2021–22 Highlights: Common Ground

Common Ground

In this time when so much divides us, learning, performing, and enjoying music provides substantive opportunities to leave divisions behind, forge connections, and find common ground. In the spring, as a response to the evolving issues of our times, PCM announced the launch of its campaign, which will raise $11 million to promote and facilitate the pursuit of those opportunities by:

• Expanding multicultural programming to include folk traditions from around the world • Developing intergenerational programming for the very youngest and oldest in our community • Creating a music lab and music technology programs

The project also encompasses the replacement of one building as well as adding new, purpose-built Adult Studies, Young Musicians, Music Technology classrooms, and an outdoor amphitheater. Additionally, the new building will incorporate green technology to optimize infrastructural efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of the campus. For more information about PCM’s Common Ground campaign, please contact Melissa Froehlich at mfroehlich@pasadenaconservatory.org or 626-683-3355 ext. 107.

Concerts

Concerts, recitals, and frequent performance opportunities are essential components to PCM’s plan to develop performance, listening, and concert-going skills in every student. In-person concerts and recitals were back this year(!) with PCM presenting over 75 events on campus.

Notable performances and series included:

• An Overture, a concert presented in partnership with the Ojai Music Festival featuring performances by Ojai Music

Festival artists as well as students and faculty from PCM’s new-music ensemble, ensemblePROVA • The Jam, PCM’s first open mic series • Three Musical Interludes which explored connections between music, literature, history, architecture, and culture • And a great many senior recitals!

New Look for Young Musicians Department

The Young Musician’s Department, which was one of PCM’s hardest hit programs during the pandemic, is foundational to the Conservatory’s broader curriculum, developing each child’s innate musical aptitude and creating numerous pathways to instrumental study. To help the department build back its enrollment and improve families’ experiences interacting with the program both online and in-person, we gave the YM Department a makeover that included:

• The Welcome to Young Musicians video • A new Young Musicians Handbook that outlines our philosophy for early childhood music education, the Young Musician’s curriculum, the caregiver role, and the student’s path to individual lessons • The creation of the Young Musicians

Tree that illustrates our comprehensive plan for each student’s musical growth and how Young Musicians classes feed into PCM’s other departments • A web page refresh • A redesign of Department Chair Rachael

Doudrick’s Beyond the Classroom handouts • Young Musicians banners for concerts and events

These efforts were made possible thanks to a generous grant awarded by The Music Man Foundation.

Summer Camps

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, PCM offered over 15 in-person summer camps and workshops. These included past popular programs such as the Summer Jazz Workshop and the Chamber Music Intensive, as well as new programs like Introduction to Accordion and All Things Strings, a one week workshop for Suzuki string students that explores improvisation, recording technology, ensemble skills, and team building.