Dear Merit community,
Welcome to a new school year at Merit School of Music!
There’s a special energy that comes with the beginning of each new year as our halls once again fill with the sounds of students learning, creating, and making music. Whether you are returning for another year or joining us for the first time, we are delighted to welcome you to the Merit community.
As we begin this year, our focus is on deepening the work that makes Merit such a special place. We are strengthening the programs, partnerships, and experiences that have a lasting impact on young people. We remain committed to providing every student with an exceptional music education in an environment where they feel safe, supported, challenged, and inspired to reach their full potential.
At its heart, Merit has always been about more than music alone. It is a place where students build confidence, form meaningful friendships, and experience the joy of belonging to something larger than themselves. As we look ahead, we are also preparing for an exciting new chapter in the life of our West Loop branch. Beginning next spring, we will embark on a major renovation project that will help ensure the Joy Faith Knapp Music Center continues to serve students for years to come. We’ll have much more to share in the weeks and months ahead, and we look forward to bringing our community along on the journey.
Here are just a few of the opportunities, performances, and partnerships we’re looking forward to this year:
Halloween Sensory- and Family-Friendly Concert
Our popular Sensory- and Family-Friendly Concert returns this fall for its fourth year! Designed with neurodiverse audiences and families with small children in mind, these free performances invite people of all ages to experience music in the way that feels best for them, whether that means moving around, making noise, taking breaks, or using sensory supports provided by Merit.
This year, the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory Wind Symphony will present a special Halloween-themed concert on in Gottlieb Hall. We hope you’ll join us for this fun, welcoming community event.
Play On 2026
Our 8th annual Play On benefit concert will feature a very special headliner: alum and accomplished jazz trumpeter Victor Garcia and his Latin Jazz Orchestra. We’re proud to celebrate a Merit alum who continues to make his mark on Chicago’s musical community.
The evening will feature an opening set by Merit’s Honors Jazz Combo students, alongside a new addition this year: an optional salsa dancing lesson before the concert begins! We look forward to bringing students, alumni, supporters, and friends together for a joyful celebration of music and community on October 28. We hope you can join us!
Partnership with Lyric Opera of Chicago
We are thrilled to welcome Maestro Enrique Mazzola back to Merit this winter as part of our ongoing collaboration with Lyric Opera of Chicago. Through rehearsals and conversations with Merit students, Maestro Mazzola will share insights from his remarkable career and help students deepen their connection to the music. As this collaboration approaches its fifth year in 2027, we remain grateful for his continued mentorship and partnership.
DanceVision with Ballet Chicago
For the eighth consecutive year, Merit students will collaborate with Ballet Chicago as part of DanceVision, a partnership that has become a valued tradition for both organizations. Working alongside dancers and artists from Ballet Chicago gives our student musicians a unique opportunity to collaborate across artistic disciplines and deepen their understanding of the relationship between music and dance. We’re grateful to continue this longstanding collaboration and the inspiring experiences it creates for our students each year.
Wind Symphony Side-by-Side Concert with DePaul University
On February 7, Merit’s Wind Symphony will join musicians from DePaul University for a special side-by-side concert. Through rehearsals and performance, Merit musicians will have the opportunity to learn alongside DePaul students and faculty, gaining new perspectives and valuable artistic experience. We’re excited to bring these two musical communities together for an inspiring day of collaboration and music-making.
As the year unfolds, I encourage each of our students to embrace growth through focus and intention: listen more carefully, practice more thoughtfully, and collaborate more generously. Challenge yourself not simply to achieve more, but to understand, discover, and connect with the music and the people around you.
At Merit, that commitment is to our students, our families, our partners, and our mission of providing transformative music education to young people throughout Chicago.
Thank you for being part of this community. I look forward to all that we will learn, create, and accomplish together in the year ahead.
Wishing you a wonderful year of music-making, discovery, and connection.
All the best,
Kurtis Gildow
Dean & Vice President for Educational Affairs
