About

Community Music School’s (CMS) mission is to enrich lives and communities by offering excellent music education, performances, and cultural experiences. Our guiding principles include:

•     Welcoming individuals of all ages, abilities, interests, and backgrounds.
•     We are committed to excellence in everything we do.
•     We believe that music and cultural experiences play essential roles in building dynamic, cohesive, and proud communities.
•     We inspire creativity and passion for music and cultural experiences.

The vision for Community Music School is to be a vital source of musical inspiration and education, and a place for people to come together to enjoy diverse cultural experiences, contributing to vibrant communities for everyone. To accomplish this goal, we offer instrumental and vocal instruction to students of all ages. Each week students attend individual and group lessons, study music theory, and participate in chamber ensembles.

Founded in 1991, Community Music School mission is to enrich lives and communities by offering excellent music education, performances, and cultural experiences. Our mission is based on the notion that music should play a vital role in the life of a healthy community and that everyone has the capacity for musical expression at their own appropriate level of understanding and skill.
Community Music School began its programs in a local church. Within just three years, CMS outgrew this space and began looking for a home of its own. Assistance came from the William Penn, Arcadia, and Theodore Presser Foundations, making it possible for CMS to purchase and renovate an 18th century farmhouse located at 775 West Main Street in Trappe.
Keeping up with the demands of a rapidly growing community has always been a challenge for CMS. In 2005 CMS began a 1.5 million capital project that resulted in a beautiful 18-studio facility complete with a 200-seat performance hall.

Over the last 31 years CMS has developed a continuum of music education beginning with programs for preschool children all the way through retired seniors that includes traditional and Suzuki instruction, music therapy, music theory, ensembles, classes, and much more. Community Music School’s 32 exceptional teachers are outstanding musicians with active performing careers throughout the greater Philadelphia region. A staff of three full-time, dedicated employees manage the administrative duties to keep CMS running.

In 2006 CMS launched a professional concert series called A Little Night Music. Five to six concerts are offered each season in our 200-seat Ingrid Larsen Evans Hall by renowned musicians. At least one concert features members of Community Music School’s own talented faculty each year.
Since 2015 CMS has developed partnerships with ArtFusion 19464, the Perkiomen Valley Art League, Greater Norristown Art League for exhibition programming for The Gallery at CMS. We have partnered with area libraries to offer free concerts and music workshops, as well as summer programming for the libraries, and the Spring Valley YMCA. CMS partners with the local public school’s Community Education programs to bring music education opportunities to their communities.