On June 1, young musicians took the stage for a special recital at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Chicago’s Kilbourn Park neighborhood. With soaring melodies and heartfelt performances, they captivated the audience from start to finish. The event featured students from the Emerging Artist Chicago Scholars program at Merit School of Music alongside students from the piano studio of Mio Nakamura. Families, friends, and music lovers gathered to celebrate the talents and hard work of these dedicated performers.
The recital featured a dynamic range of performances from Seitz and Bartók to Chopin and Rachmaninoff. Each piece reflected the students’ technical growth and musical artistry over the past year. For many of the performers, this recital was a culminating moment after months of dedicated practice and hours of rigorous lessons with their teachers. The students displayed poise and maturity beyond their years, impressing the audience with expressive interpretations and confident stage presence. We offer a special thank you to the dedicated Merit faculty who have worked with the performers to lead them on their musical journey.
Merit is proud of its ongoing partnership with Emerging Artists Chicago, a relationship that continues to create meaningful opportunities for young musicians throughout the city. Since 2021, this collaboration has been instrumental in expanding access to high-quality music education and performance experiences for Merit students. We are deeply grateful for Emerging Artists’ generous support and shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists in the community.
The recital served not only as a performance opportunity but also as a celebration of musical growth, community, and education. As the final notes echoed through the church’s beautiful space, it was clear that the future of classical music is bright in the hands of these emerging young artists.
Bravo to the Merit students who performed at the recital and their teachers:
- Diego Azpeitia, violin (student of Ben Weber)
- Nikhet Sathish, piano (student of Dr. Elena Doubovitskaya)
- Greta Sileika, viola (student of Julie Schreiner)
- Marlina Wu, piano (student of Anna Kovalevska)
