Our Mission

Making quality music lessons accessible to every student in Orange County.

Our Vision

Improving students’ lives by awakening their ability and giving them the knowledge to make music.

We offer group music classes on Wednesdays at Anaheim Red Shield, as well as private one-on-one instrument lessons at both Anaheim and Tustin Ranch locations. We also offer summer camps for music and art in a variety of mediums. Read on to find out how we can help bring the arts to you and your family.

The creative arts and music program also strives to provide music and art classes for our after-school program at the Henley Youth Center in Tustin and for survivors residing at our anti-trafficking facilities around the county.

Private Music Lessons

Private, one-on-one lessons are offered at our 2 locations in Anaheim and Tustin Ranch. Lessons are 30 minutes long (45 minutes for violin) and include piano, voice, all guitars, drums, bass, violin, ukulele, and mandolin.

After you register, you will not be able to remove classes, so please only choose the classes you are signing up for. After you submit your choices, you will receive a confirmation email, and then a second email with details and instructions. If you do not receive that second email, please contact alisa.hopper@usw.salvationarmy.org before you attend a lesson.

We do not accept credit card or online payments of any kind.

Cost

30-minute lessons are $105 per month (around $25 per lesson) covers both 4- and 5-week months and accounts for holidays and weeks the office is closed. 45-minute violin lessons are $157.50 er month. Payments are due at the first lesson of each month. We accept personal checks and cash.

We require a 3-month contract to begin lessons. After that, lessons are on a month-by-month basis.

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Locations

ARS: Anaheim Red Shield
1515 W. North St.
Anaheim, CA 92807

TR: Tustin Ranch
10200 Pioneer Rd.
Tustin, CA 92782

Group Music Classes

The Freer Forte Music School offers group music classes on Wednesdays at Anaheim Red Shield, 1515 W. North St, Anaheim, CA 92807. Class sessions are seasonal with a short break in between sessions. Registration is on a first come, first serve basis Please don’t hesitate to register on the waitlist as students do drop or change classes before they begin. On the first day, students will be assessed to ensure proper level placement

Students can choose one of the following classes: piano, drums, guitar, ukulele, singing, musical theater, and dance. 

Level 1: 3:00-4:00

Level 2: 4:15-5:15

Level 3: 5:30-6:30

Spring session tuition is $100 for 15 weeks per student, which is around $6 per one–hour class. monthly payment payments in the form of personal check or cash are available at just $25 per month for four months. Tuition is due on the first day of classes in the form of a personal check or cash. We cannot accept credit card or online payments.

Our spring session classes are scheduled from January 22 to May 7, 2025.

Registration for the Spring session opens December 13.

Meet Our Teachers

Alisa Hopper – Director

Alisa Hopper joined the Salvation Army OC staff in January 2023 as the Director of Creative Arts and Music. She has been teaching, preaching, and leading worship in churches, schools, and organizations for over 30 years and hopes to always be teaching in some capacity. Her first instruments are piano and voice. Alisa deeply believes in music as the universal language and that it brings people closer to God, closer to each other, and makes us better humans overall. Her desire with the creative arts and music program is to see lives changed and improved because of making music in the name of Jesus Christ.

Alex Buster – Drums

Alex discovered his passion for drumming at the young age of 12 after seeing his first rock show. Born and raised in Orange County, Alex attended Mater Dei High School where he played snare on their championship-winning drum line and began playing drums in his first rock band. That was when he knew he wanted to dedicate himself to pursuing a career in music. Throughout his college years, Alex continued to develop his musical talents performing countless shows as well as recording and releasing multiple records with his band Bristol to Memory. After graduating from CSUF in 2011, Alex toured nationally and internationally, playing festivals, and his band’s music was featured on national television and radio programs, MTV, VH1, KLOS, and most recently, released musical collaborations with the Anaheim Angels and Ducks. Alex’s love and passion for music have led him to pursue teaching, sharing his knowledge and expertise with the next generation of drummers. His individualized approach to teaching focuses on each student's unique needs, engaging each student’s creativity, and teaching the music YOU want to learn in a way that’s fun and exciting.

Ronnie Ciago

Studied at Berklee College Of Music. Teaches drums, piano, guitar, percussion in class, clinic & private settings. Has taught thousands of students worldwide. Plays drum set, percussion, lead and background vocals. Ronnie is also a producer & songwriter. He has performed drum set/percussion live and or recorded with Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), Tito Puente, Robert Downey Jr. (Actor/Singer/Songwriter), Randy Stonehill (Christian Rock Legend), Rickie Lee Jones, Patrick Moraz (Yes, The Moody Blues), Brand X, Tony Kaye (Circa/Yes/Badfinger), Billy Sherwood (Circa/Yes/Producer), Michael Sambello, Hiram Bullock, Tony Newton TNT Xtreme (Funk Brothers/Tony Williams “Lifetime”), Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones), Graham Bonnet, Jeff Berlin, Earl Slick (David Bowie), Circa, Leo Nocentelli & The Meters Experience, Riverdogs, Reeves Gabrels (David Bowie & Tin Machine), David Hentschel (Producer - Genesis, Elton John), Jack Douglas (Producer - John Lennon/Aerosmith, etc.), Brian Auger, Frank Stallone, Larry Blackmon, Ritchie Blackmore & Rainbow, Oskar Cartaya, Brandon Fields, Linda Perry (Producer - Pink, Christina Aguilera), Philippe Saisse, Marco Mendoza, Jaco Pastorius, John Pena (Bass), Kathleen Wilhoite, Mike Gibbs, Joe Vannelli (Gino Vannelli), Peaches & Herb, The Temprees, Al Jardine (The Beach Boys), The Persuaders, The Honeycone, Friends Of Distinction, Percy Sledge, Billy Paul, Blue Magic, Barbara Lynn, Sunny Ozuna, Sly, Slick & Wicked, Big Jay McNeely, Gene Chandler, The Floaters, Eddie Holman, The Moments, Paul Williams (Singer from Allan Holdsworth), Rob Lamothe, Mike Miller (Gino Vannelli, Airto), Lillix, Paul Rogers (Bad Company), Stix Hooper, David Kalish (Rickie Lee Jones), Tony Franklin (The Firm), Neil Larsen, Ndugu (Leon) Chancler, Malcom Cecil (Steve Wonder), Shani Sinnamon (Todd Rundgren), Ray Manzarek (The Doors), and many others. Ronnie Ciago has played on over 600 CD’s.

James Grover – Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin, Ukulele

James Grover has been playing guitar since the age of seven. He has toured professionally with some of the greatest musicians in the genres of rock, jazz, and blues and has credits on five professional albums. James has also taught guitar and bass for over twenty-five years, and he is a great luthier and guitar technician. He believes in keeping lessons fun and exciting, and motivating his students through the music they want to play.

Ryan McLaughlin – Violin

Mr. Ryan McLaughlin works with violin students of all ages and helps each individual to play exceptional music as well as learn to laugh and enjoy the process of becoming a virtuosic violinist.

Nmon Ford – Piano & Voice

With multiple Grammy-winning albums to his credit, Nmon Ford began his musical journey at age three as a piano prodigy. Next season he will appear in leading roles with Pittsburgh Opera, Utah Opera Theater, and several other acclaimed venues. As a highlight of the following season, he is the composer and librettist (and title-role singer) of Orfeus, A House Music Opera, which is slated for its world premiere at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. Nmon has appeared with the major orchestras of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Pittsburgh and St. Louis, as well as Mostly Mozart Festival (Lincoln Center), San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, English National Opera, Hamburg State Opera, and Teatro Comunale di Bologna, with conductors including Robert Spano, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Kent Nagano, John Adams, and Marin Alsop.

Additionally, Nmon is Founder and Creative Director for One World Productions, an entertainment media company currently partnering on projects with San Diego and LA Comic-Con, Wondercon, Detroit Opera Theater, 4D Fun (immersive reality), Wright Angle Film Productions, English National Opera, and Lincoln Center. Prior to founding One World, he was Managing Director of Branding, Marketing Strategy, and A&R for Lune Rouge Entertainment, a corporation started by Guy Laliberté, the founder and creative force behind Cirque du Soleil. Prior to Lune Rouge, Nmon arrived at Lune Rouge following a tenure as Vice President and Head of A&R at Universal Music Group’s Verve Label Group (VLG), where he oversaw U.S. media and creative projects for Verve, Decca Gold, Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, Mercury KX and Paragon, in addition to collaborations with artists signed to Republic, Interscope, Capitol, Warner, and Sony. In this role he also directly managed the Decca Gold and Paragon labels, for which he led global initiatives and partnerships. During his tenure at Universal, VLG earned an Oscar, a Golden Globe, 10 Grammys, 18 Grammy nominations, and Billboard #1 rankings on multiple charts. 

He is teaching private voice and piano lessons, as well as group classes at the Freer Forte Music School at Anaheim Red Shield.

Kimbra Westervelt — Voice, Musical Theater, & Ukelele

Kimbra Westervelt performs consistently in the Southern California area. She has a background in both music and drama, having studied opera, pop, and jazz in college, as well as drama at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in L.A. Her global tours with the USO have taken her to Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Additionally, her performances in Italy earned her a Siggiorno eTurismo Milazzo award. Her acting credits span stage and screen and her vocals have been featured in both big commercial movies as well as art house films. Her work as a voice over artist has been featured in a Netflix series, promos, and movie trailers. Kimbra's educational journey includes a BA in English and a minor in music from CSUF.  She is passionate about being a part of the artistic community and is dedicated to helping others.

Summer Camps

Annually in June, interactive Summer Day Camps in music and art are available. Camps include musical instruments and art for one week, Monday-Friday, and are be packed with valuable lessons taught by our incredible music instructors and artists. On the last day of each camp, from 11:30am–12:00pm, parents will be invited to a concert or art exhibit to see what their students have been creating and practicing.

Please check back in the spring for registration information.