Opening its doors in August, World of Music pays homage to Pedrini Music, a beloved music school in Alhambra that founder Ernesto Molina frequented in his youth. Today, the new retail and learning space on Main Street offers a variety of lessons, including one-on-one instruction in piano, keyboard, guitar, electric bass, drums, voice, congas, and DJing. The store also features a curated selection of instruments and accessories from renowned brands, catering to musicians of all levels.
Born and raised in Ramona Gardens, Molina has been immersed in music since he was born because his older brother already played piano and began teaching him early on. Throughout his school years, he would go on to pick up every musical instrument he could. “I was in orchestra, I was in mariachi, I was in jazz band, I was in marching band, I was in every concert, everything you could imagine,” he said. “Just playing a lot every day in junior high and high school.” By junior high, he picked up bass with the dream that one day he would play in a band with his brother. Around the same time, he also started playing the guitar in mariachi, attributed his love of that iconic cultural music to his father and uncles.
From his mastery of salsa to Afro-Peruvian music to Carlos Santana, Molina says that World of Music is named after his studies of world music from his experience traveling and touring in various bands, including his own band, East L.A. Sabor Factory. “I really got to learn cultures from their own neighborhoods,” he said. “L.A. is lucky that we have the whole world here.”
Before opening World of Music, Molina was playing shows seven nights a week and offering music lessons on the side. After the pandemic shut down his gigs, he decided to focus more on his teaching work. “I always loved to teach.” Molina explained. However, because he didn’t have a college degree, it was difficult to get a job. One of his first paying educational jobs was teaching short term music programs at LAUSD schools. He would lug around 20 keyboards and teach a group of students for three weeks at a time, culminating in a final recital.
“Music has always been there for me throughout my life, in a positive way emotionally and mentally. I see how it helps my students come out of their shells, from hiding behind the curtains to playing recitals.”
When word of mouth of his private music lessons began to spread among his kids’ classmates, he began looking into starting his own business. Eventually, he brought World of Music to Alhambra in honor of Pedrini, the original music school in Alhambra he used to visit often when he was younger.
Keep an eye out for more information on its student recitals, which are held twice a year.
