About the Los Angeles College of Music

History

The Los Angeles College of Music (LACM), was founded in 1996 as
The Los Angeles Music Academy (LAMA). The school initially offered
certificates in Drum, Bass, and Guitar performance. These programs
were created by founding Department Chairs: Frank Gambale, Guitar
Department; Dave Carpenter, Bass Department; and Ralph Humphrey &
Joe Porcaro, Drum Department. Vocal and Music Producing & Recording
programs soon followed. The backbone of the curriculum has always
been providing students with the skills necessary to compete in the
commercial music industry.

Classes were originally held in what we know today as the “South
Building” at 370 S Fair Oaks Avenue. Even before our occupancy, the
building had long been considered to be an educational landmark. Built
in the 1940s, first occupants consisted of pre JPL scientists that were
learning to build satellites as part of the Space Race. In 1969, the press
conference announcing the Moon Shot was televised from an office in the
South Building.

In 2012, LACM received accreditation for Bachelor programs, and in
2013, the school expanded into the “Union Garage”, at 300 S Fair Oaks
Ave. The “North Building” now hosts performances, recordings,
graduation commencements, and more. In the years prior to LACM’s
acquisition, Maserati occupied the space. Affectionately, we have
named it the Garage Performance Venue to commemorate the building’s
footprint in the community. Signage from the original business still
decorate the exterior walls. The “North Building” is included in the list
of historical landmarks of Pasadena.

In 2014, LAMA became the Los Angeles College of Music.
Soon thereafter adding Music Business, Songwriting, Composing for
Visual Media, Brass & Woodwind, and Piano performance programs. In
2021, LACM received accreditation to offer Master of Music and Master of
Arts degrees. Today, LACM is a leader in music education offering 21
nationally accredited major offerings at the baccalaureate and graduate
degree level (National Association of Schools of Music). In 2022,
LACM expanded community programs with Bridge to Success (BTS). BTS is an English and cultural
immersion program that allows international students to earn the
English proficiency needed to attend LACM. BTS also showcases additional academic
and musical coursework. In late 2025, LACM announced a new Bachelor of Arts in Music Education program, with the first cohort starting in Fall 2026.

The Faculty and Staff are proud of how far LACM has come as an
institution for higher education in music. We are excited to see where the
future of contemporary music takes us.

Mission Statement

LACM is an incubator for limitless creativity, discovery based music education connecting innovative curriculum & industry relationships.

Accreditation

Accreditation

The Los Angeles College of Music is nationally accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) since November 1, 2003.

Licensure by the State of California

The Los Angeles College of Music is a private institution licensed to operate by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE).

Any questions a student may have regarding this catalog that have not been satisfactorily answered by the institution may be directed to:

Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education
2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95833
www.bppe.ca.gov
(888) 370-7589 or by fax (916) 263-1897

As a prospective student, you are encouraged to review this catalog prior to signing an enrollment agreement. You are also encouraged to review the School Performance Fact Sheet, which must be provided to you prior to signing an enrollment agreement

A student or any member of the public may file a complaint about this institution with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education by calling (888) 370-7589 or by completing a complaint form, which can be obtained on the bureau’s Internet Web site www.bppe.ca.gov

Website: www.bppe.ca.gov
LACM: BPPE LACM Direct Link

Annual Report: Report Year 2016

Phone Number: (916) 431-6959
Toll Free: (888) 370-7589
Fax Number: (916) 263-1897

Any questions regarding the Student Catalog, Student Handbook, School Performance Fact Sheet, the College’s Enrollment Agreement, or our Annual report can be directed to LACM at [email protected] or 626-568-8850

Visit our Consumer Documents page for more info.

Contact Info

Phone: 626.568.8850

North Building:
300 S Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena CA 91105

Administration in North Building
Business Hours: 8am – 5pm

South Building:
370 S Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena CA 91105

Diversity Statement

The faculty and staff of Los Angeles College of Music (LACM) strive to provide an educational experience free from discrimination based upon but not limited to culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, political or religious affiliation. Therefore, LACM will provide reasonable accommodations for students, faculty, and staff to help develop, maintain, practice, and celebrate individuality.

Executive Team

C. Thomas Aylesbury

President

Education – Bachelor of Arts, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

Founding Executive – 1996

Born in Rolling Hills (Palos Verdes Peninsula), California, in 1963, Tom Aylesbury graduated from the California Polytechnic State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Agricultural Business Management.  He is currently President of the Los Angeles College of Music, where his daily responsibilities include education development, marketing, financial planning and community outreach.

A resident of Pasadena, Mr. Aylesbury got his start at the aerospace research and development company Sabre Tech, Inc., where he became Vice President within five years.  He then moved on to become general manager at Engineered Percussion, where he led percussion equipment sales teams across the world.  Mr. Aylesbury was a committee member for the Union Station Foundation Benefit An Evening for the Station for seven years before becoming Chairman in 2007. 

 

Erin Workman

Executive Vice President

Education – Bachelor of Arts in Music Education/Vocal Performance, California State University, Chico

With over 15 years of experience in the music industry, Erin Workman brings a combined expertise in areas of Music Publishing, A&R, Artist Development, Vocal Coaching, Entertainment Education, Industry Relations and more. A degree in Music Education and Vocal Performance prepared her to enter into the industry as a signed staff songwriter and recording artist for Gaylord Entertainment (including Acuff Rose and Warner Chappell) in Nashville, TN, which led to entry into writing for Film/TV projects and various publishing/licensing ventures.

While working with artists and songwriters, there was a natural ease into the field of Artist Development which brought Workman to Los Angeles to write for Disney (Suite Life of Zack & Cody) and work with such artists as DJ Ashba (Sixx:AM), Drake Bell (Nickelodeon/Sony), Miley Cyrus (Disney), Zac Efron (Disney), Selena Gomez (Disney), Ashley Tisdale (Disney), Emma Roberts (Sony/Columbia) and many more. As a session singer/pianist and songwriter, Erin can be found on projects as varied as Rufus Wainwright, Russell Crowe – TOFOG, Disney’s “Suite Life of Zack and Cody”, Nickelodeon’s “Unfabulous” – Emma Roberts, and various Film and TV projects and Erin’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and Vocal Performance from CSU, Chico and her primary instruments are voice, piano/keyboards and guitar.

In her previous executive position as Senior Director of A&R at TAXI Music, Erin utilized her passion for helping artists to achieve great success and continues currently as an A&R consultant for several major music companies. In this capacity, she also forged a number of important relationships with publishers, A&R representatives, music supervisors and managers for the purpose of promoting the talent of the TAXI members to the industry at large. As a result, the members secured many Film/TV placements and a prominent artist/writer signings. Erin is also the Department Chair for Songwriting and Music Business and Executive Vice President at LACM.

 

Dr. Daniel Walker

Dean of Academic Affairs & Faculty

Education – PhD, Music Composition, University of California, Los Angeles

Contemporary American classical composer Daniel Walker’s music has been heard on the concert stage, in film and on television, including work for HBO, NBC, ABC, PBS, Bavaria Film and many others.

Film work in Asia includes the score and theme song for the stylish thriller Curiosity Kills the Cat, and the theme song for The Galaxy Railways, a hit Japanese anime series.

Walker’s classical ballet, The Last Mission of Marco Polo, was premiered by the Shanghai Ballet Company as part of the opening festival of the China’s World Expo in May 2010. Choreographed by José Martinez (Opéra de Paris), the historically based work continues to be performed as part of the company’s repertoire. A unique staging of the ballet was performed in January 2018 at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. It was included in the repertoire of the 2019 tour of Hong Kong and western Europe and was performed in January 2020 in Shanghai.

His five-movement work See Without Looking, commissioned by the Forbidden City Chamber Orchestra in 2016, is inspired by the writings of the Tao Te Ching – focusing on the origin of the world, and the philosophy of “The Way”. It was premiered by the ensemble in March 2017 at the New England Conservatory / Jordan Hall, Boston. The work was recorded at United Recording Studios in Los Angeles, and released on August 1, 2017.

Walker’s musical Qing Cheng/Dark City – inspired by the Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong and the life of its people – was premiered July 20, 2017 in New York as part of the New York Musical Festival for 2017. QC Playbill NYMF 2017 The show has since been redeveloped with a new script by NYC-based playwright Damon Chua, new songs by Walker and retitled “Last Place on Earth”. Completed in July 2019, the updated show is currently in development for production.

Walker writes a monthly review column of notable Los Angeles classical concert performances for the National Center for the Performing Arts Magazine, published by the National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing China.

Daniel Walker is a voting member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Society of Composers and Lyricists.

 

Kristin Barrios

Controller 

Education – Bachelor of Science/Accounting. Magna cum Laude, California State University, Los Angeles

Kristin joined the LACM team in October 2017 and manages the Business Office at LACM. Her 20+ year career in accounting and finance spans from startups to Fortune 500 companies, where she’s focused on building solid systems that help teams grow. She has the ability to translate the creative world of music and arts with the exactness of numbers, making her a versatile leader who understands both the creative direction and the numbers.

Beyond the financials, she’s a dedicated mentor who enjoys helping team members master advanced Excel and refine their technical skills. When she isn’t reconciling accounts or working through fiscal year reporting, you can usually find her checking out a new local restaurant, trying new recipes to cook, cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers, LA Kings, and UCLA, or relaxing at home with her husband and cat.

 

Bryan Lipps

Performance Program Director

Education – Masters Of Music, Manhattan School of Music

Bryan Lipps is a Los Angeles–based trumpeter, writer, and educator with an international
career spanning Grammy Award–winning recordings, major world tours, and film and television
soundtracks. As a featured trumpet soloist, arranger, and band member, he has toured globally
with multi-Grammy-winning recording artists Michael Bublé and John Mayer, performing in
over 30 countries on world tours including It’s Time, Call Me Irresponsible, Crazy Love, Love,
Battle Studies, and Higher. As a jazz musician, Lipps was a member of the Joe LaBarbera
Quintet, is a graduate of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and has appeared at major
festivals including the Umbria Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz &
Heritage Festival, and North Sea Jazz Festival.

As a writer, Lipps co-wrote the Billboard chart-topping single Nobody But Me for Michael
Bublé, featuring Black Thought of The Roots. His recording credits include Grammy-, gold-, and
multi-platinum-selling albums for Warner-Reprise and Columbia Records, with notable releases
such as Crazy Love, Call Me Irresponsible, To Be Loved, Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square
Garden, and Higher (Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop). He has also recorded for film
and television projects including Ally McBeal, Charmed, Boston Public, Butter, and Gregory
Hines: Bojangles. His collaborators include leading producers and composers such as David
Foster, Umberto Gatica, Steve Jordan, Bob Rock, Bill Holman, and Terence Blanchard.

In addition to his performance career, Lipps is an accomplished jazz educator and arts leader. He
currently serves as Program Director at Los Angeles College of Music, where he has developed
undergraduate and graduate curricula, directed award-winning ensembles, and guided students to
national recognition, including DownBeat Student Music Awards and top honors at major jazz
festivals. Previously, he was an instructor at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts,
mentoring students who earned DownBeat Student Music Awards, Spotlight Awards, and
Monterey Jazz Festival Next Generation honors. He also serves as a consultant and educator for
the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz at UCLA. His educational work includes extensive high school
outreach, interdisciplinary jazz initiatives, and clinician roles.