FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Xina Yee
Phone: 818-736-9248
Email: press@etmla.org
Website: www.etmla.org
Los Angeles, CA – On January 9th and 10th, Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA) Music Teachers, Interns, and Program staff members found themselves in the midst of navigating natural disasters during the recent wildfires in LA County. Annually, this time is dedicated to gathering and receiving top-notch, high-quality professional development. With a necessity to pivot, the 2025 Winter Academy quickly transitioned to a virtual setting without missing a beat. One music educator shared that they loved seeing “the power of our community and the support you feel through hard times.” Another teacher mentioned, “I appreciated the time that was taken to address the gravity of the situation of the fires/winds because I was feeling scared and nervous, and it helped me out a lot.”
During the virtual Academy, educators explored meaningful activities, helpful resources, and new concepts to support ideation for their music classrooms and experience modern and culturally responsive methods for teaching music. This two-day training included sessions such as Orff Music & Play, Storybooks with Music Tech & Instruments, Ukulele for Beginners, Boomwhacker Fun Music Activities, Positive Reinforcement and Expectations, Hip-Hop in the Primary Years, and more.
Reflecting on their key takeaways, one participant shared: “We have online resources at our disposal and should use them to help us with our units! We can make the most basic concepts into a song, game, etc.” An ensemble teacher shared how they discovered “new ways to connect with the school community and more insight on how to run ensemble rehearsals.”
In its 19th year of programming, ETM-LA thanks the dedicated music faculty for their commitment to ongoing learning and excellence, and for championing high-quality music education for every child, especially during challenging times. Special thank you to our Winter Academy Workshop Facilitators: Abigail Barrett, Alex Collie-Hartmann, Arvi Lapuz, Dr. Franklin Gómez, Lesley Baird, Lucy Cahuantzi, Tiffiny Reckley, and Tony Sauza.
ETM-LA invites music teachers and educators of all experience levels to attend these trainings alongside ETM-LA Music Teachers. To stay informed about future professional development opportunities, please join our email list.
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Education Through Music-Los Angeles is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide and promote music in under-resourced schools as part of the core curriculum for every child in order to enhance students’ academic achievement, creativity, and overall development.
For more information: www.etmla.org