World Music

Fall Semester: September 4, 2026 – January 22, 2027
Fridays: 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Instructor: Natalie Brejcha
Tuition: $810

Come make music with your peers in a relaxed but lively setting where everyone—from the beginner to the seasoned expert—can participate at their level of ability and comfort. Together students discover and play folk music from around the world starting with American Roots Music (Fiddle tunes, Bluegrass, Country, and Blues).

The ensemble is open to all instruments—but particularly chorded instruments like acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and solo instruments like violin, viola, and cello. This class is most suitable for students who can play at least C G D A E chords on their instruments or are comfortable learning melodies by ear.

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Fall Semester: September 6, 2026 – January 24, 2027
Chinese Folk Ensemble
Sundays: 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Instructors: Celia Yu Liu, Susan She, and Xiaobo Li
Tuition: $900

This course offers an immersive ensemble experience of Chinese folk music through hands-on study of erhu, pipa, or guzheng — for new students, an instrument will be provided by PCM free of charge for one semester. Explore the historical and cultural contexts of regional Chinese musical traditions while developing fundamental performance techniques. Emphasis is placed on listening, imitation, ensemble playing, and expressive interpretation.

Register for Erhu

Register for Guzheng

Register for Pipa

Fall Semester: September 5, 2026 – January 24, 2027
Tuition: $450

Erhu
Sundays: 3:15 – 4:15 pm
Instructors: Susan She, and Xiaobo Li

Pipa
Saturdays: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Instructor: Celia Yu Liu,

This course offers an immersive ensemble experience of Chinese folk music through hands-on study of erhu, pipa, or guzheng — for new students, an instrument will be provided by PCM free of charge for one semester. Explore the historical and cultural contexts of regional Chinese musical traditions while developing fundamental performance techniques. Emphasis is placed on listening, imitation, ensemble playing, and expressive interpretation.

No prior experience with Chinese instruments is required.

Register for Erhu

Register for Pipa

Fall Semester: October 25 – January 24 (11 weeks)
Sundays: 2:00 – 3:30
Instructor: Dan Cantrell
Tuition: $275

The Jewish Music Youth Orchestra is a multi-age ensemble focusing on the study and performance of Jewish music, as well as music influenced and connected to Jewish heritage. The Orchestra offers a unique experience for young musicians to build a cultural education, which draws from music styles from a variety of time periods and regions throughout the world. This musical landscape includes Ladino music from Spanish speaking countries, Israeli folk dances and horas, Eastern European Klezmer music and “Ellis Island” songs that span from Yiddish Theater tunes to the Great American Songbook. (Most music learned by ear, but basic sight-reading ability required.)

Ages 12+

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Fall Semester: September 3, 2026 – January 21, 2027
Thursdays: 6:15 – 7:45 pm
Instructor: TBD
Tuition: $450

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+.

Register Here