Happy New Year! 3rd Saturdays @ CCC & African Ensemble on Sunday 1/18!

Posted on January 14, 2026 by chris

Donate to WCCMA or Become a Sponsor!

Howdy neighbors!

Happy New Year! We are so excited for all the great things that’ll happen this year (we have quite a few in the work *wink wink*), and we look forward to your continued support, to WCCMA, the arts, the artists, and all the creatives.

Keep reading to see things happening this weekend & I hope to see you there!

Stay creative.

Chris’ music recommendation this week – Giant Steps by John Coltrane (link to YouTube)

Check the dates below, sign up for lessons, get on our mailing list
or visit our calendar for all the upcoming events!

Arts and Crafts Day
Saturday 1/17 11:00AM–12:30 PM
@ Claremont Creative Center

Let your creativity flow at Arts and Crafts Day at the West Claremont Center for Music and Arts! Join other artists and bring friends!

Welcome to Arts and Crafts Day at Claremont Creative Center! Join us on January 17, 2026 at 11:00 AM to enjoy a space filled with creativity, inspiration, and community! Make comics, make zines, do watercolor, and try oragami!

RSVP to Let us know that you’re coming!

SACRED HARP Singing
Saturday 1/17 2:00–4:30 PM
@ Claremont Creative Center

Join us, friends! We’ll sing from the Sacred Harp (Denson, 1991)
Free with donations gladly accepted. All are welcome; no experience is necessary.
Loaner books available.

African Ensemble with Mamadou Diabaté
Sunday 1/18 2:00–3:30 PM
@ Claremont Creative Center

Suggested donation $15

Learn from the internationally renowned balafon and percussion master Mamadou Diabate! No experience necessary, learn to play African instruments including the balafon, djembe, and other African percussion instruments.

JOIN THE AMAZING MUSICAL EXPERIENCE

SAVE THE DATE for upcoming events and workshops

2/21 Saturday 11:00 AM — Art & Craft Day / Beginner’s Comics With Cartoonist Wayne Carter
2/21 Saturday 2:00 PM — Sacred Harp
2/28 Saturday 2:30 PM — I love figure drawing!

Music Lessons, Ensembles, and Art Classes open for registration now!
Get on the list for music lessons and ensembles here

WCCMA Music Lessons Interest Form

Check our Calendar for more upcoming events

The arts need you! Please consider a donation to support WCCMA and community access to the Claremont Creative Center

Have you missed previous concerts? Watch them on our YouTube Channel!

Thank you for your continued support!
Donate to WCCMA or Become a Sponsor!

Winter Celebration—Friday 12/19 @ 5:30-7 PM & Thank you for your support!

Posted on December 18, 2025 by chris

Donate to WCCMA or Become a Sponsor!

Check the dates below, sign up for lessons, or visit our calendar for all the upcoming events! Sign-ups for Winter Semester Lesson and Ensembles begins soon!

Winter Celebration Party & Open House
Friday 12/19 5:30–7:00 PM
@ Claremont Creative Center

Join us for a joyful celebration of art, music, and community!
Free and open to everyone. Donations are gratefully accepted.

Join us at the Claremont Creative Center for an open house party with music including a special performance of “O Holy Night” and music by our students, art making, sweets and snacks, and a raffle.

All donations benefit the West Claremont Center for Music and the Arts’ community music and arts programs, and the Claremont Creative Center Building in downtown Claremont!

RSVP to Let us know that you’re coming!

SAVE THE DATE for upcoming events and workshops

12/20 Saturday 2:00 PM — Sacred Harp (more info below)

Music Lessons, Ensembles, and Art Classes open for registration soon!
Get on the list for music lessons and ensembles here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9OSxaUdeA1PMDtAb0Dm1SStQY0hzIUUPofVJ-nbXTgd6OPg/viewform?usp=share_link&ouid=103868870750285441683

Check our Calendar for more upcoming events

The arts need you! Please consider a donation to support WCCMA and community access to the Claremont Creative Center

SACRED HARP Singing
Returning Winter 2026 at Claremont Creative Center!

Join us, friends! We’ll sing from the Sacred Harp (Denson, 1991)

Free with donations gladly accepted. All are welcome; no experience is necessary.
Loaner books available.

Have you missed previous concerts? Watch them on our YouTube Channel!

Thank you for your continued support!
Donate to WCCMA or Become a Sponsor!

Giving Tuesday—donate today to support the WCCMA & Thursday 12/4 The Power of Balafon: Balla Kouyaté & Mamadou Diabaté!

Posted on December 1, 2025 by chris

This Giving Tuesday we ask you to consider supporting WCCMA! Your contributions not only make incredible performances by award-winning musicians happen in Claremont, it supports art classes, music lessons, ensembles, and school residencies – AND it supports the beautiful Claremont Creative Center venue. We have big projects planned in 2026 and beyond, your support now helps us keep the home fires burning until then!

Donate to WCCMA or Become a Sponsor!

We hope to see you Thursday for the first time ever performance of the Power of Balafon with internationally renown artists Mamadou Diabate and Balla Kouyate (with a guest appearance on conga of our great friend and percussionist Stuart Paton!)

Then come party with music art and goodies at the Winter Celebration on December 19th! We’ll have student musician performers and special guest singer Morgan Brophy singing “O Holy Night,” plus art activities and more!

Check the dates below, sign up for lessons, or visit our calendar for all the upcoming events! Sign-ups for Winter Semester Lesson and Ensembles begins soon! I hope to see you soon at our next event.

The Power of Balafon:
Balla Kouyaté & Mamadou Diabaté
Thursday 12/4 6:30–8:00 PM
@ Claremont Creative Center

Renowned award-winning percussionists/multi-instrumentalists Balla Kouyaté and Mamadou Diabaté’s new collaborative project makes the impossible possible! Join us for an intimate small ensemble – the first performance of these new works.

Representing two powerhouse African balafon family legacies, this is the first time ever that the two differently tuned African balafons – one from Burkina Faso and one from Mali – are able to perform together in harmony. Kouyaté has built a special instrument so that the scales of the two instruments are no longer in dissonance, allowing the two virtuosos to compose and perform together in tandem. The high-energy and innovative musicianship of the two artists creates an uplighting and energetic audience experience!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT TO SUPPORT WCCMA