Before he played on stage at the Grammys and Madison Square Garden, Ulf Geist was just a 4 year old kid unwrapping his first drum set on a cold Christmas morning. By the age of 5, he formed a family band with his brother on piano, his sister on bass, and his dad on guitar and vocals. Together they would play at festivals in his small German hometown and at his grandfather’s annual birthday parties, boisterous celebrations that took over entire restaurants.

But despite growing up surrounded by music, Ulf still struggled with developing his own passion for the craft. Progress was stubborn and practicing daily became a chore, something to be dreaded and avoided until the last possible minute. By the time he was a teenager, his interest was fading and he nearly left music altogether. But his teacher, seeing him lose his passion, began changing how he ran his lessons to better suit Ulf’s learning style. In the following years he began to see his love for music grow and, by extension, his dedication for studying and practicing it.

When Ulf opened Pasadena Music Academy (formerly Modern Music School) in Pasadena, California, it was this experience that inspired the two driving philosophies of the program:

When a student enjoys the process of learning, they learn faster and retain information better.
Every student learns differently.

“I often ask people why they quit music and they claim they’re not musical’, but what does that mean, to not be musical?,” Ulf says. “Often it comes from an experience they had where they were told that or made to feel that way and so they quit. I wanted to quit too when I was a teenager, but I had a teacher that found a way to make music interesting to me and keep me engaged.”

Every instructor at Pasadena Music Academy understands the responsibility that comes with teaching. If a student is struggling, we look at our own methods first. How can we adapt our process? What can we do differently?

It is our goal to make a difference in the lives of all our students and their families. Whether you’re playing in local bands, a five year old taking their first lesson, or returning to playing music after several decades, our instructors will share their passion for the craft and work with you towards your own musical aspirations.

After being in business at our Pasadena and Monrovia locations with over 1,000 students enrolled, we decided it is time to expand into the beautiful city of San Dimas with opening our San Dimas location in September 2023.

BOOK FREE TRIAL LESSON

WHY CHOOSE US?

PIANO, GUITAR, VOICE, DRUMS, BASS, DJ, MUSIC PRODUCTION, VIOLIN, VIOLA, TROMBONE, SAXOPHONE, TRUMPET, FLUTE, UKULELE, CLARINET

We find and hire the absolute best teachers, each one a talented musician in their own right. They tailor each lesson to the student to make their experience fun, engaging, and positive. With a wide variety of instruments being taught, your family can make PASADENA MUSIC ACADEMY a one stop shop for your entire family’s music lessons. We welcome aspiring musicians of all experience levels and any age, even adults. We offer music lessons in piano, guitar, voice, drums, bass, DJ, music production, ukulele, violin, viola, trombone, saxophone, trumpet, flute and clarinet.

FREE BAND WORKSHOPS

Throughout the year we offer a free band workshop to all our students called “Tomorrow’s Rockstars”. This unique program aims to give students the experience of playing in a band with their fellow aspiring musicians, a crucial element of their musical education. This workshop has been a complete success with both students and their families. Our students have a blast playing songs they love and building friendships with their bandmates. Most importantly, we see their confidence and motivation grow immensely through this special program. Many of our beginner students participate after only a few months of lessons.

LEVEL UP MUSIC ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM

At Modern Music School Pasadena, we use a system of certificates, wristbands, and stickers to track student growth from level 1 to 10, similar to the belts in a martial arts program. This structured, nationally-recognized approach, is free and optional for all our students. Giving students a fun, tangible way to mark their success does wonders to motivate them to practice their instrument and push their limits.

UNLIMITED MAKE-UP LESSONS

We understand that your family’s schedule can change on a dime. That’s why we offer unlimited make-up lessons. You’ll be able to cancel and reschedule your lessons through our online student portal without even having to contact us. If you prefer, we are happy to reschedule lessons for you as well.

PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES

Modern Music School organizes two recitals each year, usually held at the beautiful Boston Court Pasadena. Recitals act as a goal for students to work towards as well as a place to showcase their talents for friends and family alike.

BEAUTIFUL FACILITY AND PLENTY OF FREE PARKING

Our state of the art facility includes a comfortable parent’s lounge stocked with free amenities, including Wi-Fi, water, coffee, tea, and magazines. We also have a charging station for your devices, a massage pillow, and coloring books for the little ones. There is plenty of free parking available right in front of our school.

PROFESSIONAL OFFICE STAFF AVAILABLE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO SERVE YOU

Our office staff is available for you seven days a week. We make it a priority to always be there for you, to help in any way we can with exceptional customer service.

MONTH TO MONTH LESSONS

No long-term commitments. All students are on a month-to-month basis.

A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF EXCELLENCE

Trusted by hundreds of families that come to our school each week since 2011, we are committed to offering the best possible music education and customer service. Don’t just take our word for it, visit our Google and Yelp pages to see what our students and their parents say about us.

THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IS OUR TOP PRIORITY

We take multiple steps to ensure the safety of our students and families. Our entire staff and teaching faculty is background checked. All of our teaching rooms have security cameras and video footage is stored for two months. We also have an open door policy, meaning you’re welcome to join your child’s lesson at any time. And all of our rooms have observation windows (with the exception of our drum rooms, due to sound proofing).

PICTURE DAY

Every year we host a free picture day with a professional photographer. This is a service that parents love. Students can bring their instruments to the photo shoot and wear whatever they like. Our adult students are welcome too!

BOOK FREE TRIAL LESSON