Dear AMB Friends, There are hundreds of excellent music institutes that meet the needs of the sighted. AMB specifically addresses the educational, social, and physical needs of talented blind and visually-impaired music students so that they can fully develop their unique talents and be prepared for integration into the workplace or other educational settings. AMB is not only a ground-breaking institute of education for blind music students, but also provides the example and educational strategies that other schools of music can draw from in order to serve the needs of their blind students. For 12 years AMB has offered the only year-round comprehensive music and performing arts education for the blind. And with the help of generous private donors, foundations, corporate sponsors and volunteers, we are looking forward to yet another 12 years serving talented blind children in the Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and Valley communities. AMB is a dream come true . . . a Disneyland for blind music students, and an inspiration to us all. Sincerely,David & Gayle Pinto, Founders AMB
Noney O'Banion
Chairman of the Board
Retired School Administrator and Principal Los Angeles Unified School District
Troy Stevens
Community Relations
Co-Founder and President Gavins Stevens Foundation. Project Manager Majestic Realty
Layne Beamer
Outreach
Pastor First Christian Church Whittier. B.S. in Communication and Theatre. Actor, Singer
Diana Dennis
Community Relations
Director of Children’s Services at Therapeutic Centers for the Blind. Certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired
David Pinto
Member
Founder AMB
Jennifer Stevens
Social Media
Co-founder and Vice President Gavin Stevens foundation.
David Pinto
Executive Director
Founder AMB
Rena Strober
Director of Outreach
Director of Outreach
Gayle Pinto
Treasurer/Office Manager
Treasurer & Office Manager
Khim Teoh
Assistant Administrator
Assistant Director
Our current faculty includes teachers in piano, percussion, guitar, winds, voice, dance, drama, literary & music Braille, composing and computers. All of our teachers are professional performing musicians with college degrees: many of them being graduates of Berklee College of Music, Cal Arts, and USC. They are all trained to provide specialized and adaptive instructions to blind students.
- Piano, Arranging, Chorus, Computers, Dance & Song Writing: David Pinto
- Piano & Computers: Juan Matos (www.juanmatosmusic.com)
- Piano & Computers: Santiago Vidal (www.santividal.com)
- Piano & Computers: Caleb Hsu
- Voice & Drama: Rena Strober (www.renastrober.com)
- Dance, Voice & Drama: Christine Achico
- Guitar: Gabe Deutsch
- Guitar, Bass, Song Writing & Voice: Bruce Garnitz (www.brucegarnitz.com)
- Guitar, Voice & Song Writing: Eugene Micofsky (www.genemicofsky.com)
- Percussion & Music Braille: Tony Del Castillo
- Percussion: Lorena Perez Batista (www.lorenaperezmusic.com)
- Flute & Recorder: Sarah May Robinson (www.helixcollective.net)
- Saxophone, Piano, Guitar & Song Writing: Eddie Salcido
- Saxophone & Clarinet: Frank Silva
- All Woodwinds: Joe Albano
- Ukulele, Recorder & Elementary Piano: Khim Teoh
- Piano Accompanist & Music Braille: Katie Zodrow
- Drama, Literary Braille & Computers: Connor Head
- Literary Braille, Living Skills & Computers: Gayle Pinto
Mission
AMB is dedicated to addressing the unique talents and challenges of blind youth by developing their musical, creative, cognitive, physical and social skills through education in music and the performing arts.
Vision
Our vision is a world where a comprehensive education in music and the performing arts will be available to blind youth regardless of economic status or geography. With the development of their unique talents they will be able to integrate into mainstream educational and workplace settings, while inspiring and contributing to the larger community.