The LA Music Academy was founded in 1996 as a consortium of musicians and instructors who wanted to create a unique learning environment for talented students. Many faculty members had taught at other schools in Los Angeles and on the east coast, and wanted to combine what they felt were the best attributes of these schools into a one-of-a kind curriculum.

Pasadena was chosen as an ideal location because of its safe streets and neighborhoods, still relatively close to the LA music scene with its nightclubs, concert venues, recording studios and entertainment companies.

The LA Music Academy building was originally built in the 1940’s for a school of NASA scientists learning-as-they-went to build satellites. The press release announcing the first man on the moon came out of an office in this building.

An average of 150 students attend the LA Music Academy each year. With over 40 faculty members on-staff, the student/teacher ratio is better than 4 to 1.

The building’s facilities include large, modern classrooms equipped with Mackie Sound Systems, Yamaha drumsets with Zildjian cymbals, and Tech 21 guitar and Gallien-Krueger bass amps. The Recording Lab is a 625 square-foot studio-quality “floating construction” room that includes three iso-booths and a neighboring drum room. The Computer Lab is outfitted with ten 20” iMacs® and a 52” LCD monitor for instructor demonstrations. Each computer has Digidesign ProTools LE® software and an MBox2® recording interface.

Ten fully-equipped practice labs are for drummers. Five practice labs and several practice stations are for guitar and bass players, as well as vocalists.

The performance hall has room for 25 players onstage and holds an audience of 160.

Outside, the building has a sunny, tree-lined courtyard with tables, chairs, and enough outdoor space to hold impromptu jam sessions.

The school is open 6AM - 1AM Monday-Friday and 8AM - 1AM on weekends (except during breaks and holidays).

Starbucks coffee shop is just a half a block away and Saladang Restaurant, a favorite with students, is right across the street. Old Town Music is the closest of 3 excellent music stores and is within walking distance of the LA Music Academy campus.

Just around the corner is the hip, vibrant neighborhood of Old Pasadena. It’s a fun place, teeming with shops and restaurants, that people in the LA area go out of their way to visit. Students love the close proximity of the LA Music Academy campus to bustling streets and abundant nightlife, with none of the safety hazards of some other Los Angeles locations.