SEPTEMBER 2023
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A NOTE FROM JANE
This newsletter marks the beginning not only of our new year, but a new decade.
In 2014, we took the giant step of becoming our own non-profit, with a wide-eyed and optimistic vision for our future.
Photo by Tim Porter
Little could we have known what our future would look like. We have grown in size (from a small group of 15 recorder players to 170 students and three orchestras) and in scope - from music exclusively, to a full-fledged academic, social-emotional support and family engagement program.
We have outgrown every rehearsal and performance space that we have used and now host concerts at venues, like the Marin Civic Center, for audiences of 500+ from all over the Bay Area. And we are not done growing. By a long-shot.
This summer has been full of exciting adventures for ELM students that included a sailing camp, a 3-week internship at UCSF in the health sciences, our beloved Cazadero Performing Arts Camp, and a backpack trip in Colorado.
As I write this, our 9 seniors from last year are on their way to college, 7 are returning to sophomore year (with majors like psychology and economics), and we have our first 2 college graduates, Eduardo who is pursuing a career in finance and Sarahi who is pursuing a teaching career.
Some highlights for this school year include:
32 new students have begun their ELM journey - our biggest class yet
On October 29th our elmYO ensemble will perform at the Guild Theatre in San Mateo alongside 4 other youth music organizations
We began a new partnership with the Throckmorton Theatre to create a multi-generational, bi-lingual chorus and our first performance will be at our annual Pickleweed Park Day of the Dead.
With great excitement for the year ahead,
Jane Kramer, PhD, Founder and Executive Director
ELM FALL OPEN HOUSE
Photo by Tim Porter
On November 4th we will host our bi-annual Open House where the ELM community can see our program in action and observe our Saturday orchestral rehearsals. If you’d like to join us, please RSVP below! Space is limited.
SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS
ELM & SFCO Chamber Music Intensive
Photo by Tim Porter
For the third year in a row, we hosted our annual Summer Chamber Music Camp in partnership with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra (funded by the California Arts Council). After only one week, students, alongside their professional coaches, performed a chamber concert for an enthusiastic audience in our special outdoor venue, the ELM cul-de-sac.
Cazadero Music Camp
Keeping with tradition, ELM students attended Cazadero Music Camp, a music education camp where students rehearse, sleep, and play in the redwood forests along the Russian River. One of our students who attended the camp for the first time told us that (despite his initial hesitation), he can’t wait to go back next year, saying, “By the end of camp, I didn’t want to leave”.
Deer Hill Wilderness Expeditions
Photos courtesy of Deer Hill Expeditions
Two brave ELM high school freshmen were the first ELM students to attend a three-week wilderness trip in Colorado with Deer Hill Expeditions. During this time, they canoed down the Green River, backpacked through the San Juan Mountains and participated in service-learning with the Navajo Nation. While it was a physically and mentally challenging excursion it was, in the words of our students, “absolutely unforgettable”.
UCSF PITCH Program
Starting their last year on a high note, two of ELM's rising seniors attended the UCSF PITCH Program (Program for Investigation and Training in Careers in Health) a three-week summer internship designed to provide students with exposure to careers in health and medicine.
At PITCH these students participated in hands-on learning in labs and workshops, received mentoring support from a current UCSF medical student, and attended lectures given by UCSF faculty and staff. This experience culminated in a project that equipped students with research skills they can apply to their high school and college course work.
Sailing with Call of the Sea
Photo courtesy of Call of the Sea
Over the summer, 8 of ELM’s elementary school students set sail in Sausalito with Call of the Sea. During their week at camp, students learned about maritime history, marine life, and seafaring arts.
ELM SPOTLIGHTS
A Student’s First Summer at Cazadero
Summer music camp can be a time of unexpected discoveries. That proved to be true for 11-year-old ELM student, Daniela, who secured a coveted spot at this year’s Cazadero Performing Arts Camp.
For our most recent ELM Spotlight, Daniela spoke with our host, Kate Fitzsimmons, about her experience attending a sleepaway music camp for the first time.
PERFORMANCES & EVENTS
Upcoming Events
October 13 | 5:15-5:45pm ELM Performs at the Second Friday Art Walk in San Rafael
October 29 | 7:00pm BAY Rising at the Guild Theatre San Mateo
November 4 | 10:30am-12pm ELM Open House at Venetia Valley School
December 10 | 3:00-4:00pm ELM Elementary School Winter Concert at Showcase Theater in San Rafael
December 17 | 3:00-4:30pm ELM Middle & High School Winter Concert at Showcase Theater in San Rafael
Help ELM Find a New Home
We have outgrown our rehearsal space and are seeking a new home. You can help us to purchase a building to create a Center for Music, Culture, and Community in the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael.
ELM provides youth with an immersive music education that empowers them to pursue their dreams and access resources they need to succeed in life.