Crowden Music Center

Google 'berkeleyside Crowden' for a description of the dysfunction here. The leadership of the school currently complains about an "enrollment crisis", but refuses to take responsibility for half of the families waking out at the beginning of the.20201/22 school year.

We have a fourth grader at the Crowden school. They love it! They have made friends across all grade levels, and the music aspect is pretty incredible. They started their instrument with no experience in the third grade and 18 months later are practicing the first movement of a concerto- it's amazing what two hours of music a day, five days a week can do. We're happy with the academic program- knowledgeable and caring teachers, small class size, and fascinating and socially aware curricula.

Don't know if it was a student or otherwise, but someone just made a fraudulent charge to this place on my credit card.

My 14 year old has been in choirs since age 5. This is the first year that they tried the Crowdens chamber singers. I am just incredibly impressed by how great the performance was this weekend. The amazing director, Betsy was able to teach them several very advanced songs in just 13 weeks with only meeting for an hour and a half once a week. Betsy does an excellent job with the children.

She is able to push the children to work harder and focus while keeping a good sense of humor. I am impressed with how she can handle that many middle schoolers. I'm so grateful to have found this choir and director, Betsy. My 11 year old enjoyed the performance so much that he wants to join the choir next year.

My daughter has been singing in the Crowden Children's Chorus for three years now, we just got home from their beautiful spring concert. Over this time she has gone from tentative participation to full-out singing and movement, and loves Betsy, the incredibly dedicated and talented director, very much. Her little sis can't wait to join next fall!

If you are looking for a way for your kid to experience music, learn real musicianship and have FUN, I can't recommend Crowden Children's Chorus enough. It isn't as big a time commitment as some of the other ensembles in the area, and the kids really do learn solid musicianship and vocal skills, thanks to Betsy (the director) and her magical (silly, yet direct and demanding in the best way) teaching techniques.

My daughter takes piano lessons and is a part of Crowden's youth choir. I can't say enough great things about this special school. Both of her teachers are fantastic. They offer guidance and encouragement, but also push them to excel and know each child's potential. I highly recommend checking out any of the programs this school offers.

Our daughter has been taking piano private lessons with Mrs. Alyona Marenchuk for the past year. After 4 years of piano lessons with 2 other teachers, we have finally found a real educator! Mrs. Marenchuk doesn't spare her effort and energy in encouraging and teaching with all the detail. We are very grateful to be able to have such a passionate teacher for our daughter.

As a professional violinist/violist in the Bay Area, I am also a former student of Anne Crowden. One of my most influential and inspiring teachers, I can't say enough good things about this very special school. Children thrive and learn in a nurturing environment that is strong both musically and academically. They put on delightful concerts open to the community featuring both students and faculty.

Excellent community programs offered at Crowden. Two of my children take music lessons here, and it is a wonderful environment to encourage a love of music. They also offer wonderful events that are open to the community, one of which we attended last spring. My 3 year old was entranced with the Strings "petting zoo, " and would not put the miniature cello down. The staff clearly take their jobs seriously and you get the sense that something special is taking place before your eyes. Highly recommend.

My daughter just completed her first year of Crowden, and both she and I could not be happier. Prior to this year, she attended elementary and the first year of middle school in Piedmont. We found the academics at Crowden much more challenging than in Piedmont. Her seventh grade classes had 13 students total at Crowden. In Piedmont, being well behaved and polite seemed to be all that was necessary to get a B. Crowden teachers transformed my daughter from someone who feared math and hated science into someone who now thinks of those options as a potential career path. Her English and History classes are taught in the style of college courses. She will be very well prepared for high school.

Our daughter has been in the Crowden Children's Choir for two years. She's progressed so much in her understanding and love of music, and she enjoys it tremendously. I take her on Saturdays and bring a book to read while waiting but often end up just watching the practice and admiring Betsy's really amazing style as a teacher. She seems to see every single student, and has an uncanny ability to move between fun, silly, strict, creative, and encouraging.

The kids follow her every move, and really respond. Sometimes the songs seem really hard to me; with four part harmonies, words in different languages, requirements of different vocal intonation - she teaches it all to them, and I find it wonderful to watch them concentrating, enjoying, and learning. Betsy doesn't rank the students by skills and experience. She obviously believes that everybody can participate and contribute, and when the time for the performance comes, they sing beautifully!

Crowden Chamber Singers is amazing. My daughter was in the Children's Chorus for several years and absolutely loved it. She was thrilled when Betsy started the Chamber Singers for the older kids. Betsy is a wonder: she is warm, funny and superbly talented. Despite the group only meeting for an hour a week, they learn sophisticated music. While the chorus is low key and fun, the kids learn a lot and sing beautiful pieces.

The Chamber Singers is the highlight of my daughter's week. (And truth be told listening to rehearsals is one of the high point of my week!). I can't recommend this group highly enough!

The chamber music for adults program here is the only thing of its kind in the Bay Area. You meet with a coach 8 times for 1.5 hours and the perform at a recital. This gives you the opportunity to tackle some serious repertoire that might normally be beyond your reach. IMO it is the best deal in town. This is an institution to treasure.

My daughter loves choir and Betsy! She sang in the Children's Chorus for 2 years, now she is singing a cappella with the Chamber Singers. This choir has been the perfect balance for our family- meet once per week for one hour, introduction to voice and group singing, exposure to varied challenging music and FUN! Betsy is talented, encouraging, and goofy with the kids- they all seem riveted by her. I expect my daughter will want to continue coming as long as she is eligible.

My daughter participated in the Crowden Children's Chorus for several years and is now an enthusiastic 13 year-old member of the Crowden Chamber Singers (an a cappella group). Betsy Marvit, who leads both groups, is an amazingly talented director. Her energy, warmth and sense of humor keep the focused attention of younger children and teens alike.

Come observe a class--I guarantee that you will be impressed! Although both the Crowden Children's Chorus and the Crowden Chamber Singers are low-pressure recreational groups meeting for only one hour per week, the kids are able to master surprisingly difficult pieces. The end-of-semester concert selections are lovely and feature a wide range of musical genres and time periods.

A standout from the most recent concert was the Crowden Chamber Singers' rendition of the early baroque madrigal "The Silver Swan" by Orlando Gibbons. My daughter loves being part of the Crowden Chamber Singers and often breaks into song around the house or while we're driving in the car. Thanks to Betsy, I have a teenager who actually looks forward to getting up on Saturday mornings!

My 13-year old daughter joined this group at the urging of some of her friends who started with the Children's Chorus, loved it, but had grown out of it. She wasn't sure what to expect, as she was already in her school choir, but as it turned out, she LOVED it. She does not have a "professional" voice, though it is lovely. She just likes to sing and can sing on key - enough to qualify! Betsy gets right down to business in a fun and nurturing way.

My daughter felt engaged and challenged throughout and went eagerly every Saturday. She had an air of confidence in herself by the end. As a former music major, I was very impressed by the sophistication of the music, not to mention that it was all a cappella! They participated in a choir festival in another town at the very end with a number of other highly polished choirs.

The other choir leaders were very impressed with how good they were and that all their material was a cappella. On that particular field trip, the enthusiasm was so high that the girls, of their own volition, did a spontaneous 'flash mob' style choir performance at the local Burger King over lunch! To the big grins and applause of the patrons. Another advantage to being a cappella. :- This has been a great musical and social experience for our daughter!

We love the Crowden Childen's Choir. Our 10 year daughter has been in the choir for three straight seasons. She loves it. The commitment was perfect for our daughter. Every Saturday at 9:30 am. The director, Betsy Marvit is amazing. She fun, engaging, committed, and an expert in her discipline. She choses the most amazing pieces for the children to sing. And the performances are a real treat. The kids really respond. If your looking for a choir program, this is the one.

A bunch of the reviews have been filtered out - it is unclear as to why given that the posts are all from parents posting opinions on how the class went and because they/we think this is a great program that other people should know about. We've had kids in the chorus for years - this will be our 4th year. The teacher chooses a wide variety of songs, which are multi-part and sometimes in other languages.

The songs are challenging but often playful. What the kids like the most is that the music is interesting and songs are taught with a light tone and a lot of fun. Betsy has a sense of humor that hits the sweet spot for elementary aged kids, while teaching them how to use their voices. Recently, Betsy added a second chorus for the older kids, which was great as my older child now has an option that still challenges him while the younger can keep singing with him in the earlier class.

My kids have been singing in the Children's Chorus for more than three years. Betsy chooses a wide variety of songs, which are multi-part compositions and often in other languages. Yet, this challenging content is always presented with a deep sense of fun. Betsy has a sense of humor that hits the sweet spot for elementary aged kids, while teaching them how to use their voices.

I have been impressed that the chorus has worked so well, both for my son, who has a naturally beautiful voice, and for my daughter, who started with little talent but great enthusiasm. Even on days when the kids are grumpy leaving the house, they come out of chorus joyful and engaged. I think an opportunity like this-which is both complex and low key-is a huge gift for kids. Recently, Betsy added a second chorus for the older kids, which was a wonderful way for the more experienced students to dive deeper into the music. I'm hoping that this will be offered again, so my rising sixth grader can keep coming!

I was searching for a chorus for my fourth grade daughter and stumbled upon Crowden Children's Chorus. I didn't know anything about it or anyone who did it, but the timing was right and I figured we'd give it a try. Unknowingly, we stumbled into this wonderful hidden gem of the East Bay. The director, Betsy Marvit, is not only a great musician, but she is like a kid-whisperer.

She combines utter silliness with great musicianship--the kids adore her (and I can see why). The only negative I can say about the Children's Chorus is: forget about ever going away for the weekend during Chorus season again. Our daughter refused to miss a session--she begged us to do anything to avoid her missing her time with Betsy and the other kids.

The chorus did their end of year "recital" today. I found myself humming one of the songs tonight and my daughter begged me to stop (and not for the usual reason she does--because I have an awful voice): "hearing you hum our song is only going to make me miss it more." So--run, don't walk, to sign your 7-12 year old up for the Crowden Children's Chorus.unless, of course, you want to ever go away on a weekend during choral season.

The Crowden School is the pride of north Berkeley, the only middle school in the United States that focuses on chamber music. Founded by legendary Scottish violinist Anne Crowden in 1983, TCS balances a rigorous apprenticeship in the classical tradition with a stellar academic program. The student talent attracted by this small school (fewer than 100 kids) is jaw-dropping. Come to one of the free concerts and you'll see what I mean!