Sometimes a lifelong passion starts quietly: a child strums a chord for the first time, draws a bow across a string, or plays their first scale on the piano. In the middle of busy schedules and shifting routines, those small moments of exploration can be easy to miss. Our 10-week intro classes make space for exactly that: a flexible way for kids to dip a toe into a new hobby, discover what excites them, and let their interest blossom.
Last fall, we launched a pilot Intro to Guitar mini session at Merit’s West Loop branch, allowing students to jump into the basics of guitar in a compressed, 10-week format. “If, after 10 weeks, it turns out guitar is not your dream, you’ve not committed to an entire year,” says Voice, Guitar, & the Marlene M. Bowen Piano Program Director Pam Shortall. “But we hope that it is your dream! We hope that kids are excited about it and want to keep playing.”
That was certainly the case for Sarai P., a student in the first Intro to Guitar mini session last year. This twelve-year-old is no stranger to Merit, as a cellist enrolled in private lessons and group classes, yet last fall she found herself ready for a new challenge. “I’ve heard that guitar is always a good instrument to learn, so I wanted to try it,” she says.
“But we hope that [learning how to play the guitar] is your dream! We hope that kids are excited about it and want to keep playing."
That short session lit a spark: “I liked the challenge, and I felt committed.” She signed up for a second mini session as soon as she could, eager to build on her new skills. Today, she’s thriving in her second year of guitar study, now in a full Academic Year class.
One key factor in this program is the consistency of the curriculum, regardless of the length of class. “Students are still learning classical guitar, they’re still learning to read music, they’re still learning chords,” Ms. Shortall says. “You’re getting the same material, it’s just packed into 10 weeks.” And because the curriculum is consistent with our longer-term classes, students can transition seamlessly when they’re ready for a bigger commitment.
That flexibility is at the heart of this mini sessions initiative. Kids’ schedules change throughout the year—sports seasons kick off, clubs shift, homework piles up or lightens. Mini sessions offer multiple chances to start, or continue, when life allows. “The idea was really to give people a way to try something at a couple of different points in the year,” says Ms. Shortall. “Sometimes things are so hectic in the fall, and then you realize in late October that you do have space in your schedule for something new.”
By offering multiple start dates throughout the year, families don’t have to wait for a new academic cycle to jump in. When your child is ready, we’re ready. Since launching these mini sessions with multiple entry points, our beginning guitar enrollment has doubled. It’s a win for everyone!
With this momentum, expanding mini sessions to other instruments felt like a natural next step. This fall we also offered Intro to Violin. And starting this spring at Merit’s Near North branch, we’re thrilled to offer Intro to Piano; families will have the opportunity to try traditional group piano in the same welcoming, low-commitment format.
For busy families, curious kids, or anyone unsure where to begin, these short sessions create room to explore, grow, and discover what instrument sparks joy. Sometimes all it takes is 10 weeks to discover a lifelong love of music.
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