Ellyses Kuan, Founder and Music DirectorWe are deeply honored to be named one of Education Insider Magazine’s Top Music Schools of 2025. This recognition affirms the heart of our mission: to provide inclusive, engaging, and meaningful music learning for all—whether you’re a young beginner or an adult rediscovering your passion for music.
“It’s never too late to begin—or begin again—with music.”
A Space Where Adult Learners Thrive
While many schools focus primarily on children, we’ve built a strong and vibrant adult learning community. Our adult students range from working professionals to retirees, complete beginners to former performers—all united by a desire to grow through music.
We offer group classes tailored specifically for adult learners, fostering both musical development and social connection. For those seeking personalized guidance, our private lessons provide individualized support at every level. Adult students often tell us that joining EKS reignites a creative spark they hadn’t realized they were missing.
Performance and Ensemble: Learning Through Collaboration
Performance is a powerful part of our school’s culture. We encourage all students—including adults—to participate in studio recitals, salon-style gatherings, and small ensemble projects that build confidence, purpose, and musical communication.
Our annual Ensemble Festival, open to all ages, celebrates the joy of collaborative music-making. While most participants are children and teens, the lessons it teaches—teamwork, listening, shared expression—are central to the experience of every EKS student.
Learning from Today’s Leading Artists
We believe students should be exposed to a variety of voices, perspectives, and musical paths. That’s why we host masterclasses and workshops with nationally recognized artists and educators, offering our students first-hand insight into the professional music world.
This coming year, we’re especially excited to launch a new initiative that brings living composers from around the world into conversation with our students. These composers will not only share their work but also discuss the creative process behind it—giving students a direct connection to the music of today.
Music with Meaning: Our Annual Theme Curriculum
At EKS, we design each school year around a central theme that informs curriculum, repertoire, and performances across all levels.
This theme-based approach gives students a more immersive and interconnected learning experience.
• In 2021–2022, Love Around the World celebrated unity and peace through global music in response to the war in Ukraine.
• In 2022–2023, we marked the 100th anniversary of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals with creative performances that blended imagination and storytelling.
• In 2023–2024, we honored Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition on its 150th anniversary, bridging visual art and musical interpretation.
• Our current theme for 2024–2025, Once Upon a Time, explores music inspired by literature, including works like Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker.
• Looking ahead to 2025–2026, we’re excited to launch Living Composers: Sounds Like New, featuring contemporary works and conversations with composers from around the world.
These themes make learning more topic-driven, engaging, and fun—especially for younger students—while helping all learners connect music to history, art, culture, and the evolving voice of our time.
A Curriculum Rooted in Representation and Advocacy
As active members of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), we are deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and advocacy in music education. We believe that music should reflect the diversity of the world around us—and that every student deserves to see themselves represented in what they study and perform.
Our recitals and curriculum regularly highlight women composers, living composers, and historically underrepresented voices, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) artists. We also curate special concerts that celebrate cultural heritage and explore identity through music.
By expanding the narrative of who gets to be heard and celebrated in classical music, we hope to inspire a more thoughtful, connected, and inclusive generation of musicians.
Looking Ahead with Gratitude
To be recognized as one of the Top Music Schools of 2025 is both humbling and energizing. It reflects not just the hard work of our faculty and staff, but also the passion of our students, the support of our families, and the shared belief that music can truly enrich lives.
Whether you’re a child stepping into your first music class, a teen preparing for conservatory auditions, or an adult ready to embrace a long-held dream, EKS Music School welcomes you.
To learn more about our programs, upcoming events, or how to join our musical community, visit us at www.eksmusicschool.com. We can’t wait to share the journey with you.
