December 2025
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A NOTE FROM JANE
We have just completed our first full semester in our home at 2960 Kerner with 30 new third and fourth grade string players and 5 new teaching artists. Three of our new teaching artists began their own musical journeys in El Sistema in El Salvador, Venezuela, and Columbia. Their depth and breadth of experience in El Sistema programs has already inspired exciting new ways of thinking, repertoire ideas, and collaborations.
Thank you for your belief in our students, your encouragement, and your steady support. You make this community possible. Being together in our new home has already been incredibly special, and this fall reminded us just how much joy and connection music brings when it is nurtured with care.
Our recent winter concerts were a beautiful reflection of that joy. The students played with focus, confidence, and heart. It was moving to see how far they have come and how proud they were to share their music with their families and community. Check out the photos and a short video from the concerts below so you can relive and/or experience those moments with us.
When students return from winter break, we will welcome ELM's first full time Artistic & Education Director, Jessie O’Hara Maestras. Jessie is a violinist and former Director of Programs at Tocando Music Project in El Paso, Texas. As ELM's Artistic & Education Director, Jessie will unite our music and programmatic vision, develop new programs and collaborative partnerships regionally and nationally, and create a cohesive music pathway for ELM students from entry to graduation. And so much more.
With this issue of ELM's News & Notes, I am pleased to introduce our newest feature: a Volunteer Spotlight, to showcase some of the extraordinary ways that our wider community contributes to ELM. In this issue, we interview Joan Emery, longstanding ELM donor and one of our original reading buddies.
With your continued support, 2026 promises more smiling faces, more beautiful music, deeper community engagement, and the continued development of our own performance and gathering space. Your generosity brings real happiness to our students, and we can’t wait to see all that it will make possible in the year to come.
Stay in touch for exciting updates on our planned capital campaign to expand ELM’s campus and create a rehearsal space with practice rooms.
Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful new year. Thank you for being such an important part of the ELM family.
Warmly,
Jane
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
ELM Student Shine in Winter Concert Performances
Our recent winter concerts, performed for over 700 audience members over two concerts, were magical. It was a joy to see - and hear - how much our students have grown, from their confidence on stage to the beauty and focus in their playing. The pride on parents’ faces and the sense of awe shared by audience members filled the room with warmth and celebration. Here is a short clip from the concerts. Please visit our YouTube page for more footage and moments from these special performances.
Beginning a Ten-Year Musical Journey
This year, we are thrilled to welcome 30 new violin, viola, and cello students into the ELM community. It has been a joy to watch these young musicians take their very first steps on their 10-year journey with ELM, learning not only how to play an instrument, but how to listen, collaborate, and grow with confidence. Even more special, nearly 40% of these new students have siblings, cousins or other relatives who are or have been ELM musicians, a powerful reminder that our program is woven into the fabric of our families' lives and the Canal community.
ELM's Holiday Fair
We were overjoyed to host our first annual Holiday Fair, bringing students and families together for a festive afternoon filled with creativity and connection. Families made and decorated ornaments and gift bags, enjoyed holiday treats, and "shopped" at our clothing and toy drive. The event brought so many smiling faces and a wonderful sense of togetherness. A special thank you to our Reading Buddy, Marybeth Bond Sheppard, who spearheaded the clothing drive and gathered such beautiful items for our community!
COMMUNITY NEWS
Volunteer Spotlight
Joan Emery is the kind of volunteer who embodies dedication. A longtime ELM Reading Buddy, Joan has built deep, lasting relationships with her students over many years - sticking with them through every challenge and change. Even while spending part of each year in France, she never misses a reading session, faithfully connecting with students over Zoom and showing up with the same care, consistency, and joy. We are grateful to celebrate Joan and the remarkable commitment she brings to ELM.
How did you first get involved with ELM, and what drew you to the Reading Buddy program?
I became involved with ELM through my longtime friendship with Jane. I was drawn to ELM’s Reading Buddy program, which was launched during COVID to support students’ literacy. As a non-musician, I was excited to contribute to ELM in a meaningful way, and to share my love of reading with children.
Over your years with ELM, what is the most significant change or moment you’ve witnessed in your reading buddies - or in the program as a whole?
It’s hard to point to one moment, but I’ve seen remarkable growth in both reading skills and musical commitment among my buddies, which I like to think is shaped in part by our weekly sessions. One especially meaningful moment was when a student stayed after a Zoom reading session to proudly play Pachelbel’s Canon in D on his cello for me. More broadly, watching ELM grow into a thriving, professional program serving hundreds of students in its own beautiful building has been truly inspiring.
What do you get out of being a Reading Buddy, and what keeps you coming back year after year?
I am grateful for the warmth and consistency of the relationships I’ve built with my reading buddies - we have sweet moments that mean so much to me. I’m so moved by this program and am proud to stay involved as both a volunteer and a donor year after year.
Why do you think it’s important for community members to show up for kids in whatever ways they can, and what would you say to someone considering getting involved with ELM?
When outside adults become involved with ELM, it further demonstrates for students just how important they are. For anyone considering getting involved, volunteering with ELM brings me joy by helping children achieve a vital skill and contributing to their self esteem by being a "buddy."
UPCOMING EVENTS
Our 2026 calendar is shaping up, with performances planned throughout the year - including visits to local retirement homes - and, of course, our Spring Concerts on the horizon. We hope to see you at an ELM event soon and look forward to sharing another year of music together. Check our events page on our website for updates.
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