Adult Studies
In addition to individual instruction on all instruments, PCM has a vibrant and growing slate of group classes, ensembles, and music history and appreciation offerings for adults.
- Individual Instruction
- Group Lessons & Ensembles
- Music History & Appreciation
Click on individual departments below or call the PCM office at 626.683.3355 for more information.
Ensemble Offerings
Spring Quarter: March 3 – June 2, 2025
Summer Quarter: June 9 – August 17, 2025
Chamber Music
Wednesdays 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Instructor: Barbara Mullens Geier
Tuition: $336
Students in the adult flute ensemble will have the opportunity to sight read, develop better listening skills, improve rhythmic accuracy, and learn and perform ensemble repertoire.
Please contact the office to enroll: music@pasadenaconservatory.org or 626-683-3355.
Wednesdays: 7:15 – 8:45 pm
Conductor: Dr. Bryan Fasola
Tuition: $480
Summer: July 2 – August 13, 2025
Wednesdays: 7:00 – 8:45 pm
Conductors: Dr. Bryan Fasola and Dr. Bryan Barany
Tuition: $240
The Adult Guitar Ensemble gives guitarists the rare but exciting opportunity to play orchestral repertoire on the classical guitar in a group setting. Rehearsals are fun but focused on preparing for a public concert at the end of each semester. All guitarists with some music reading abilities are welcome to join with minimum audition requirements. Meetings are weekly and led by a conductor.
Please contact the office to enroll: music@pasadenaconservatory.org or 626-683-3355.
Thursdays: 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Instructors: Simone Vitucci and Erika Walczak
Tuition: $480/$240**
For adults new to string instruments, this class will focus on fundamentals: tone production, intonation, reading and playing in an ensemble setting.
**Summer tuition
Thursdays: 4:30 – 6:00 pm
Instructors: Simone Vitucci and Erika Walczak
Tuition: $480/$240**
Students acquire ensemble chops while learning just enough about music theory, history, ear training, and healthy practice habits to support their development as a whole musician.
**Summer tuition
Jazz Combos
Spring
Mondays: 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Wednesdays: 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Saturdays: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Instructor: Sherry Luchette
Tuition: $480
Summer
Advanced Jazz Combo
Wednesdays: 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Beginner/Intermediate Jazz Combo
Saturdays: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm or 1:30 – 3:00 pm
Instructor: Sherry Luchette
Tuition: $240
Students learn to play jazz and blues standards in an ensemble setting. Through guided listening, students learn about melody, arrangements, chords, scales, and jazz improvisation.
Please contact the office to enroll: music@pasadenaconservatory.org or 626-683-3355.
July 14 – 18, 2025
Monday – Friday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Instructor: Sherry Luchette
Tuition: $850
Students participate in daily rehearsals as well as Jazz theory, ear training, improvisation, and Jazz history lessons. The intensive culminates in a Friday evening performance by all participants.
Please contact the PCM office at music@pasadenaconservatory.org or 626.683.3355 for more information.
Recorder
Thursdays: 9:30 – 11:00 am
Instructor: Rachael Denny
Tuition: $216
Students play soprano, alto, and tenor recorders in small consorts, with an emphasis on individual musicianship within the ensemble. Students explore music written and arranged for the recorder, from early music of the Renaissance and Baroque to contemporary arrangements of popular music.
Voice
Thursdays: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Instructors: Dr. Joshua Tan
Tuition: $216
Glee Club members have fun while learning about proper vocal health, choir etiquette, and how to read music through the study of solfège and ear training.
The club ventures through various genres of choral repertoire including classical, contemporary, jazz, and musical theater.
World Music
June 22 – July 27, 2025
Sundays: 3:00 – 4:30 pm
Instructor: Natalie Brejcha
Tuition: $240
Come make music with your peers in a relaxed but lively setting where everyone – from the basic beginner to the seasoned expert – can participate at their level of ability and comfort. The Folk Ensemble works together to discover and play folk music from around the world starting with American Roots Music (e.g. Fiddle tunes, Bluegrass, Country and Blues).
The group is open to all instruments, but particularly chorded instruments like acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and solo instruments like violin, viola, and cello.
Tuesdays: 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Instructor: Noel Ayala- Loera
Tuition: $216
Mariachi Pasadena! students learn to play and sing mariachi standards in an ensemble setting. This includes learning songs and instrumental tunes from all over Mexico and Latin America. Adult and youth ages 12+.
Intergenerational
July 19 – August 9, 2025
Saturdays: 11:00 – 11:45 pm
Instructor: Yuri Inoo
Tuition: $112
Percussion instructor Yuri Inoo leads children and adults in fun and inspiring drum activities suitable for all ages. No prior experience necessary.
Ages 6+ with an accompanying adult are invited to enroll.
June 21 – August 9, 2025
Saturdays: 10:00 – 10:45 pm
Instructor: Crystal Jasso
Tuition: $224
Family Ukulele is an intergenerational program where students learn basic chords and rhythms, strumming patterns, simple songs, and even some novice improvisational skills that can lead to jam sessions at home! Students gain the confidence necessary to collaborate effectively, create beautiful music, and—best of all—have fun learning the ukulele!
Ages 7+ with an accompanying adult are invited to enroll.
Tuesdays: 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Instructor: Noel Ayala- Loera
Tuition: $216
Mariachi Pasadena! students learn to play and sing mariachi standards in an ensemble setting. This includes learning songs and instrumental tunes from all over Mexico and Latin America. Adult and youth ages 12+.
*Summer offering available
Spring History Courses
March 28 – June 6, 2025
Fridays: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Instructor: Dr. Oliver Greene
Tuition: $320
People around the world have used music for decades to express beliefs, protest discrimination, denounce religious persecution, combat the loss of civil rights, promote freedom of speech, condemn genocide and social injustice, celebrate sexual identity, and demand basic human rights. Traditional or folk music is rooted in the history and customs of people in specific geographic locations. However, popular music around the world is usually a mixture of local music and elements of contemporary music from other places. This course examines music as a response to conflicts and challenges by investigating connections between traditional and popular music on six continents. It explores Irish folk music and its influence on early American music; the impact of western music culture on Japanese music past and present; traditional Indian music and the music of Bollywood (the film industry in India); iconic figures in music of the Middle East (Egypt, Israel, and Morocco); popular music and music as protest in Nigeria from the ’60s–’90s; Native American musicians and musical groups; popular music in Jamaica from the ’60s–’80s; and the cultural roots and regional styles of rap music in the US.
*Please contact the front office for at music@pasadenaconservatory.org or 626.683.3355 if the link doesn’t work. Apologies for the inconvenience.
March 25 – June 3, 2025
Tuesdays: 9:00 – 11:00 am
Instructor: Dr. Sarkis Baltaian
Tuition: $320
This class examines and explores piano chamber music repertoire from the Classical period through the 20th century. Representative works include piano trios, quartets and quintets by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Dvořák, Faure, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Bartók, and Shostakovich. Piano Chamber Music is a reprise of a course previously offered in 2019.
*Please contact the front office for at music@pasadenaconservatory.org or 626.683.3355 if the link doesn’t work. Apologies for the inconvenience.
April 14 – May 19, 2025
Mondays: 9:30 – 11:00 am
Instructor: Dr. Vatché Mankerian
Tuition: $144
In the preface of his monumental three-volume work Années de pèlerinage (Years of Pilgrimage), Franz Liszt wrote: “Having recently travelled to many new countries, through different settings and places consecrated by history and poetry; having felt that the phenomena of nature and their attendant sights did not pass before my eyes as pointless images but stirred deep emotions in my soul…”The course will present solo piano works which are based on settings, places, works of literature and art that certainly stir emotions in the soul.
*Please contact the front office for at music@pasadenaconservatory.org or 626.683.3355 if the link doesn’t work. Apologies for the inconvenience.
Summer History Courses
June 16 – July 21, 2025
Mondays: 9:30 – 11:00 am
Instructor: Dr. Vatché Mankerian
Tuition: $144
These short piano pieces became popular during the 19th and early 20th century. The course includes some of the most famous and popular works, as well as rarely heard gems by some of the greatest composers including Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Albéniz, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and many others.
June 10 – July 15, 2025
Tuesdays: 9:30 – 11:45 am
Instructor: Dr. Nic Gerpe
Tuition: $192
The 20th century was a period of remarkable innovation in Western
Classical Music. Composers embraced a spirit of experimentation and explored new ways of organizing and making sound, often questioning the very definition of the term “music.” Musical innovations from the early and mid-20th century continue to shape the language of today’s composers. In this class, we will explore extended and non-traditional instrumental techniques, electronic music, microtonality, mathematical music, the integration of folk music, and the intersection of film and concert music. This course features lectures and live demonstrations by abrilliant array of guest artists from around the LA area who specialize in the music of our time.
Theory Courses
January 7 – March 25, 2024
Tuesdays: 2:15 – 3:15 pm
Instructor: Renee Gilormini
Tuition: $180
Using Royal Conservatory curriculum, students refresh their knowledge and expand their horizons through sequenced instruction in music theory. This course is for beginners through intermediate singers and players.
Materials: Royal Conservatory theory book required*
January 7 – March 25, 2024
Tuesdays: 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Instructor: Renee Gilormini
Tuition: $180
Using Royal Conservatory curriculum, students continue to expand their horizons through sequenced instruction in music theory. This course is for intermediate singers and players who have completed Intro to Music Theory.
Materials: Royal Conservatory theory book required*
March 3 – June 2, 2025
Mondays: 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Instructor: Sherry Luchette
Tuition:$180
The adult studies jazz theory class is for beginning to intermediate ability levels. This class will include ear training drills on music intervals, triads and 7th chords. Students will study from lesson topics from Shelly Berg’s Book “Essentials of Jazz Theory”, including various scales, chord patterns, and soloing exercises that can be directly applied to jazz standards. Students will bring their instruments (pianos provided) and will be given weekly assignments to practice that are in line with their experience level and abilities.
*Materials can be purchased in the front office or at various online retailers.
Student Voices
Julia Langer
When I retired, I moved to Pasadena and my son said, “Mom, if you would learn to play the cello, we could have a string quartet!” My three granddaughters were taking violin and viola lessons at PCM, so I was already impressed with the quality of PCM’s programming and instructors. In December 2012, I began cello lessons. While studying music has its own intrinsic rewards, my cello studies have opened up a whole new arena of student experiences to share with my granddaughters. I strive to be a good “music student” model for them; and they, in turn, become my teachers from time to time. I have also discovered that one is never too old to begin a completely new challenge.
Ralph Miles
I think PCM is an organization that Pasadena needs. It makes a difference. I love my weekly piano lessons and want to help make sure the Conservatory can serve our community well into the future.
Eric Chadwick
Cello has been the next chapter of music for me, having focused mostly on vocal studies in my high school and college years. While I decided to learn cello for my own development and enjoyment, the highlight has been sharing in my son’s journey in learning the cello at the same time. He has studied from a young age, but now we often practice and learn together. We have both advanced to the point where we can enjoy cello duets and trios with our instructor, in addition to our solo repertoire.