More than 80 Merit faculty and staff members gathered in Gottlieb Hall on August 20 to celebrate the expertise, dedication, and community that power Merit School of Music. Merit’s annual fall faculty meeting brought the highest-quality educators from across Chicagoland together for a day of reflection, collaboration, and professional growth as they prepared to welcome students for the year ahead.
“Our fall faculty meeting is an important and very special time of year when our team has the opportunity to think strategically about how we can help our students feel welcome and succeed at Merit,” said Kurtis Gildow, Dean and Vice President of Educational Affairs. “It’s also just really nice to have everyone in one room, since most of the year faculty and staff are scattered throughout the city at Merit branches and in schools.”
This recognition highlighted the extraordinary depth of experience within Merit’s faculty: collectively, these educators represent decades of dedication to students, their craft, and the Merit community. That same spirit of shared expertise carried throughout the day.
While the fall faculty meeting traditionally includes professional development led by a guest speaker, this year Merit turned inward, drawing upon the remarkable expertise already present within its own faculty. Participants broke into four peer-led sessions facilitated by experienced faculty members who shared practical strategies, insights, and experiences with their colleagues.
- Piano Department Chair Elena Doubavitskaya and flute instructor Susan Crandall led a session on creating thoughtful private lessons and class plans that meet students where they are and support their growth over time.
- Peter Slowik, who teaches viola at Merit and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, offered a workshop on practice habits, focusing on ways faculty can help students develop routines that feel achievable and lead to results.
- Strings Department co-chairs Iris Wei and Claire Bachman shared best practices for studio retention, growth, and long-term sustainability.
- Conservatory Choirs director Evan Bruno and Wind Symphony director Scott Casagrande discussed how best to build a compelling concert program cycle that balances ensemble strength, areas for growth, and diversity of repertoire while prioritizing a polished outcome.
This format reflected something that happens every day at Merit: faculty members learning from and supporting one another. By formalizing that exchange of knowledge, the sessions gave educators across departments dedicated time to learn, reflect, ask questions, and brainstorm together, highlighting both the strength of Merit’s teaching staff and its culture of continuous growth.
For Voice, Guitar, and the Marlene M. Bowen Piano Program Director Pam Shortall, the interdepartmental pairings like Mr. Bruno and Mr. Casagrande brought an infectious enthusiasm to the sessions.
“To see the two of them be inspired by each other was so fun,” she said. “It was clear that they had done preparation together, and as they were talking and leading the session, they were so excited to talk about their topic—not just the things they felt like an expert on, but also the things they had learned from one another.”
That spirit of shared learning was at the heart of the day. While presenters shared their expertise, the conversations were equally enriched by colleagues contributing their own experiences, challenges, and ideas.
“Claire and I really wanted people to participate and share their own experiences,” said Iris Wei. “Leading this session made me realize that we have so much talent at our school, and we should draw upon that even more. It felt really community-based and supportive.”
Beyond the agenda, the day underscored the importance of community and connection among colleagues. Because Merit faculty and staff teach in different programs, schools, and neighborhoods across Chicagoland, opportunities to gather as a full team are rare. The fall faculty meeting created space for relationship-building in addition to professional learning, reminding attendees that they are part of a larger network of educators working toward a shared mission.
The faculty left the Joy Faith Knapp Center with new ideas and a strengthened sense of connection. The day celebrated the people who shaped Merit through decades of service, showcased the wealth of knowledge within its teaching community, and reinforced a culture of collaboration that benefits instructors and students alike.
When faculty members learn from one another, support one another, and remain deeply connected across programs and disciplines, they are better equipped to create a welcoming, inspiring, and high-quality learning environment. As a new school year begins, that shared commitment to growth, excellence, and community will continue to guide the work of helping every student thrive.
