With its six campuses, The Music Institute of Chicago is one of the three largest and most respected community music schools in the country. The Evanston-East campus, located in the heart of downtown Evanston, hosts 10 teaching studios and rehearsal rooms for students of all ages. It’s also the home of the beautifully renovated Nichols Concert Hall.
“There is no question that everyone can play, enjoy and learn music regardless of their age, background or experience,” said Mark George, president and CEO of MIC. “That’s the essence of what we do as a community music school — we meet you exactly where you are and take you where you want to go musically.”
Being matched with the right instructor who understands what you want and what you’re capable of doing is critical because everyone’s path is different. Though the Evanston campus serves young musicians, many of the faculty members here have a strong affinity for teaching adults. A lot of them specialize in adult learning and are sensitive to things like time constraints, adult learning goals and the repertoire of what adults may want to play.
“For instance, a 50-year old person isn’t going to walk in and say, ‘I want to be a concert pianist,’ but they might have pieces they’ve loved all their life and they just want to learn how to play them,” George said.
Consistency is important in a child’s development, so they may be put on a 17-week semester, whereas it may not be as critical for an adult to have that same schedule. Older learners are afforded the opportunity to do a four- or an eight-week semester so they can space lessons out as needed to accommodate work schedules, travel and family. The campus even offers a discount to adults who can attend lessons during certain hours.
Aside from individual lessons at the MIC, there is also a community choir and symphony orchestra complete with strings, winds and brass sections. “We like to create a musical community so that you are in a league with other students and you can play together,” George said.
MIC does have adult concerts and recitals designed to be safe, stress-free, supportive environments. “If you’ve always wanted to do something with music but been afraid that you’re not talented enough or that it’s too late, come to our Evanston campus and work with our teachers,” encouraged George. “Don’t rule it out!”
