As part of our outreach program, Music Live, started in 2007, brings live classical music performances to Nevada County's K-8 schools. A professional brass quintet, piano quintet and wind quintet provide "Informances" (performing, demonstrating and teaching) in school assemblies.To make the most of this experience, MIM captures the ‘teaching moment’ by requesting that students write thank you letters. This simple action helps students put into writing what they saw and heard. Music Live is coordinated in part by the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools Office.

Click on the Box at right, then and watch a Music Live presentation...

Peers Performing 4 Peers     back to top

Our Young Musicians and Young Composers go directly into the Nevada County k-8 classrooms to perform. The performace consists of a brief introduction of performer and musical work, live performance with a followup Q and A. The classroom environment allows students to interact with the young performers, asking questions they would not ordinarily have the opportunity to ask in a formal concert environment. This action of seeing and hearing their peers perform is an empowering event. As part of our educational outreach, Peers Performing 4 Peers, Music Live, Classics for Kids and Brummitt-Taylor all help support each other, reinforcing music in our community’s schools

Brummitt Taylor Listening Program

Brummitt Taylor (BT) consists of a kit of 8 classical CDs with lesson plans and instructions for teaching and playing music in the classroom for 5-10 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 5 years. Music in the Moujntains makes these $300 kits available to teachers free of charge as part of our educational outreach program. We support school teachers' use of the program with training events.

A BT Teachers Workshop in conjunction with Superintendent of Schools Office is offered to help educate teachers about the ease and success of the BT program. This program has been in place since 2003 and is now reaching out to more than 3500 Nevada County school children a day.

Classics for Kids                 back to top

Classics for Kids is presented in partnership with the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools (SOS) Office. The SOS office busses in over 700 4th graders to the Amaral Family Festival Center for this free concert. This event provides many Nevada County students a first time opportunity to see and hear a live orchestra concert. Teachers are encouraged to prep their students before the concert by playing recordings of the music on the program and talking about the composers ahead of time. More than just a concert, Classics for Kids is a teachable moment.

CD Recycle Program is a clever way of recycling those old, unwanted, classical CDs you have lying around the house. We collect them and then distribute them to Nevada County school teachers for free, facilitating classical music in the classrooms.

Young Musicians' Competition          back to top                 

The Young Musicians Competition (YMC) was started in 1987. YMC provides the opportunity for Nevada, Sierra & Placer County music students, ages 6-18, to study, memorize and perform classical repertoire for professional teacher/judges. Students can participate in solo, as well as ensemble divisions. All participating students receive detailed written critiques from the adjudicators. Music in the Mountains works with private and school music teachers crafting this program to meet the needs of their students. Cash prizes are awarded to winners. The Jean Brook Dunning Scholarship is awarded to best student performance. YMC concludes with a Sunday Showcase Concert, open to the public, featuring winners in all categories and divisions. Download 2010 materials:    Solo Application    Ensemble Application    Literature Requirements

Young Composers Program

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This collaborative program between Music in the Mountains and the Nevada County Composers Cooperative kicks off early in the school year with youth from 5th grade through college. The program consists of Saturday classes and private lessons throughout the school year with teachers Mark Vance and Jerry Grant.  Students present a mid-year recital of vocal works, and the program culminates with the Young Composers Concert. This concert features student works, performed by professional musicians, during our Summer Festival.

free and open to the public, is held during SummerFest. This event targets young children, their parents and grandparents. A charming 45 minute concert, KinderKonzert is specially geared to the young audience and the young at heart. This event is a great way to introduce children to the symphony orchestra.

is music education for adults. In conjunction with our concerts, we present an afternoon class for adults encompassing the music and composers featured at those concerts. This is your chance to be an educated listener!

occur with the conductor, featured composers and soloists 45 minutes prior to concert time. Be an educated listener and get more out of every concert.

We offer annual DVD’s of Young Composers Concert and Young Musicians Showcase Concert. Volunteer videographers have generously donated their time to document our  B-T CD Listening Program, Music Live with the Sierra Brass Quintet, and (soon to be) Young Composers Program. These DVD's help demonstrate the many strong, successful educational facets we have.

We currently have three scholarship programs. The Jean Brook Dunning Award goes to the outstanding performance during the Young Musicians Competition. The Jason Pell Scholarship is awarded to a continuing college student majoring in music. Donner Mine Music Camp Scholarships are given to fund students for a weeklong summer band camp.  Our education committee is developing a scholarship that is specifically reserved for family hardship situations. It is designed to help needy students with lessons or instrument rental.

The Great Giveaway Raffle (produced by Allegro Alliance) has been a major source of fund raising for MIM’s education programs. It is assisted by the SPD scrip program. When a community member shops at SPD Markets, Our education program receives 3% of the money spent. We are currently averaging $500 per month. This program helps support our Music Live events. We also have a similar program in place with Save Mart. This uses a credit card available at the office. It’s so easy to be an education donor just by buying groceries, Shop, Shop, Shop!

"This festival is a veritable feast of delights... a brightly wrapped gift" - The Sacramento Bee

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