Elemental Music offers after-school music ensembles in Santa Monica and surrounding westside areas for elementary, middle, and high school students. Our programs foster a love for music, giving students the chance to make music with friends and create community!
When students join our programs at an early age, we help develop skills that prepare them for middle and high school. Once families join Elemental Music, they become part of a larger musical community that often extends into high school and beyond.
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Our Programs
Our extracurricular music classes offer the perfect combination of nurturing young musicians while inspiring them to work towards a common goal: making great music together! Here’s what you need to know to get started with us, as we start our 2023–24 season:
Weekly rehearsals, in person, at family-friendly locations
Low student–teacher ratio and expert teaching artists
Yearly tuition averages out to between $37–45/week
Tuition reduction is available for qualified families
Students meet one-on-one with directors over Zoom for ensemble placement, except Prelude and Intro Guitar (no ensemble placement required!)
PRELUDe PROGRAM
Tuesdays from 3:45–5:45pm
Prelude is our beginning strings program for violin, viola, and cello students in 3rd through 5th grades.
academy philharmonic
Tuesdays from 4:00–6:00pm
Academy Philharmonic provides new opportunities for middle schoolers in Santa Monica to experience the thrill of playing in a full orchestra.
ELEMENTAL GUITAR
Wednesdays from 3:45-5:45pm
Elemental Guitar is a fun and engaging ensemble opportunity for total beginners and intermediate level players.
Chamber Music Institute
Saturdays from 10:00-11:00am
Participation in the Chamber Music Institute will provide advanced and intermediate musicians (grades 6–12) with the chance to play in small ensembles such as trios, quartets, instrument-specific ensembles such as flute choir, and more.
WORKSHOP FOR WINDS
Tuesdays from 3:45–4:45pm
This short-term workshop for beginning band students (4th grade) provides excited young woodwind and brass players with extra support to help them get a head start in their school music classes!
ELEMENTAL STRINGS
Fridays from 3:45–5:45pm
Elemental Strings is our intermediate youth orchestra program for string students in 3rd through 5th grades.
ELEMENTAL band
Thursdays from 3:45–5:45pm
Elemental Band is a unique program which gives 3rd, 4th & 5th grade wind and percussion students the opportunity to play in a full concert band!
ELEMENTAL CHOIR
Fridays from 3:45–5:45pm
Young musicians (3rd, 4th, and 5th grades) in this choir will sing exciting, challenging, and fun choral music in a variety of styles and languages from around the world.
Encore/Bergmann Program
Lessons are scheduled individually
Participation in this program is determined by SMMUSD for grades 4–12. Students receive free year-round music lessons for voice, violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba, and percussion.
Elemental @ Broadway
Class times vary
Our programs for LAUSD’s Broadway Elementary School in Venice include two choirs as well as beginning and intermediate orchestra classes. Students must be enrolled at Broadway to participate.