Crowden has provided an Orff Schulwerk-based K-2 music program to the Washington School in the Berkeley Unified School District since 2006. Washington, a former Title I school, would not otherwise have provided music classes at the K-2 level. This program, supported in large measure by a grant from the California Arts Council, is just one way Crowden gives back.

Crowden has also provided after-school programs at Berkeley’s Thousand Oaks School, and discussions are under way for other possible locations for Crowden initiatives. Crowden ensembles have visited Albany’ Oceanview School with a Haydn assembly, and numerous day care centers and nursing facilities have also enjoyed outreach visits from our student musicians.

Crowden is a member of Berkeley Arts Connect, a partnership between Berkeley Cultural Trust (BCT) and the University of California, Berkeley’s Public Service Center. Crowden has been a partner with other local arts leaders, including Cal Performances, the University Art Museum, Kala, the Berkeley Rep, and the Berkeley Arts Center in participating in the BCAT (Berkeley Community Arts Team), and BAESC (Berkeley Arts Education Steering Committee). Crowden is proud to support the important public school arts education advocacy work of these organizations.

Crowden's school outreach program is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.