Oakland Public Conservatory of Music

What Oakland Public Conservatory of Music does

Oakland Public Conservatory of Music (OPC) is a 501c3 nonprofit music education organization founded in 2005 by Dr. Angela Wellman as a project of Music Is Extraordinary, Inc. (MIX), operating from facilities at 492 9th Street Suite 906B and 3445 San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, California. OPC delivers affordable, culturally sustaining music education to youth (ages 6-17) and adults across the Bay Area, with a portfolio spanning Afterschool Jazz (Big Band and for Girls), Black Girls Play, Music Classes for Girls & Gender-Expansive Youth, the Summer Music Academy, vocal ensembles, private lessons, adult group classes (piano, banjo, jazz/blues, Afro-Latin, Zimbabwean marimbas, vocal improvisation), and the flagship Black Banjo & Fiddle Fellowship. Instruction is delivered in-person by a roster of teaching artists whose lineage includes collaborations with the Count Basie Orchestra, Steve Turre, Rhiannon Giddens, Airto Moreira, John Santos, and former Harry Belafonte vocalist Branice McKenzie, with curriculum explicitly centered on African American musical traditions and Oakland's regional heritage.

Name

Oakland Public Conservatory of Music

Legal name

Music Is Extraordinary, Inc.

Website

https://opcclasses.squarespace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oakland Public Conservatory of Music is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2005 that delivers affordable, culturally sustaining music education (jazz, banjo, piano, marimba, Afro-Latin ensembles) to youth, girls and gender-expansive learners, and adults across Oakland and the Bay Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Instruction (Instrumental & Vocal) (EDAMAAAE), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Music (Instruments, Voice, Music Theory) (EDAAAGAC), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE), Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ)

Keywords

• Music education
• Youth music programs
• Adult music classes
• Jazz ensemble training
• Cultural music preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Class Fees: OPC generates revenue through tuition for youth and adult music programs including afterschool ensembles, summer academy, private lessons, and group classes. Payment plans and tiered tuition options accommodate diverse income levels.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501c3 nonprofit (Tax ID: 20-2075370, legal entity: Music Is Extraordinary, Inc.), OPC receives donations supporting scholarships, instrument access, masterclasses, facilities, and general operations. The 'Brick by Brick, Note by Note' campaign aims to raise $500,000 for a new facility.
3. Instrument Rental: Banjo loan program with $100 refundable deposit and $35/month rental fee for enrolled students per 8-week session, providing revenue while supporting program accessibility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Oakland Public Conservatory of Music is a nonprofit community music school that delivers affordable, culturally sustaining music education programs for youth and adults in Oakland and the Bay Area. Programs include ensemble classes, private lessons, summer academy, and specialized fellowships such as Black Banjo & Fiddle Fellowship and Black Girls Play, with scholarships, sliding-scale tuition, and payment plans ensuring access regardless of financial means.

Product overview

Oakland Public Conservatory of Music operates as a multi-program music education organization offering a unified portfolio of culturally sustaining programs. The core offerings include youth programs (Summer Music Academy, Afterschool Jazz Big Band, Afterschool Jazz for Girls, Black Girls Play, Music Classes for Girls & Gender-Expansive Youth, Vocal Ensemble, and Private Lessons) and adult programs (Community Music Education with classes in piano, banjo, jazz, Afro-Latin ensemble, Zimbabwean marimbas, and vocal instruction). The flagship Black Banjo & Fiddle Fellowship (BBFF) serves both youth and adults. Supporting services include instrument rentals and the Catch the Vibe concert series. The organization is currently running the Brick by Brick, Note by Note capital campaign for a new facility. All programs are delivered through in-person instruction at their Oakland campus and partner school sites, with enrollment managed through the Opus1.io platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Banjo & Fiddle Fellowship (BBFF): A groundbreaking initiative dedicated to reclaiming and preserving the Black roots of old-time banjo and fiddle traditions through mentorship, performance, teaching apprenticeships, and historical study.
• Black Girls Play (BGP)
• Afterschool Jazz
• Summer Music Academy

Products and services

• Summer Music Academy An immersive two-week summer music program for youth featuring workshops in instruments, ensembles, DJing, dance, and visual arts, led by professional teaching artists.
• Afterschool Jazz Big Band A comprehensive jazz education program offering ensemble performance training, improvisation, and musicianship for middle and high school students, delivered in partnership with SFJAZZ Education.
• Afterschool Jazz for Girls A jazz ensemble for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 11-14 that introduces jazz fundamentals including swing, ensemble performance, musicianship, and improvisation, taught by female instructors.
• Black Girls Play (BGP) A holistic music education program combining instrumental and vocal study with mentorship and leadership development for Black girls and gender-expansive youth ages 11-24, featuring industry mentors and performance opportunities.
• Music Classes for Girls & Gender-Expansive Youth Year-round instrument instruction in piano, guitar, saxophone, clarinet, flute, violin, and vocal music for girls and gender-expansive youth with limited or no prior experience.
• Black Banjo & Fiddle Fellowship (BBFF) A fellowship program dedicated to reclaiming and preserving Black roots of old-time banjo and fiddle traditions through mentorship, performances, teaching apprenticeships, and historical study for Black musicians.
• Community Music Education (Adult Classes) Adult music education program featuring group classes, private instruction, and ensembles including Beginning Piano, Banjo, Jazz & Blues Ensemble, Afro-Latin Ensemble, Vocal Improvisation, and Zimbabwean Marimbas.
• Vocal Ensemble Youth vocal program teaching technique, harmony, musicianship, and ensemble performance in a collaborative setting.
• Private Lessons Individualized instrument instruction across various skill levels, allowing students to deepen technique, prepare for auditions, and pursue personal artistic goals with professional teaching artists.
• Instrument Rentals Banjo loan program with $35/month rental fee for enrolled students plus $100 refundable deposit, making instruments accessible for music education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students who study music do better in school, are more likely to graduate, and experience greater sense of belonging and connection with peers.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SFJAZZ EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015OPC and SFJAZZ Education formed a strategic alliance to address disparities in access to jazz education. In 2015 they launched the Afterschool Jazz program (formerly OPC-SFJAZZ Academy) providing comprehensive resources and opportunities for underserved middle and high school musicians of color in Oakland and the Greater East Bay.
• Oakland Unified School District (OUSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfterschool Jazz program is offered at OPC's main campus and select OUSD schools with established music programs including Edna Brewer Middle School Music and Roosevelt Middle School Music.
• Black Cultural ZoneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership supporting OPC's school and community partnerships initiatives.
• East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting youth development through music education.
• East Side Arts Alliance (ESAA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting arts programming and community cultural development.
• East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting community development in East Bay through OPC's programming.
• Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting OPC with children's art programming and community engagement.
• Jazz in the NeighborhoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting jazz education and performance opportunities in the neighborhood.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Levine Music: A Washington, D.C.-area nonprofit community music school offering private lessons, ensembles, and early childhood music across instruments. Comparable in nonprofit mission, broad curriculum, and tuition-assistance-driven enrollment model.
• Harlem School of the Arts: A NYC nonprofit community arts school offering music, dance, theater, and visual arts instruction to youth and families, with a focus on access and cultural representation. Highly comparable to OPC's mission-driven community arts education model and culturally sustaining pedagogy.
• Community Music Center of San Francisco: A Bay Area nonprofit community music school providing affordable instruction and ensembles across instruments and genres to youth and adults. Directly comparable to OPC in mission, model, and geography; both serve diverse communities with sliding-scale tuition and group/private lessons.
• Old Town School of Folk Music: A Chicago-based nonprofit music school rooted in folk and traditional music education for all ages, with concerts, group classes, and community programming. Directly comparable to OPC's cultural-preservation framing, multi-generational instruction model, and concert/workshop programming.
• SFJAZZ: A Bay Area jazz organization offering education, performances, and community programs through SFJAZZ Education. Directly comparable as an active OPC partner delivering the Afterschool Jazz program; both share a jazz-education, community-access mission.
• The Music Settlement: A Cleveland nonprofit community music school delivering private lessons, ensembles, and early childhood music programs across instruments. Comparable to OPC in nonprofit structure, multi-generational curriculum, and tuition-assistance-driven access model.
• Neighborhood Music School: A Los Angeles nonprofit community music school providing affordable private and group instruction, ensembles, and early childhood programs. Directly comparable to OPC in community-mission, multi-age instruction, and scholarship-supported access.

Regional players

• California Jazz Conservatory: A Berkeley-based jazz-focused conservatory offering degree and non-degree programs in jazz performance. Regionally adjacent to OPC and shares a jazz-education focus, but operates as a credential-granting institution with a different delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• San Francisco Conservatory of Music: A Bay Area degree-granting music conservatory serving pre-college, college, and adult students. Comparable to OPC's pre-college music instruction but operates at a much larger, credentialed scale with a broader classical/contemporary portfolio.
• Jazz at Lincoln Center: A national jazz organization with education, performance, and community programs. Overlaps with OPC's jazz education and cultural-preservation mission but operates at substantially greater scale and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/blackbanjofiddle
• Xx.com/opcmusic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oakland Public Conservatory of Music