We are a premier music school located in the San Francisco East Bay, California. We primarily offer lessons in Suzuki violin, viola, and cello. We also welcome school age students for private lessons, group, orchestra, improvisation, and chamber music. 

Sycamore Strings Academy is partnered with the Livermore Valley Performance Arts Center (LVPAC), and the Crowden Center for Music in the Community (CCMC) in Berkeley. SSA performs annually at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore in our Young Musicians' Festival.

SSA also offers group lessons in guitar and early music education classes in Kindermusik in conjunction with Livermore Area Park and Recreation District (LARPD).

January 2008: Young Musicians' Festival page! Click on the link and enjoy a slide show from the event!

 Young Musicians Festival 2007 

New Concert Series page! Please, click, take a look and check your calendars!

Concert Series

What We Offer:

Suzuki Classes

  • Group & individual classes in Suzuki violin, viola, and cello for certified Suzuki teachers. Beginners from age 3 and up.
  • Parent education prior to starting a beginner student: Introduction to Suzuki.
  • Junior string orchestra for first time orchestra experience.
  • Senior string orchestra for advanced students.
  • Chamber music classes for advanced students.
  • We have an IMMEDIATE NEED FOR SUZUKI CELLO STUDENTS!

NEWS! Violin, Viola & Cello Classes

  • Private instrumental quality instruction, designed for school age children who wants to take private lessons on their string instrument. Adjusted traditional & Suzuki inspired methods will be applied by our qualified faculty to best fit each student.
  • Group, Orchestra, American & International Fiddle, Improvisation, and Chamber Music classes by audition.
  • We have an IMMEDIATE NEED FOR CELLO STUDENTS! Any age, level or background is welcome to enroll.

NEWS! Summer Orchestra 2008: Concert at the Bankhead Theater

  • Our new SSA Summer Orchestra 2008 program will be offered to all interested advanced or semi advanced students on the violin, viola, cello, or bass. The class is open for anybody; prior studentship in SSA is not required. Auditions will be required and announced in April and conducted thereafter. Look out for flyers and this website.
  • The orchestra class will be held on Wednesdays at 7:00 - 8:30pm, at the Bothwell Performing Arts Center, 2466 8th St. Livermore. It starts with an introduction rehearsal on June 4 and goes on the following eighteen dates:
  • 6/4, 6/11, (break) 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30 (break) 8/27, 9/3, 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12.
  • The orchestra will perform at the annual Young Musicians' Festival at the Bankhead Theater, Sunday, Nov. 16, at 2pm.
  • Repertoire for the classes will be chosen from ensemble works by Bach, Mozart, Britten, Warlock, Bartok, Strauss, and others.

Performances

  • Annual concert series with student performers.
  • Ensembles of advanced students groups for hire to perform at public and private events.

Guitar

  • Group classes in guitar accompaniment and singing for age 7 and up.

Kindermusik

  • As a young student, before or during instrument studies, we offer Kindermusik classes from toddler age and up, arranged by LARPD with our licensed Kindermusik educator.

Our Motto:              Everyone Can Learn!

  • As a Suzuki student you will receive a child centered, individual music education as well as a group education. Parents and students have the opportunity to learn together in accordance with the teachings of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki from teachers with certified Suzuki training.

 

  • Violin, viola, cello, and bass students will have access to private lessons and classes in orchestra, fiddle, and chamber music and multiple performance opportunities.
  • Our affiliation with the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center assures the usage of existing performance facilities like the Bothwell Performing Arts Center and the Bankhead Theater.
  • We offer our renowned annual concert series with formal concerts, student recitals, fiddle sessions, and community performances. We annually perform our own Young Musicians' Festival at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore. All our performances are a very important part of our students’ education.
  • Our partnership with the Crowden Music Center in Berkeley assures a direct connection between SSA and the music education world of the Greater Bay Area. Teachers from the SSA faculty currently teach Suzuki classes at CMC. An annual Summer Suzuki Workshop is organized as part of CMC's summer program with a faculty of outstanding national Suzuki teachers.