MERIT NEWS
- Leadership Institute Panelists Offer Career Advice for Students
Merit’s inspiring Leadership Institute panelists chatted with students about how music study influenced their careers and gave them valuable life tips. READ FULL STORY → - Save the Date for Gala 2022
After two years of celebrating virtually from locations across the globe, Merit’s Gala 2022 triumphantly returns to the Four Seasons Chicago on May 18! GET MORE INFO → - Just Released! Merit’s FY21 Annual Report
It’s here! Read about how returning to in-person classes impacted our musical community, student success stories, & the supporters who made it all possible. VIEW REPORT →
MERIT STUDENTS ROCK!
- 23 Piano Students Win Big at CAMTA Festival
Congratulations to the 23 piano students and their teachers for beautiful performances in the CAMTA Sonata-Sonatina Festival! Five Merit piano students won gold medals and 18 won silver. In addition, five students passed the ABRSM piano exam. Read the full list of winners and join us in congratulating them. SAY CONGRATS → - Wind Symphony Talks With Giovanni Santos
Composer and Director of Wind & Percussion Studies at La Sierra University in California, Giovanni Santos, recently visited Merit’s Conservatory virtually to chat with our Wind Symphony students. He discussed the inspiration behind one of the movements to his piece, “Three Latin American Dances”, which the Wind Symphony is rehearsing for their spring concert. WATCH CLIP → - Emerging Artists Chicago Creates New Scholarship Fund for Merit Students
Emerging Artists Chicago, a thriving hub for the musical community, established a new scholarship for Merit students amidst the pandemic. Mio Nakamura, Co-Founder, discusses her vision and what human connection through music means to her. READ THE STORY →
MERIT FACULTY & ALUMNI NEWS
- Akshat Jain Featured in Super Bowl Commercial
Tuba and Euphonium faculty member, Akshat Jain, is showcased in a Super Bowl commercial playing a South Asian-infused cover of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song. Check him out playing the sousaphone at the 22-second mark! WATCH HERE → - Tom Snydacker Performs With CSO
Saxophone faculty member, Tom Snydacker, performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in January for a saxophone-filled program: Ravel’s “Bolero” and Gershwin’s “Porgy & Bess” and “Rhapsody in Blue”. LEARN MORE → - Merit Highlights the Benefits of Music in Chicago Parent Article
Chip Staley, Merit’s Director of Wind Symphony, recently talked with Chicago Parent to explain how music builds reading & STEM skills, resiliency, & connections. READ THE ARTICLE →