Founded in 2015 by the family of renowned film composer John Williams, MAP is a vibrant community of world-class musicians and educators who partner with schools across Los Angeles County to provide tuition-free instrumental and vocal music instruction, coaching, and mentoring for youth ages 5-18, along with free or low-cost professional community concerts in underserved communities. It began with a single band class at New Roads HS in Santa Monica and has grown to include partnerships with schools and school districts in Burbank, Simi Valley, Los Angeles, Inglewood, and North Hills/Monroe Community, as well as music career training and apprenticeship programs serving young people ages 15-27. Since its inception, MAP programs have impacted more than 41,000 students, teachers, parents, and community members.

Its core instructional program, Artists in Schools, is facilitated by award-winning professional musicians working in the film, concert hall, and recording industries. They provide mentorship and training through sequential workshops in fourteen disciplines (including Choral, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Horn, Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Percussion, Bass, Cello, Viola, Violin, and Piano), culminating in public performances. All programs align with California Visual & Performing Arts Standards.

Our larger goal is to improve the creative workforce pipeline by aligning music education with paid, credentialed career pathways. MAP created two pre-professional training programs—RISE Film Scoring Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Los Angeles (CO-LA) and, in April 2024, was approved for a groundbreaking, federally recognized apprenticeship supporting twelve music occupations.

MAP is a highly sought-after partner, recognized for high-quality instruction and youth engagement. The program instills confidence, builds teamwork, and prepares youth for a lifelong journey of creativity and growth. Additionally, MAP creates jobs, contracting an average of 150 teaching artists to support approximately 800 classes, workshops, and public events annually. Nearly 70% of the annual budget directly supports professional teaching artists and mentors.