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Our Mission
The core mission of CYMG, a 501(c)(3) non-profit music education and community service organization, is to provide quality music instruction, mentoring, and performance opportunities to students who may not
otherwise have them. CYMG promotes a spirit of service while bringing students and families of all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds together to work toward a common goal: to enrich their communities through music.
The 3 Pillars of CYMG
Education
CYMG provides students of all socio-economic backgrounds equal opportunity access to quality music instruction
Performance
All CYMG students share their music with the public and develop their confidence through concerts and professional gigs.
Service
All CYMG students serve the community through performances at charity events, convalescent homes, hospitals, and more.
Our History
Crescendo Young Musicians Guild was founded by Pin Chen, long-time private violin teacher, Orchestra Director of Arcadia High School, and the Sinfonia Conductor of the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2010, Chen was laid off from her music teaching position in the LA Unified School District, along with many other music teachers in the state, including David Diaz and Akhani Cacao, members of CYMG’s inaugural Board of Directors. Seeing a need to fill the voids in music education that have been growing over the years due to constant budget cuts in the public school system, Chen decided to take her passion for music and her belief that all students deserve quality music education to start a nonprofit organization that would help bring music into the lives of children all over Los Angeles. Chen’s personal journey and her decision to start CYMG was featured in an episode of the television series, Jump Shipp.
Chen presented Vice President Cacao with her vision and plans for Crescendo. The two began working together to form and incorporate the organization in late 2010. In March of 2011, Chen assembled the other members of the Inaugural Board of Directors (Kenton Chen, Jessica Kinnevan, Jennifer Moss, and David Diaz), who began meeting to plan the beginnings of the CYMG programs. They were joined by Founding Advisory Board Chair, Becky Tsai, who was instrumental in securing the initial funding for the first year of CYMG’s programs.
CYMG kicked off a series of free music workshops for the community at the LA Music Academy in June 2011 and began regular weekly classes at LAMA, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, and Marshall High School in October 2011.