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M U S I C F O R E X C E L L E N C E  A leader in music education, OEBS developed Music for Excellence (MUSE) as a comprehensive instrumental music program that currently serves over 3,000 students in grades 3-12 at eighteen Oakland public schools. MUSE functions to complement the public school music curriculum, by taking professional musicians of the Symphony into these schools to work with music teachers and students in their instrumental music classes. The program serves a student population that is primarily African American, Asian and Latino in some of the city's most economically depressed neighborhoods.
"The MUSE program is a lifeline in difficult times. It's not just a token - it's keeping the music program afloat in Oakland. It's the tipping point between success and failure." ~Ted Allen, former Instrumental Director,
Skyline HSGOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF MUSE Instruct To provide the children of Oakland, in grades 3-12, with a continuous and sequential instrumental music program that will augment education programs by fostering cognitive development and analytical skills, allow youth to experience the joy of artistic expression and creation, and provide a sense of self and place in the community. Inspire To provide role models for children of different cultural backgrounds by bringing successful artists into the public schools to work with low income children and youth, non-English speaking youth, and children of non-English speaking parents. Engage To provide a creative outlet for the energy of youth that will provide these young people with a foundation for positively viewing themselves as capable and contributing members of our society.
They're seeing concerts and hearing about the Symphony at dinner tables." ~ Randy
Watson, Manager of Music Program,Livermore Valley Unified School
DistriceMUSE COMPONENTS In-School Mentor Program Every year, the Oakland East Bay Symphony sends professional musicians into 20 of Oakland's poorest schools. These "mentors" work in collaboration with the school music teachers to give specialized, small group and individual instruction to students who would otherwise not have this opportunity. The MUSE curriculum uses the California Performing Arts Content Standards for its work plan. The MUSE program has been praised by Oakland's teachers as "a lifeline in difficult times... it's keeping the music program afloat in Oakland". After School Program OEBS provides after school programs in the form of Class Piano, After School Orchestra, and Saturday Practice Labs. Piano classes are offered once a week for 32 weeks at one school site in Oakland. The After School ORchestra meets on the same schedule and is open to all elementary music schools in the Oakland Unified School District. The Saturday Practice Lab in West Oakland meets every other Saturday for 32 weeks, and provides students with supervised practice time on Saturdays. Young People's Concerts The annual Young People's Concerts (YPC) performed by OEBS offer free concerts to over 6,100 students each year. In addition, symphony trained "docents" visited 59 classrooms to help prepare students for their visit to the symphony. These concerts have had a variety of themes over the years, from introducing students to the orchestra, to focusing on different ethnic influences on orchestral music. Future themes plan to use the California Curriculum Standards to create a cross curriculum bridge between the concert hall and the classroom. Young Artist Competition The OEBS Young Artist competition provides a competition for talented young musicians in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The winners in both the junior and senior age division are given public performance opportunities with the Oakland East Bay Symphony. School Visits OEBS Music Director Michael Morgan visits schools all over the East Bay region. His visits offer support to young music students and inspiration to all. Over the course of the school year, Maestro Morgan exposes over 2,500 kids to his accessible, friendly presentations. Some of his visits are accomanied by small ensembles from the Oakland East Bay Symphony. To request a school visit by Maestro Michael Morgan and/or musicians Register here. Community Engagement The OEBS endevours to reach and engage different groups within the greater Oakland Community. Through the side by side concert with Oakland Youth ORchestra, free outdoor family concerts in Oakland and Richmond, and free chamber music concerts in Oakland City Center, OEBS continues to expand its presence in the Oakland and East Bay Communities. MUSE Program in Livermore The MUSE program expanded to serve the Livermore Valley Joint School District five years ago. This was made possible by a generous grant from the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Foundation. We currently serve all six secondary schools (4 middle schools and 2 high schools) with professional musician mentors from the Symphony. In addition, we offer a third grade piano keyboard class that is open to sign-ups from throughout the district - and we present an annual Young Peoples Concert at the Bankhead Theater that is open to all the students and teachers m Livermore schools free of charge. Michael Morgan visits schools upon request, and master classes are presented by Symphony members periodically for music teacher staff development days. The schools visited weekly by the Symphony mentors include: Christensen Middle School East Avenue Middle School Junction Avenue Middle School Mendenhall Middle School Granada High School Livermore High School For more information about the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Foundation, please visit their web site at: www.lvwine.org/winegrowers.php |
  This activity is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. |
