Merit School of Music

Our Fall 2026 Catalog Has Arrived 🎵

Whether you're continuing your musical journey or trying something new, now is the perfect time to discover what class is right for your family this fall.

Registration opens July 6. Until then, start exploring classes, ensembles, private lessons, and music programs for all ages and experience levels.

KEY DATES:
🗓️ July 6: Registration opens
✨ July 6–27: Early Bird Discount. Register early and we'll waive your class registration fee.*

You can browse our Fall 2026 catalog here: https://hubs.la/Q04l-mM30

Congratulations to Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative Class of 2026! We love seeing the next generation of musicians heading off to incredible music schools, and we're so proud of the talent and dedication this community continues to nurture. Five of the eight graduating seniors shown below joined the celebration for CMPI's "Senior Send-Off," proudly showing off t-shirts from their future schools. Wishing all eight graduates the very best as they embark on this exciting next chapter in their educational journeys!

We are incredibly proud and grateful to have been part of the filming process for the documentary All the Music in the World, documenting the incredible life and work of Emanuel Ax. Tremendous thanks to Emanuel Ax, who is not only a tremendous artist and virtuoso, but a longtime advocate of music education and Merit School of Music too! Here is a link to the trailer, which will be coming to a location near you in 2027! https://hubs.la/Q04lrnsp0

Also, just for fun—how many Merit alums, National Advisory Council members, and past Gala honorees can you spot in the trailer? Share who you spot in the comments!

All The Music In The World

BRAVO 🎉 to the 50+ piano students who dazzled at the Illinois Music Association Annual Competition at Wheaton College on May 30-31! 39 Merit pianists won a first, second, or third place trophy in their categories with another 19 awarded Superior ribbons. A round of applause for our wonderful students and their teachers. 👏

🥇 Izabelle Hu & Cynthia Zhao (duet), Daniel Zhao & Niam Sheng (duet)
🥈 Miley Hu, Iris Yang, Brandon & Bellson Mei (duet)
Superior Ribbon: Darsh Agrawal, Olivia Hord
🎹 Students of Dr. Seungwha Baek

🥇 Autumn Luu, Margaret Qin, Ella Sang, Joaquin Turpo
🥈 George Qin, Ivan Yang, George & Olivia Qin (duet)
🥉 Siying Guo, Olivia Han, Tiras Wong
Superior Ribbon: Jonathan Ban, Alex Langlois, Anna Yang
🎹 Students of Dr. Elena Doubovitskaya

🥇 Kaylee Li, Amber Williams
🥈 Jessie Cao
🥉 Devan Thomlinson
🎹 Students of Maya Galperin

🥇 Adrian Pinzon
Superior Ribbon: Everett Waters, Marvin Zoe
🎹 Students of Mijin Kim

🥈 Oscar Nudelman
🥉 Shrinika Arya, Mellisa Wu
Superior Ribbon: Addison Lowe, Sen-da Mei, Emilia Vilchis
🎹 Students of Anna Kovalevska

🥇 Emily & Erica Yau (duet)
🥈 Charlotte Linguanti, Yayuan Tan, Emmet Vourganti, Aiden Phung & Jack Fu (duet)
🥉 Ellie Liang
Superior Ribbon: Jenny Fu, Kimberly Gao, Aadriac Lau, Abbie Li, Elvis Liang, Giselle Liang, Xin Nie, Culann Vourganti
🎹 Students of Toshiko Suzuki

🥈 Mary Lou Forrester, Suri Nassouhi, Aariv Patel
Superior Ribbon: Gael Hernandez
🎹 Students of Ligia Takei

What does it look like when someone gives back to the community that shaped them?

Meet Jemima Adeyinka. At 7, a Merit Music in Communities (MMIC) teacher handed her a violin at her Chicago elementary school. This opportunity opened a door to a world she didn't know existed. She went on to study at the University of Chicago, carrying with her the discipline, collaboration, and love of music that Merit instilled.

Today, Jemima has returned as Merit's Program Liaison for our new South Shore branch, right in the neighborhood where she grew up. Her mission: ensure the next generation of South Shore kids has access to the same transformative experience she did. Learn more about Jemima's full-circle journey here: https://hubs.la/Q04kv8zt0

Merit School of Music is seeking passionate, dedicated individuals for THREE new roles at our West Loop location.

🎵 Program Events Manager – Lead the planning and coordination of events across our programs.

🎵 Program Coordinator – Support the day-to-day operations that keep our students thriving.

🎵 Piano, Voice & Guitar Program Manager – Oversee and grow our private lesson programs in piano, voice, and guitar.

If you're passionate about expanding access to music education and building strong communities around the arts, we'd love to hear from you!

Learn more and apply before June 22, 2026 at

Job Openings for Music Teachers, Staff in Chicago We're hiring music teachers and staff! Join our mission to provide equal access to high-quality music education. Browse and apply for jobs.

Take note! ✏️ Our summer building hours are in effect June 8 – September 11.

Monday–Thursday: 8:00am–9:00pm
Friday: 8:00am–7:00pm
Saturday: 8:30am–3:00pm
Sunday: 8:00am–2:00pm*

*Sunday private lessons require prior approval. Questions? Give us a call or stop by — we're happy to help!

Come celebrate summer with us! Merit Summer Bash is happening Thursday, June 11 at 6:00 pm at FitzGerald's Nightclub in Berwyn.

Hosted by our Associate Board, the evening includes live music, dancing, drinks, and good company, all in support of our mission to remove barriers to music education for Chicago kids. Each ticket includes entry, food, and two drink tickets. 🍻🎶Must be 21+ to join!

📍 FitzGerald's Nightclub, 6615 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn
🎟️Grab your tickets here: https://hubs.la/Q04kjvW10

Merit students are performing in galas galore! Students from the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory Choir program were recently invited to perform at the Icons and Innovators Gala at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, where they were thrilled to share the stage with many world-class artists including Emanuel Ax. Take a look at these behind-the-scenes shots of the Merit students with Caroline Shaw, the composer of the piece the students sang!

We're so grateful for the opportunity to partner with Harris Theater on such an extraordinary event.