Music Education

At SunJams, we believe that music education is a powerful tool for social interaction that teaches teamwork and cooperation, and fosters empathy. It helps children manage emotions, reduces stress, and helps boost self-esteem through performance and skills mastery. Music teaches children vital cognitive, physical, and social-emotional skills, including language development, spatial awareness, patience, and emotional regulation. It boosts memory and focus, enhances motor skills through rhythm, fosters creativity, and builds confidence and social cooperation through group performance.   

Pioneers in music education, such as Violeta Hemsy de Gainza, have proven the power of music for children. Violeta Hemsy de Gainza (January 25, 1929 – July 7, 2023) was an Argentine pianist and music pedagogue. She focused on the music education of children, improvisation, and music therapy, and considered learning music to be a human right. She introduced the Rítmica movement and body-based learning to Spanish-speaking educators, and her books emphasize improvisation and prioritizing a child's psychological needs over rigid, traditional instruction. Click here to watch a video about Violeta.

Closer to home, youth music programs by organizations such as Oaktown Jazz Workshops, The California Symphony, Elevate Oakland, San Francisco Symphony, SF Jazz, and others continue to provide opportunities for young students to learn and grow their musical talents and skills. SunJams is deeply committed to making music accessible and meaningful for youth from diverse backgrounds and communities. Your donations help us continue to support these community programs.

We invite young performers from our communities’ youth music programs to join us in live special performances. For more information, please contact us at theannexsessions@gmail.com. You are encouraged to include links/clips of your music. 

SunJams Productions is a proud partner of the Sound Minds program.

Inspired by the El Sistema program of Venezuela, California Symphony began a Sound Minds pilot program at Downer Elementary in San Pablo in 2012. Now, serving all second through sixth grade students at Downer Elementary who wish to participate, the program remains completely free of charge to students and families.

The California Symphony website contains more detailed information here about this inspirational educational program.

We invite you to watch the video below from The California Symphony that takes you on an audio/visual tour of the inspirational and wildly successful Sound Minds program.

We’re also a proud partner of Oaktown Jazz Workshops.

Founded in 1994, Oaktown Jazz Workshops is a non-profit, community based, cultural education organization dedicated to passing on the tradition of jazz music to young people through music instruction, educational presentations and live concerts in the community.

The mission of Oaktown Jazz Workshops is to provide youth – particularly underserved youth – with the support, opportunity, and agency to build their creativity and confidence within the uniquely American art-form of jazz music. 

Oaktown Jazz Workshops serves as a creative and safe space for nurturing, connecting, and elevating the next generation of professional musicians, music educators, and culture bearers. We are dedicated to the preservation of jazz music through our educational programs and performances that provide opportunities for our emerging students and alumni.  

Our intergenerational community of teachers and mentors challenge youth from all backgrounds to discover their own distinct talents and develop skills like self-discipline, the ability to collaborate, and the courage to perform—skills that will help them succeed in any field they pursue.

Click here to learn more about this incredible organization and check out the video below to view some recent TV coverage of Oaktown.