Community Music School

We run a free information and referral service, putting the public in touch with exemplary music teachers and community music groups offering instruction on a myriad of instruments and styles. There are currently over one hundred local music teachers listed in our database. Throughout the year, CMS provides educational and affordable concerts to the public that feature local luminaries as well as internationally known performers. Many of these events are inter-generational, highlighting talented young students as well as master musicians.

Community Music School of Santa Cruz (CMS) was founded in 1992 by recording artist/music teacher Shelley Phillips. CMS was created as a direct response to the de-funding of public school music programs that began in the 1990s. Our programs were historically designed to fill the need for music education by engaging more students in playing music, expanding the audience for music performance, and providing a continuum of experiences for young musicians throughout their development.Engaging more students in playing music benefits students, parents, music teachers, and musicians, and also expands the audience for all forms of music performance.

Workshops for players of fiddle, guitar, harp, Irish flute, penny whistle, concertina, Irish tenor banjo, dulcimer, and mandolin, and for singers. Lecture/demo classes on Scottish fiddle masters, Celtic rhythm and accents, and music theory demystified. Located on the beautiful and shady Monte Vista Christian School campus in Corralitos, California.

Now in its 22nd year, this annual event offers beginning to advanced music workshops on playing both the mountain dulcimer and hammered dulcimer. Redwood Dulcimer Day offers a low-pressure, low stress environment where everyone can relax and have fun playing and learning about the dulcimer and just making music. Workshop schedule and descriptions, as well as faculty bios, are all online at the official Redwood Dulcimer Day website.