Summer Camps | Merit School of Music - Chicago, IL

Summer 2018 Camps & Classes

Registration Dates:

Priority Registration – April 2^nd Returning Students (Teacher recommendation will be sent via e-mail)
Open Registration – April 16^th New Students
Registration deadline varies by camp or class

Returning students will receive summer camp or class recommendations on April 2nd, 2018. New students without prior experience should enroll in beginning group classes or private lessons. New students with prior experience need to submit an audition form before enrolling in camps or classes. Audition forms listed below.

Course Offerings:

Early Childhood Classes
Beginning Group Classes (piano, guitar, choir, band instruments)
Intermediate Group Classes (piano, strings, guitar, band)
Instrumental Camps (flute, percussion, horn, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, piano, tuba & euphonium, voice, strings)
Ensemble Camps (chamber, band, jazz, strings, orchestra, wind ensemble)
Private Lessons (all instruments)

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All Instrumental & Vocal Music Early Childhood Private Lessons Conservatory Summer Camp

Students that have received a course code from their instructors can use that code here:

Upcoming Events

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

Date: Friday, August 3rd, 2018
Time: 7:00 pm

Location: The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts)
Cost: $8

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ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

Date: Saturday, August 4th, 2018
Time: 1:30 pm

Location: The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts)
Cost: $8

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ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

Date: Saturday, August 4th, 2018
Time: 6:00 pm

Location: The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts)
Cost: $8

More Information

Ages: 3-5 Music Masters I (Summer Session)

Ages: 3-5 years

Prepare to be amazed by what your young musician can do! In Music Masters I, students will learn the components of timbre, rhythm, pitch, beat, and style through your child's love of music, art, and storytelling. In this imaginative class, your child will explore beat and rhythm, experiment with percussion instruments, and play and sing along to music from cultures from around the world! Children and their parents/caregivers cooperate together in class, and teachers discuss ways to continue the learning outside the classroom as well. Students must be at least 3 years old by the 1st day of class to participate. Parent/Caregiver attendance required.

Classes meet once per week (7 weeks)

$140

Ages:0-15 months Music Explorers (Summer Session)

Ages: Newborn-15 months

Stimulate your baby's young mind by exploring movement, rhythm, simple percussion instruments, and high and low sounds. In Music Explorers, babies are introduced to musical sounds, sensations, and instruments like shakers, tambourines, and drums that help develop motor skills and create strong neural pathways. Join our community of parents and caregivers in musical games and activities that introduce music for the first time, and learn along with your baby so that you can continue making music at home. Students from birth to 15 months are welcome to participate in this class. Parent/Caregiver attendance required.

Classes meet weekly (7 weeks)

$140

Ages:0-7 years Ukulele and You (Summer Session)

Ages: Newborn - 7 years

Ukuleles are taking the world by storm - and it's time to see how this versatile instrument can make at-home music even more fun! In this new adult-child class, grown-ups learn to play ukulele while the whole classroom community is engaged with family activities that include songs, singing games and dances, musical books and instrument exploration. This class is designed for activities to continue at home to extend learning and family time through music. Siblings are welcome to attend a a discounted rate and your class tuition includes the cost of a high-quality concert sized ukulele that is yours to keep!

New Students:
Tuition:
$200 per session for 1 adult and 1 child (includes cost of 1 ukulele per family)
$150 for first additional child
FREE for second additional child

Please e-mail studentservices@meritmusic.org to apply your discounts
+$15 registration fee

Continuing Students:
Tuition:
$180 per session for 1 adult and 1 child (includes the cost of 1 ukulele per family)
$130 for first additional child
FREE for second additional child

Please e-mail studentservices@meritmusic.org to apply your discounts
+$15 registration fee

Classes meet once per week (7 weeks)

$200

Ages:16-23 month Tuneful Toddlers (Summer Session)

Ages: 16 - 23 months

Put your toddler's energy to good use! In Tuneful Toddlers, your child will laugh, dance, and bounce to the beat of music from around the world. Children cooperate with each other as they sing and play percussion instruments together, and grown-ups learn new songs, games, and activities to continue music learning at home. By creating simple rhythms with their bodies and learning songs, nursery rhymes, and movement from our America heritage and world cultures, children develop coordination and motor skills, strengthen spatial reasoning, and increase language and literacy. Students must be at least 16 months old by the 1st day of class to participate. Parent/Caregiver attendance required.

Classes meet once per week (7 weeks)

$140

Ages:2-3 years Movers & Groovers (Summer Session)

Ages: 2 - 3 years

Merit's Movers and Groovers classes focus on your child's developing social/emotional and gross motor skills through musical games, listening exercises, and group songs an activities. You'll see examples of their cognitive growth as students are able to independently repeat familiar songs in class and have opportunities to practice sharing with friends and classmates. Explore new instruments and sounds while both you and your student develop relationships with members of your classroom and Merit community. Students must be at least 2 years old by the first day of class in order to participate. Parent/Caregiver attendance required.

Classes meet once per week (7 weeks)

$140

Band Camp (Summer)

Age Range: 6th - 10th grade

Requirements: 2 years of experience plus teacher recommendation. New students must audition before registering for this camp.

Schedule: July 23rd- August 3rd, 9:30am - 4:30pm

Tuition: $580 (inquire about financial aid)

$580

Beginning Guitar (Summer Session)

Age Range: 4th - 8th grade
Requirements: No experience required.
Schedule: Varies depending on grade range. Classes meet twice per week for 55-minutes in the early evening. Group classes will begin the week of June 25th (7 weeks)
Tuition: $300 (inquire about financial aid)

$300

Beginning Piano (Summer Session)

Age Range: 1st - 5th grade
Requirements: No experience required.
Schedule: Varies depending on grade range. Classes meet twice per week for 55-minutes in the early evening. Group classes will begin the week of June 25th (7 weeks)
Tuition: $300 (inquire about financial aid)

$300

Children's Choir (Summer Session)

Age Range: K - 4th grade
Requirements: No experience required.
Schedule: June 25th - August 13th, Monday?s & Wednesday?s, 5:30 - 6:30pm
Tuition: $170 (inquire about financial aid)

$170

Conservatory Piano Camp

Age Range: 5th - 12th grade

Requirements: 2 years of experience plus teacher recommendation. Priority registration opens 6/4/2018. New students must audition before registering for this camp. Registration for new students will open 6/25/2018.

Schedule: August 6th - August 10th, 10:00am - 2:30pm

Tuition: $330 (inquire about financial aid)

$330

High Intermediate Guitar (Summer)

Grades 6th-10th

+Available to student via teacher recommendation or placement audition.

After roughly one year in the program, faculty will challenge students to further develop technique, musical skills, and knowledge.

Students will learn to:

play scales and arpeggios in major and minor keys
play major, minor and seventh chords
count complex rhythms
play guitar repertoire in a variety of styles from different genres of music

If you are a new student that has taken guitar classes or lessons before, please contact Student Services to schedule a placement audition.

$300

Intermediate Guitar (Summer)

Grades 5th-10th

+Available to student via teacher recommendation or placement audition.

After roughly one year in the program, faculty will challenge students to further develop technique, musical skills, and knowledge.

Students will learn to:

play scales and arpeggios in major and minor keys
play major, minor and seventh chords
count complex rhythms
play guitar repertoire in a variety of styles from different genres of music

If you are a new student that has taken guitar classes or lessons before, please contact Student Services to schedule a placement audition.

$300

Intermediate Piano Group Classes (Summer)

Age Range: 1st - 8th grade
Requirements: 1 year of experience plus teacher recommendation. New students must audition before registering for this class.
Schedule: Varies depending on grade range. Classes meet twice per week for 55-minutes in the early evening. Group classes will begin the week of June 25th (7 weeks)
Tuition: $300 (inquire about financial aid)

$300

Intermediate Suzuki Alegre Strings (Summer)

Age Range: K - 10th grade

Requirements: 1 year of experience plus teacher recommendation. Student registering for Suzuki classes must also register for private lessons. New students must audition before registering for this class.

Schedule: Varies depending on grade range. Classes meet once per week for 45/55-minutes in the early evening. Group classes will begin the week of June 25th (7 weeks)

Tuition: $125 - $150 (inquire about financial aid)

$150

Intermediate Traditional Strings (Summer Session)

Age Range: 1st - 9th grade

Requirements: 1 year of experience plus teacher recommendation. New students must audition before registering for this class.

Schedule: Varies depending on grade range. Classes meet twice per week for 55-minutes in the early evening. Group classes will begin the week of June 25th (7 weeks)

Tuition: $300 (inquire about financial aid)

$300

Once Upon a Mattress

Merit's summer production of "Once Upon a Mattress!"

Private Lessons

Private lessons are the key component to reaching one's full potential as a musician, especially when combined with Merit School of Music's instrumental Music or Alice S. Pfaelzer Tuition-free Conservatory programs. Merit School of Music's faculty provides students with one-on-one instruction that is necessary to advance their level of musicianship and allows students to explore their individual talents and interests, develop skills and overcome challenges. Students who take private lessons learn in-depth instrumental technique, practice methods, dedication, commitment and achievement. Feedback is a required part of the process.

Resources and opportunities included in private lesson tuition:

one on one instruction with tailored goal setting
Access to Merit's highly qualified and dedicated faculty
Financial aid for qualifiying families
Annual studio recital
Merit Young Musician's Competition (March)
Two written evaluations per year (February and June)
Access to Merit's library and audio/visual recordings
Free admission to most Merit concerts at the Joy Faith Knapp Music Center

Solo String Workshop (Summer)

Age Range: 5th - 12th grade

Requirements: Violin, viola, cello students only by teacher recommendation. New students must audition before registering for this camp.

Schedule: August 6th - August 10th, 9:00am - 2:30pm

Tuition: $330 (inquire about financial aid)

$330

String Camp (Summer)

Age Range: 4th -10th grade

Requirements: 2 years of experience plus teacher recommendation. New students must audition before registering for this camp.

Schedule: July 23rd - August 3rd, 9:30am - 4:30pm

Tuition: $580 (inquire about financial aid)

$580

Summer Communidad (El Valor)

Grades: K - 12

Open to students currently enrolled in the 17-18 academic year at El Valor, Communidad. New or beginning students will be able to enroll in the Fall of 2018.

Summer Conservatory Choir

Age Range: 7th - 12th grade
Requirements: 2 years of experience plus teacher recommendation. New students must audition before registering for this camp.
Schedule: Tuesday & Friday evenings, June 26th, July 3rd, 6th, 10th, 13th, 17th, 20th, 27th & 31st, and August 3rd, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Tuition: Free for Conservatory students, $250 for non-Conservatory students (inquire about financial aid)

Summer Conservatory Wind Ensemble

Age Range: 6th - 12th grade

Requirements: 4 years of experience plus teacher recommendation. New students must audition before registering for this camp.

Schedule: Tuesday & Thursday evenings, June 26th - August 7th, 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Tuition: Free for Conservatory students, $250 for non-Conservatory students (inquire about financial aid)

Summer IVM Band

Age Range: 5th - 9th grade
Requirements: 1 year of experience plus teacher recommendation. New students must audition before registering for this class.
Schedule: June 26th - August 14th, Tuesday & Thursday's 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Tuition: $170 (inquire about financial aid)

$170

Summer Symphony Orchestra

Age Range: 6th -12th grade

Requirements: 4 years of experience plus teacher recommendation. New students must audition before registering for this camp.

Schedule: Wednesday evenings, June 27th - August 8th, 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Tuition: Free for Conservatory students, $250 for non-Conservatory students (inquire about financial aid)

Tuition-Free Conservatory

One of Merit's signature programs, the Alice S. Pfaelzer Tuition-free Conservatory represents the culmination of Merit's music education continuum with the most accomplished of the student musicians; entry is by audition only.

In return for students' hard work and dedication, Merit provides the Conservatory experience on a tuition free basis. Students' skills are showcased in concerts and performances throughout the year. instruction from Chicago's finest music educators is provided through a weekly curriculum that includes large ensembles, instrumental technique classes, music theory classes and a variety of elective classes, as well as live performances. World-class professional artists lead master classes.