OPC 1.0: The beginning

During the first weekend of December 2005, the newly formed staff and faculty of OPC organized an exciting three-day Open House. This event featured performances and mini-workshops that allowed attendees to preview upcoming courses. Each evening concluded with concerts showcasing the talents of our faculty. We danced, ate delicious food, and relished having a dedicated space for teaching and learning music that reflected Oakland’s rich and diverse musical culture.

The first semester offered a variety of adult classes and a youth program. Adult classes included Jazz Studies, Strings, Music Theory and Songwriting, Music Technology, Afro-Cuban Rumba, Hip Hop and Spoken Word, Turntabling, Blues Piano, Jazz Guitar, a big band focused on the music of Count Basie. Aimed at youth aged 9 to 17, the Preparatory Studies in Music Program offered foundational classes during after-school hours and on Saturdays and a summer camp, the OPC Rockin’ and Rollin’ Performing Arts Summer Camp.

Between 2005 and 2014, the conservatory studios were alive with the enthusiasm of youths and adults engaging in workshops, master classes, jam sessions, concerts, and special events. OPC emerged as a key center for music education and community engagement, hosting meetings and celebrations and offering rehearsal spaces. Over the past two decades, OPC has transformed into a vibrant space, demonstrating how music teaching and learning environments can serve as dynamic hubs for creativity, fostering belonging, community connections, and healing.

Thanks for reading! Next up: “What is a Public Conservatory?”