In the heart of Pacific Beach, a nonprofit is making the sounds of our city even sweeter by giving local musicians and emerging artists an accessible place to transform their careers.
The Music Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering professional-level creative opportunities to the San Diego music community, free from traditional industry barriers.
Opened in 2023 by father-and-son-team Ted and Jack Pawela, The Music Company is designed as a community hub inclusive to artists at every level and musical genre. They saw the need to create a bridge for emerging artists to get started and established a space to support them at each stage of the journey.
“The opportunity came up where this studio was available, and we just had the vision”, said Ted Pawela, TMC’s executive director. “Let’s combine this goal of giving back to the community and mentoring, and doing it in music, something that we really love and enjoy.”
While the space may look small from the outside, it is a robust professional studio filled with top-of-the-line equipment and playing spaces that cater to different musical styles. It holds four sound-proof studios and supplies up to 32 stereo channels, with a large rehearsal room and individual vocal booth. Audio engineers are on staff to help artists mix their recordings and prepare for release. There’s even a podcast studio for those looking to explore alternative types of audio. The most distinct feature, though, is the view overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
“We have what I think are the only two ocean view vocal booths in San Diego,” Ted Pawela said, laughing.
He described TMC as a career incubator for the music industry, supplying resources and guidance that can be difficult to come by.“Everything that we do goes through the lens of how we are helping people to make a career and support themselves doing something they’re passionate about in music,” he said.
Musicians rehearsing in the DJ Studio at The Music Company in Pacific Beach. (Photo by Ashlyn Lipori-Russie)At its foundation, TMC sets itself apart by keeping costs low. Studio rentals start at $20 an hour and max out at $80 per hour, a fraction of what traditional recording studios typically charge.
“We’re anywhere from 20% to 50% of what a commercial recording studio is in San Diego, and even less expensive if you compare it to LA,” Ted Pawela said. “Accessibility is a core part of the model.”The impact of a space like this reverberates through the music industry. In the three years it’s been open, TMC has supported over 1,400 artists at every stage of their careers. Many have been able to scale their talent by securing paying gigs, expanding their regional audiences and going on coastal or national tours.
“We’ve helped a lot of bands come in and do their first recordings, when they don’t really know how to get started,” said Jack Pawela, TMC’s general manager. “It’s been cool to be able to offer that kind of mentorship.”
San Diego has historically struggled to keep artists anchored here. Many feel the need to move to LA for access to opportunity and professional growth, Ted Pawela said.
The Music Company founders ounders Ted and Jack Pawela. (Photo by Ashlyn Lipori-Russie)“There’s plenty of artistic talent in San Diego, but there’s not an infrastructure for people to stay here,” he said. “We want to build an ecosystem where artists can get their first experience and stay in San Diego to develop a musical career.”
Beyond the gear and studio space, TMC partners with local organizations to offer free workshops and mentorship events to help musicians navigate the industry, including everything from songwriting to understanding rights and royalties.Among these events is Women in Music Night, a monthly mixer for women to receive peer support in a male-dominated industry. Workshops hosted with Armed Services Arts Partnership help veterans to explore creative expression and music therapy. They also offer residency programs like the Teen Band Lab, a 10-week program that coaches teens to prepare for their first show.
The Pawelas are especially proud of the Beach Break Sessions and Audio Espresso DJ sets that have helped launch artists’ careers. Similar to an NPR Tiny Desk concert, these recorded live sessions are uploaded to TMC’s YouTube page twice a month.
Hannah Geller, an alternative rock solo artist who records music in her bedroom, said Beach Break Sessions lifted her career trajectory.
“That was the first time that I’ve ever had a professional recorded video of my live performance,” she said. “Now when my manager reaches out to pitch me for a show, they can actually hear what I sound like and it’s a lot more enticing.”
This summer, Geller will play her biggest gig yet – four sets at the week-long Mile of Music festival in her hometown of Appleton, Wisconsin.
“I’m so excited to play my first festival, and not just my first festival, but the festival I grew up going to as a kid and dreamed about playing.” She credits this success to TMC. “Without my Beach Break session, I don’t know if they would have even given me a chance.”
The rehearsal space at The Music Company, a Pacific Beach studio that caters to emerging musicians. (Photo by Ashlyn Lipori-Russie)The real magic of TMC is within the culture of community and mutual support. Two music therapists even run their practice from the studio.
The energy of the space fosters a collaborative environment where experimentation is encouraged and rewarded. Many of the workshops have come from members sharing ideas, then receiving support in turning the vision to reality.
“Sometimes people of note in the industry will come in and see what we’re doing here, and the expression is ‘this is good for San Diego,’” Ted Pawela said.
TMC’s presence in Pacific Beach adds to the neighborhood’s already-colorful community of artists and creatives. They’ve partnered with Beautiful PB and the PB Arts Center to expand their programming, including an in-studio summer camp for teens. Local PB artists have decorated the TMC space; among the art is a mural running the length of the main hallway.
I tagged along with a few friends who booked the rehearsal space for a jam session. The experience was a beautiful expression of creativity, and helped me connect with myself and my inner artist. That powerful feeling is part of what drives the Pawelas to run TMC.
“It’s like the ultimate storytelling medium,” Ted said. “We’re here to help anybody who has the passion to do something with music. You don’t necessarily have to want to be professional. Even for people who just want to express themselves … we want them to know that we’re here to support them.”
In time, they hope to open satellite locations that will allow for even more workshops, programs and artists to grow with them.
“There are so many different needs, opportunities and ideas that come from people in our community that could really impact people,” said Jack. “The more this grows, the more of those we can say yes to.”
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