Theater
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ELM provides youth with an immersive music education that empowers them to pursue their dreams and access resources they need to succeed in life.