Young Artists Conservatory Of Music

Young Artists Conservatory of Music (YACM) was founded in April of 2005 as a non-profit music education organization.  Today YACM is operates three divisions of arts performance and education with over 700 participating students countywide. The Three Divisions of YACM are theConservatory itself, Solano Youth Theatre, and Music Matters

Young Artists Conservatory of Music (YACM) was conceived from a local home based piano studio located in Vacaville, California.  From 1995 - 2005, the piano studio of Wanda Cook grew to instruct over 70 students and employed 4 part time teachers and one office assistant.  Through multiple collaborations and a vision to expand the excellence of pedagogic piano instruction along with dynamic, original and skillful performance, the non-profit corporation was launched in April of 2005. 

By December of 2005 YACM moved to is first commercial studio location on Cernon Street in Vacaville, California. Shortly additional studios were expanded to a second site and before the end of 2006 YACM added to its piano school a School of Strings, Voice, Rhythm and an Early Child Department. 

With the school of piano having the largest enrollment all performances were thus heavily influenced.  The original dramatic concert about the life and music of Beethoven, Ludwig’s Legacy, ran for the 2006 closing season, and the 2007 opening season. At the end of the 2007 season, YACM produced its first multi-discipline dramatic concert opera at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre, entitled Songs of the High C’s. 

In the spring of 2008, an extreme national recession bared down on the local economy.  Although many programs had grown, YACM realized its first decline of students and contributions and many programs were discontinued.   Little by little budget stabilization was realized and by 2010 YACM began experiencing student growth.

By 2010, YACM had expanded all schools and has performed in multiple community events.  Through consistent community involvement, YACM students train and perform continually throughout the year.  YACM performs for or in Vacaville Halloween Stroll, Merriment on Main, Holiday Harmonies, Festival of the Trees, Melody Makers Recitals, Studio Master Classes, Theatre Concert Opera, Saturday Club, Wednesday Club, Solano Concert Society, Vacaville Arts Council, Young Artists Competition,  and many more community venues.  

During the Spring of 2010, YACM in collaboration with the Nelda Mundy Elementary Parents Organization launched a pilot program bringing elementary music education back to school entitled “Music Matters ©” By 2011 four public elementary schools had adopted the Music Matters program. 

In 2011, YACM adopted the 9-year-old Solano Youth Theatre to continue staging full-length professional quality Musical Theatre productions.  Under YACM management, Solano Youth Theatre performs to live orchestration for the first time. 

Today YACM oversees three divisions of music education and performing arts:  Conservatory, MusicMatters, and Solano Youth Theatre.  A new mission statement has been adopted to embrace all of YACM’s musical and theatrical non-profit efforts.  Over 700 music and theatre students countywide are educated through YACM programs.  A lean and cost effective administrative staff oversees an artistic staff of 30 instructors to ensure any student seeking excellence in a well-rounded music education can participate.