Student Pathways

CMCB’s Student Pathways are our commitment to valuing the many different reasons that people study music. Whether you’re an experienced musician, or learning music for the first time, Student Pathways help us have a conversation together about your goals—for whatever inspires you as a musician!

Our faculty are experts at guiding each student on their individual journey, and Student Pathways help take that even further. After all, great teaching is about helping each student be the best version of what they want to be.

There are four pathways:

• Musical Explorers pursue different instruments, genres, styles, and ways of engaging with music. Some are brand new to music, but others have been making music for decades. For Musical Explorers, the many possibilities and open-ended destinations are precisely what make music learning so exciting: After all, part of the joy of learning is the very act of discovering what brings you joy about it! Musical explorers value experimenting, time to tinker and explore, and the playful enjoyment of different elements of music.
  
  
• People make lifelong friendships by joining others in activities, and Community Musicians work toward participating in groups to foster camaraderie. You might like music best when it’s played together—like in a band, singing in a choir, or learning an instrument in a group. You need certain skills to play by yourself, but different skills to play with others. Community musicians spend time working on these competencies, to help them play with other musicians. They prioritize participating in music in ways that help them connect with the people around them and create joyful collaborations and friendships.
  
  
• A piece of music can be about much more than just notes and chords, and Citizen Musicians seek to understand the message, history, or social context of the music they’re making—and the impact that music can have on others! They might do things like play music in their houses of worship, start their own nonprofit, write songs to process their emotions, or volunteer their time to perform at a retirement home. Some Citizen Musicians are in a specific course of study, like music education or music therapy, that prepares them for certain careers in music. Others might use music for things like community organizing, protest marches, advocacy, or standing up for neighborhood issues, because they know that joyful music making can be one of the most powerful tools for positive change.
  
  
• Performing Musicians find intrinsic joy in rigorous practice and in developing their expressive capabilities on their chosen instruments. They choose to focus foremost on improving their technical abilities and refining their craft. Many performing musicians, but not all, are interested in pathways to audition for college/conservatories, compete in musical competitions like all-state, or in having performance as a part of their livelihood. Many Performing Musicians want to be on stage in front of an audience, but others enjoy the ritual of getting better at an instrument just for themselves.
  
  

So: what pathways do you connect with?

What does this mean for me as a student/parent?

The idea behind Student Pathways is something that our great teachers have already been doing every day: celebrating the many inspirations that bring students to CMCB for lessons and classes! By officially rolling out Student Pathways, we’re taking that spirit one step further. 

The biggest change you will notice is that you will see a lot more of the language above. Our front office team might ask you which Pathway(s) you feel connected to as you’re choosing classes or requesting a teacher. You’ll begin to see marketing materials or brochures organize classes by the themes of our Pathways. Naturally, all classes are open to all Pathways and have connections to each, but some classes may be better aligned with particular Pathways.

Ultimately, our hope is that Student Pathways can help empower you to be an even better advocate for what you want out of your journey with CMCB. 

Want to learn more? If you are a Community Music School student or family, please contact Saralyn Klepaczyk sklepaczyk@cmcb.org (Director of Student Enrollment and Experience) or Jared Field jfield@cmcb.org (Director of Programming, Community Music School). If you are a CMCB partner at a school or social services agency, please contact Rachel Chao rchao@cmcb.org (MT-BC, MSW, Director of Programming, Community Engagement).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are you doing Student Pathways?

A: We have found students and families have a lot to say about their goals for music lessons, but don’t always have the right time or place to share it with us. Students Pathways helps us understand more about what you are seeking. In every lesson, teachers have to prioritize what to focus on. Student Pathways help create a shorthand between students, teachers, and families. That way, seasoned musicians and newcomers alike can be intentional in advocating for their musical growth and working with their teachers to develop a lesson plan that reflects their shared priorities and goals.

Q: Do I have to pick one pathway and stick to it?

A: No, the pathways are meant to be flexible, and we know many students connect to different elements of different pathways, or may connect with other pathways over time. Having more curiosity about different possibilities is precisely what we’re trying to encourage, and Pathways can support you by serving as an entry point for your conversations with your teachers as your interests grow or change.  

Q: How does this affect the registration and financial aid process?

A: Applying for financial aid, paying your bill, and confirming class day and times will be similar to the past. If you’re shopping for classes or asking advice about what to take, you may notice we’ll ask you a few more questions about what Pathway you like in order to help give you the best advice!

Q: My private lessons are going well, and I don’t want to change anything. Do I have to do anything differently?

A: Of course not! That said, we invite you to use the language above to continue expressing what you’re interested in with your teacher. 

Q: Is this just about teaching? 

A: Student Pathways do speak to work that happens in a class or lesson, but they also go beyond it. If a student strives to be a Citizen Musician, our teachers might dive deeper into the historical context and contemporary connections of the music they’re learning during lesson time. If a student identifies with the Musical Explorers pathway, their lesson time might focus more on playing different styles of music or trying their hand at arranging or composing.

There are also many ways students participate at CMCB, and Student Pathways can help guide your conversations with a teacher about other ways to engage. For example, we might recommend a Performing Musician join the Rising Artist Program or audition for the Lapin Competition. With a Community Musician, we could suggest other group classes, ensembles, or social activities at CMCB for them to build friendships through music.