What are the opening hours?

Monday 2pm - 7pm Tuesday 12pm - 7pm Wednesday 12pm - 7pm Thursday 12pm - 7pm Friday 12pm - 4pm Saturday 9am - 2pm

City Heights Music School

Name: City Heights Music School
Address: 3770 Altadena Avenue, San Diego, CA, 92105, US
Telephone: +16193878582
Price range: $$
Rating: 5

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San Diego, CA
City Heights Music School

The City Heights Music School (CHMS) offers in-school, after-school, and community programs! Music classes for all ages. Group classes and private lessons.
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11/11/2024

🎶 Join us for the City Heights Music School Fall Session Concerts! 🎶

📍 Location: 3770 Altadena Ave.
🗓️ Dates: Nov 19-23
Featuring: Ukulele, Piano, Violin, Mariachi, Drum Power, HipHop, Electro-Music, Choir, Ballet Folklorico, and more!

Come support our talented students and enjoy a wonderful showcase of music and culture. Donations are welcome!

Register for Winter Session at www.chms.info 🎶

11/08/2024

We have Saturday classes, as usual, but check out all of the other weekend events!

🇺🇸 There's a lot happening all around San Diego County to honor and celebrate our military veterans, active duty service members and their families this Veterans Day! Take a look at our list of events and deals at the link below to find one near you.

https://www.sandiegofamily.com/things-to-do/seasonal-happenings/veterans-day-events-in-san-diego

10/21/2024

Last week’s percussion class, one of our talented students took the lead in teaching a rhythm exercise! 🎶 We love seeing our students step up and share their knowledge with others. It’s moments like these that show how music empowers and builds confidence. Keep the rhythm going! 🥁

10/16/2024

Happy Birthday to the amazing Charlie Chávez! Even on his special day, he’s inspiring young minds with the gift of music. We’re so lucky to have you on our team! 🎉🎶

10/01/2024

Join us at Plaza Bonita Mall on October 19 from 3:30-4:30 PM for a special Dia de Los Mu***os performance! Don’t miss this celebration of culture and music! ***os

🍂🍁 Fall is in full swing which means it's time for a trip to the pumpkin patch! Our friends at Pumpkin Station are ready to welcome your family for a festive fall outing. Find a Pumpkin Station location near you at www.pumpkinstation.com! 🎃

09/13/2024

It's been an AMAZING week so far! Our Fall Session is UP and RUNNING. Happy to have our partner organizations Tap In With Claudia and International Academy of Jazz San Diego sharing the space with us, as well! Looking forward to seeing everybody tomorrow! There's still time to join! Click on the QR code for TAP DANCE and JAZZ classes, or visit www.cityheightsmusicschool.org for all others! 🎶🎹🥁🎸🎺🪇🪘🎨🎤🧩🧑‍🦼🎩

09/09/2024

Hey hey! City Heights Music School has an opening for a guitar teacher to teach afterschool guitar club for a 6th-12th grade charter school in City Heights on Thursdays 3:45-5:45pm. DM me if interested! Spanish speaking is a PLUS!

09/08/2024

We ❤️ that Tap In With Claudia brings her talent and love for dance to our space every week! See the San Diego Tap & Jazz Dance Festival shout out and details below! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

09/04/2024

The demand for our programs is ⬆️ and so is our need for teachers and TAs! Please spread the word so we can keep ⬆️ the good work. 🎶 See contact info on flyer!

09/04/2024

Taking place where we lease our space. ❤️

✨Join us at Unity San Diego✨

📍3770 Altadena Ave. San Diego, 92105

📆 September 8th at 12:30pm

🎟️ $25 Love Offering

A gong meditation is a passive experience, in that the listener lays down and lets the sounds wash over them. It has been described as a sonic massage as your body and mind respond to the sounds and vibrations.

09/04/2024

PRONTO Verification Pop up event 9/24!!!

To keep riding for free, all youth riders must verify their PRONTO accounts as soon as possible! Seniors, disabled riders, and Medicare beneficiaries also need to complete this process to continue riding at a reduced rate.

08/22/2024

We ❤️ the sounds of shuffle step (and all the others)! Check out the options below and put your dance shoes on! 🤩

07/24/2024

Join us in welcoming Erica Adams Ochoa, our new Violin Instructor! 🎻

Erica will be teaching Violin and Mariachi Violin at CHMS and in the South Bay. She also brings her expertise in piano 🎹 and beginning guitar 🎸. Our registration is NOW OPEN!!!
For more information please visit: www.cityhheightsmusicschool.org

07/18/2024

Excited to announce that Tap in With Claudia, one of our resident arts program partners at CHMS, will be hosting an event on July 28 at 6pm on the Unity Lawn & Gazebo. Don’t miss it!

11/03/2023

What a beautiful image and concept!

One little girl, one big hope. TOMORROW, welcome Little Amal to San Diego as she makes her way through the Balboa Park Cultural District! “This 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl - a global symbol of human rights - is completing her journey across the U.S. in our city, where she will continue spreading her story of hope.” - La Jolla Playhouse

❤️ Walk with Little Amal in Balboa Park
Saturday, 11/4 at 2 PM
Beginning in the Old Globe Plaza

This event is free to the public, presented by The Walk in partnership with La Jolla Playhouse, Museum of Us, Haneen Choir, New Americans Museum, The Old Globe, San Diego Civic Dance Arts, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, San Diego Junior Theatre, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego Youth Symphony, and WorldBeat Cultural Center.

11/01/2023

Last Saturday, and City Heights Music School had a wonderful time celebrating Dia De Los Mu***os at the City Heights Performance Annex!

Stay tuned to find out where Mariachi Victoria will be performing next!

10/29/2023

Put on your walking shoes, Mariachi Victoria will start you off on the right foot! 🩷

10/28/2023

It’s a beautiful day at the City Heights Performance Annex!

Address

3770 Altadena Avenue
San Diego, CA
92105

Opening Hours

Monday	2pm - 7pm
Tuesday	12pm - 7pm
Wednesday	12pm - 7pm
Thursday	12pm - 7pm
Friday	12pm - 4pm
Saturday	9am - 2pm

Telephone

+16193878582

Website

http://www.cityheightsmusicschool.org/

Alerts

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Videos

Strumming our favorite tune, ‘Stand By Me,’ this autumn season. 🍂🎶 #AutumnVibes #Strumming #StandByMe #MusicInNature #GuitarLife #AcousticSessions #CozyVibes #MusicLovers #ChillTunes #cityheights #musicteacher @lorelei_music

🎶🎨🕺 After-School Classes are HERE! 🥁🖌️🪘 City Heights Music School is excited to offer Drums + Art + HipHop in a fun and engaging 7-week session! 🚀 🗓️ Classes run on: • Monday • Tuesdays • Wednesdays • Thursdays 👉 For 4th-8th Graders: Come join the fun! 🔗 Register now at: www.cityheightsmusicschool.org Scan the QR code to sign up quickly and learn more! 🎉 Limited spots available—don’t miss out!🌟 #AfterSchoolPrograms #DrumsArtHipHop #Mendoza #baysidesteamacademy #Onenata #CityHeightsMusicSchool #SanDiegoYouth #CreativeLearning #YouthArts #MusicEducation #HipHopDance #ArtClass #DrumLessons #CommunityPrograms #StudentCreativity #ArtsEducation #YouthEmpowerment #SupportTheArts #CityHeights #SouthBaySD #sbusd @charliechavezsd @germancorralesarte @dynorock.8

Today on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor the vibrant traditions and cultures of Indigenous communities across the world. Music, dance, and art have always been deeply intertwined with Indigenous peoples’ way of life, serving as powerful forms of storytelling, ceremony, and cultural expression. These art forms connect generations, celebrate nature, and preserve the history and values of Indigenous cultures. Let’s take time to recognize the profound influence Indigenous music, dance, and art have had on global culture and how they continue to inspire and uplift. Together, we celebrate their resilience and contributions to our shared human experience. #IndigenousPeoplesDay #HonorIndigenousCultures #MusicOfTheLand #IndigenousArt #DanceOfTheAncestors #CelebrateIndigenousWisdom #CulturalResilience #IndigenousVoices

Thrilled to have @germancorralesarte guiding our #SouthBay art programs with an ocean-themed focus! 🌊🎨✨ #CreativeKids #ArtEducation #InspireThroughArt #CommunityArt #YouthArts #OceanArt #CityHeightsMusic #ExploreTheSea #EnvironmentalArt #CreativityInAction

Check out the incredible composition ‘Lost Spirit’ by The Wandering Souls, the new CHMS Electro Music ensemble led by Mac Lancaster! For more information about our CHMS classes, visit www.cityheightsmusicschool.org! Here is You Tube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e35urF_5Jk #ElectroMusic #CHMS #LostSpirit #WanderingSouls #MusicEducation #CityHeightsMusicSchool #SupportTheArts #MacLancaster #MusicCommunity #LearnMusic #CreativeYouth @lorelei_music @macrox8116

Music is a universal language that brings us all together, and it all begins with passionate music educators who share the joy and transformative power of music with their students. Special thanks to our own music staff @cityheightsmusicschool and @mariachivictoria. Thank you!!! #MusicConnectsUs #PowerOfMusic #MusicEducation #InspiringEducators #ShareTheJoy #UniversalLanguage #TeachersWhoInspire #MariachiEducation #DrumPower #HipHopDance #BalletFolklorico #ArtInTheCommunity #AfterSchoolMusic #YouthPerformances #CulturalEducation #CommunityThroughMusic #CreativeYouth #SanDiegoArts #MusicForAllAges #EmpoweringThroughArt #DanceClassesForKids #Music123 #BreakdancingClasses #InclusiveArts #YouthMusicPrograms #SupportTheArts #SouthBayArts

🎤 Saturday Sing! 🎶 Strengthen your voice and explore songs from different styles and genres. Join us every Saturday from 9-9:45am! @lorelei_music #VocalTraining #SaturdaySing #MusicClasses #FindYourVoice #SingWithUs #LearnToSing #VoiceLessons #AllGenres #FunWithMusic

🎶 Love to sing? Join the City Hearts Choir every Thursday from 4:30-5:30 PM! 🌍🎤 Ages 8+ welcome! Experience the joy of harmonizing with fellow music lovers while exploring styles like pop, musical theatre, jazz, movie soundtracks & more. Let’s make music together! 🎵✨ Register now: www.cityheightsmusicschool.org #CityHeartsChoir #SingWithUs #HarmonyVibes #ChoirLife #GlobalSounds #PopToJazz #MusicLovers #FindYourVoice #MakeMusic @lorelei_music

🇲🇽 ¡Viva México! 🇲🇽 Today, we celebrate Mexican Independence Day—commemorating the strength, unity, and vibrant culture of Mexico. As we remember the spirit of El Grito de Dolores, we are proud to carry on the traditions of Mexican music and dance through our programs. From Mariachi to Ballet Folklórico, our students honor the heritage that makes this day special. Join us in celebrating by checking out our upcoming performances and classes that keep these traditions alive for future generations. 🎶💃 ¡Que viva la música! 🎺🎻🎸 #MexicanIndependenceDay #VivaMexico #Mariachi #BalletFolklorico #CulturaViva

Learn to create electronic music! 🎶 Students use synthesizers, midi keyboards, and more to make beats, record with DAW software, and release their tracks online. Last week, they experimented with the Korg Minilogue and GarageBand. #ElectronicMusic #Synthesizer #DAW #MusicProduction #GarageBand #KorgMinilogue #BeatMaking #MusicClass @macrox8116 Sign up today at: www.cityheightsmusicschool.org

🎶🎺 Mariachi Prep Enrollment Open! 🎶🎻 We’re excited to announce that our 2024-2025 Mariachi Season is open for registration! 🎉 We’re looking for beginner guitar students (ages 11 and up) to join our Mariachi Prep class. If you’re passionate about music or interested in learning, this is the perfect opportunity to get started! Mariachi Prep: 🗓 Tuesdays 🕰 5:30-6:30 PM No prior experience needed—just bring your enthusiasm, and we’ll provide the rest! Visit www.mariachivictoriasd.org for more details and to register! 📍 City Heights Music School Let’s make some music together! 🎶🎸 #MariachiPrep #BeginnerGuitar #JoinTheMusic #CityHeightsMusicSchool #MariachiMusic #MariachiLife #LearnMariachi #GuitarLessons #ViolinLessons #TrumpetLessons #MariachiCommunity #MusicEducation #MariachiStudents #MariachiTradition #MariachiCulture #YouthMariachi #MariachiClass #MariachiInTraining #MariachiInTheMaking #MusicForAll #MariachiAcademy #MexicanMusic #MariachiPerformance #MariachiEnsemble

Join us for our Breakdancing/HipHop classes every Thursday! - 3:30-4:30 PM for ages 5-8 - 4:30-5:30 PM for ages 9+ Get ready to move, groove, and learn some amazing dance skills in a fun and energetic environment! #Breakdancing #HipHopDance #KidsDanceClass #DanceCommunity #SanDiegoDance #YouthHipHop #BreakdanceClasses #DanceLife #CreativeMovement #HipHopForKids

🎉 Exciting News! Classes start this week at CHMS, and we still have spots available in some amazing programs! 🎶 Whether you’re ready to rock out in Drum Power, show off your moves in HipHop, dive into the vibrant culture of Ballet Folklorico, express yourself through Art, or strum your way to mastery with Guitar—we’ve got something for everyone! 🗓️ Don’t miss out! Register now and be part of our vibrant community of young artists. 🎨🩰🥁 www.cityheightsmusicschool.org 📍 Spots are filling up fast, so reserve yours today! #MusicClasses #DrumPower #HipHopDance #BalletFolklorico #GuitarLessons #ArtClass #CHMSClasses #CreativeLearning #YouthPrograms #MusicEducation #DanceAndArt #KidsClasses #CommunityClasses #CHMS #SanDiegoArts #ExpressYourself #JoinTheFun

🌟 Join Us for Ballet Folklorico! 🌟 Immerse yourself in the lively music, colorful costumes, and captivating dance of Mexican folklore under the direction of the amazing Ms. Natalie! Don’t miss out—classes are next week, Saturday, Ballet Folklorico, 10:45-11:45am, ages 8-12. Secure your spot today at www.cityheightsmusicschool.org! 💃🎶 #BalletFolklorico #MexicanCulture #DanceWithUs #MsNatalie #CulturalTraditions #VibrantHeritage @x.xo.natalie

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Our Story

Brief History

The City Heights Music School is a program of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (YPO). Founded as an educational outreach program of La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) in the summer of 2010, the transition to YPO took place on January 1, 2016. What began as coaching in school music programs at local schools led to the creation of a Latin American Music Project with two classes: a Mariachi and an Afro-Cuban Ensemble (ACE). To play at a performance level, students in the Mariachi required additional coaching on violin, guitar, and trumpet. Over the next three years, the coaching turned into official classes and the ACE went through a few changes of its own, with a transition to West African drums. The City Heights Music School was created when different levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) were required for violin, guitar, and, more recently, piano classes.

Present Day

From the start, the emphasis has been on music that is relevant to the community. The variety of classes offered through the City Heights Music School is unique and appeals to students of all ages and cultures. We teach the Suzuki method in violin classes to share the joy of playing the violin while learning the small steps and discipline it takes to do so. We teach classical acoustic guitar with melodies that are simple yet beautiful. In violin and guitar, students rise to the challenge of finding the concentration it takes to coordinate their hands and fingers. Our voice classes cover the genres of folk and popular music. Through Mariachi, the students perform music that expresses the emotions of life and they learn the benefits of dedication and teamwork when invited and hired to perform at festive events.

The CHMS provides one of the few affordable opportunities for music instruction in San Diego. Students often register in multiple classes and spend a few hours each Saturday immersed in music. Our multi-generational classrooms demonstrate a positive dynamic between grandparents, parents, and children as they learn to sing and play the violin, guitar, piano, and other instruments together. With each year, we add a new level of violin and guitar classes to accommodate the students with more experience.

From the Director

“I grew up in Minneapolis and studied at MacPhail Center for the Arts, starting at the early age of 3 in its Musical Trolley program and continuing to the age of 14 as a student of Suzuki Violin. With three siblings also enrolled at MacPhail, I spent a lot of time in its huge lobby area surrounded by musicians and dancers coming and going to class, and in the upper floor hallways outside of the studios of private lesson teachers. My mother, a small-town girl from northern Minnesota, played piano and always loved the violin. So there I was, at the age of 4, with a chopstick for a bow and a ruler taped to a tissue box for a violin! That’s how it all began. My father, on the other hand, was born and raised in New York City. Despite a troubled family life, he found mentors and an eventual path to programs at Yale and Columbia universities.

As a kid, I took a lot of pride in my progress in music. It gave me an identity. Now, with three teenage kids of my own, I appreciate even more the importance of a strong and positive self-identity. All kids, and adults, need to experience positive relationships and the encouragement to stick with the dedication and discipline it takes to be good at something. I love the diversity and vitality of City Heights. With the challenges and social issues faced by its residents every day, an opportunity for connection and expression through music is imperative. And that’s what we provide – opportunity!”

Victoria Eicher, Director 858-442-0237 [email protected]

In Conclusion

Ricardo Muti (New York Philharmonic) recently stated in Moscow that:

“Music can put people together because music is based on the expression of feelings, and not words. The problems in the world are created most of the time by the words.”

In relationships, communication, work and school, we need problem solving skills. Just as importantly, we need peace making skills. Music provides both.