Centre for Musical Minds

It’s a GREAT day to make music at Centre for Musical Minds!

Today our students have the opportunity to attend a jazz/pop improv class with the incomparable Mike Springer, as well as a Secrets to Songwriting class with Ms. Kaswanna, AND the one and only Andrea Wallace will be on site for some vocal coaching!

Last year at this time we were performing to a sold out house at Carnegie Hall, and this year our focus is EVERY student learning how to create their own music.🎶

Grateful for the opportunity to enrich our community with music!

What an incredible two days of music-making at CMM this has been!

Yesterday, our students learned how to accompany themselves while they sing, using chords and correct left-hand voicing. By the end of the hour, everyone had learned a song and sung it while playing. The rhythm, confidence, and joy in the room were amazing.

Today, the energy continues with our African drumming class, where students are discovering that music is so much more than notes on a page. They are practicing deep listening, exploring culture, building rhythm together, and experiencing the power of community through sound.

These classes remind us why music education matters. It builds confidence, connection, discipline, creativity and of course teamwork…one beat at a time. 🎶

We are so proud of our students and grateful for the joy they bring into every class!

June updates are out!

June Updates June Updates

We’re filling our fall schedules already!

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Qishan Shi to the CMM faculty this fall!

Dr. Shi brings not only an incredible musical background, but also the kind of artistry, clear communication and teaching excellence that will deeply benefit our students.

At CMM, our goal is always to help each musician become a better version of themselves through music. Dr. Shi will bring fresh perspective, high-level expertise, and an inspiring standard of excellence to our students as they continue to grow.

This is an exciting step forward for our program, and we cannot wait for our students to experience all that Dr. Shi will bring to the CMM community.

Students interested in studying with Dr. Shi this fall are encouraged to contact us soon, as we expect her schedule to fill quickly!

https://www.centreformusicalminds.org/faculty/dr-qishan-shi

We couldn't be more proud of our Better Together event we held at SMU this past spring. When we work together, we truly are BETTER when we're TOGETHER!

Better Together March 2026, CMM presented four school-wide "Better Together" recitals, featuring student ensembles with over 160 participants on the beautiful Southern M**h...

This looks incredible! Join if you can, May 28th

🧠🎵 Science says music and math are more connected than you think. Learn what that means for your child.

Join AoPS for tomorrow, May 28th at 4:00 PM PT / 7:00 PM ET, for "Melodies and the Mind: The Neuroscience Behind Music Education".

Neuroscience-backed educator and Brain Health Activist Genein Letford (founder of Brainolicious Adventures®) will break down:

✅ Why music is a superpower in the era of AI and brain capital
✅ The real connection between music, math, and language development
✅ How arts education prepares kids for the future workforce

Genein holds degrees in psychology and educational development from UCLA and CSUN and partners with the Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas. We are thrilled to have her! 🙌

👉 RSVP now for tomorrow's event! https://bit.ly/4nZcMyA

‘The Notes of Joy’ is a Frisco-based volunteer organization that CMM student Asha Pradhan leads. Each spring and fall, she organizes concerts of students who go and perform in local retirement centers, bringing music that hopefully sparks joy in these people’s lives. By giving back, students who perform also experience joy and often say it’s a highlight of their year. What better gift is there than music that sparks joy?! 💜🎶

Keep up the amazing work, Asha!

Congratulations to longtime faculty member, now Dr. Mai Mizuno!!