ETM-LA, Inc. (Education Through Music-Los Angeles), ETM’s first licensed affiliate organization, expanded its partner school program this fall to reach new schools in the Burbank, Compton, Los Angeles and Pasadena Unified School Districts, and now serves approximately 5,500 students. In addition, as a growing organization ETM-LA was thrilled to recently hire its first Program Director and host its 7TH Annual Benefit Gala.
New Program Director Ryan Rowles holds a Bachelor's of Music Education degree from California State University Northridge and two Master’s degrees (M. Ed., M.A.T.) from Grand Canyon University. Mr. Rowles—whose work has focused on the use of arts standards to promote the development of the whole student—has spent 15 years teaching music classes for K-12, conducting ensembles and mentoring student-teachers.
On November 4, ETM-LA hosted its 7th Annual Benefit Gala. Supporters from the music, film and education communities gathered to honor legendary Academy Award®-winning composer John Williams and music teacher Linda Mouradian at the Skirball Cultural Center. The biggest stars of the evening, however, were perhaps the music students of the ETM-LA program playing an arrangement of Williams’ “Dry Your Tears, Afrika” from Amistad. Major artists and champions of the cause also presented awards and gave moving performances, including Lynn Harrell (GRAMMY-winning cellist), Michael Giacchino (Academy Award-winning composer), Bing Wang (LA Philharmonic Associate Concertmaster), and Deborah Borda (CEO & President, LA Philharmonic).
For more information, visit www.etmla.org.
