Merit – West Loop

West Loop Music Classes & Lessons

Start your musical journey on a high note at Merit School of Music’s Joy Faith Knapp Music Center in Chicago’s West Loop. Our flagship branch offers a diverse range of music classes, lessons, and more.

With options ranging from Early Childhood classes for ages 0-8 to our Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory, there are options for music-lovers of all ages and experience levels to learn and grow through music.

Register for Group Classes & Early Childhood →

Get Started with Private Lessons →

Visit

Merit School of Music
Joy Faith Knapp Music Center
38 S Peoria St Chicago, IL 60607

↓ View our guidance for visitors below, including directions, parking, and more

Reach Out

312-786-9428
info@meritmusic.org

Need help registering? Contact us at studentservices@meritmusic.org.

Summer Building Hours

Monday–Friday: 8:30am–9:00pm
Saturday: 8:30am–3:00pm
Sunday: 8:00am–2:00pm

West Loop Line-up

Absolute Beginners Welcome!

Explore our high-quality music programming taught by top music educators.

Personalized private music lessons from an expert teaching artist who will encourage and inspire you on your musical journey

Make music with peers through small group classes, fostering collaborative learning and enjoyment

Introduce babies, toddlers, and young kids to the fundamentals of music in our engaging classes tailored for their age group

Our enriching summer programs include 1- and 2-week camps, workshops, special guest artists, and more

Merit’s ultimate culmination of pre-collegiate music study. Audition-based and tuition-free.

About this Location

Merit School of Music – West Loop

Merit School of Music’s Joy Faith Knapp Music Center is located in the heart of Chicago, on the southeast corner of South Peoria Street and West Monroe Street.

How to Get Here

Merit is easily accessible by car, public transportation, and rideshare.

Public Transit

Blue Line “L” Train to the UIC-Halsted Stop
Green Line or Pink Line “L” Trains to the Morgan Stop
Madison “20” Bus to the corner of Peoria St and Madison St
Halsted “8” Bus to the corner of Madison St and Halsted St
Metra train to Ogilvie Transportation Center

Driving

A few common routes to Merit include I-290, I-90, or Halsted St.

Pick-up & Drop-off

Please pick up and drop off students at the front of our building on Peoria St or on Monroe St along the south side of our building. As a courtesy to our neighbors, please pull to the side to prevent blocking traffic.

Parking

Merit’s parking lot is reserved for faculty and staff only. Due to the limited parking in Merit’s lot parking will strictly be enforced and vehicles will be towed.

Parking options for parents, students, and other visitors include metered street parking as well as nearby paid public parking lots. SpotHero is a great option for finding a convenient parking spot.

Visitors

For the safety of our school community, building doors are kept locked at all times. Please buzz in using the doorbell to the left of the front doors on Peoria St.

All visitors, guests, and parents will be required to check in at the front desk if they are attending class and/or moving about the building, with the exceptions of the Community Room, Early Childhood classroom, or meeting with Student Services. Adult guests will need to present a valid ID.

Accessibility

The front entrance of our building (on Peoria St.) is handicap accessible. Every classroom and performance space is wheelchair and walker accessible, and we have an elevator that guests can use to access the second floor. Our parking lot includes two handicapped parking spaces for visitors, one of which is ramp accessible. Guests using a handicapped space can call the front desk for access via the button on the parking arm.

There are gender-neutral single-family bathrooms located on the first floor. All bathrooms contain handicap accessible stalls, as well as changing tables for your convenience.

We offer a convenient location in the building to park strollers during classes, and parents/caregivers with strollers may use our power-assisted doors at the front entrance for easy entering/exiting.

Discover a New Passion

Start your musical journey on a high note with Merit School of Music.

Music Classes & Lessons

Community Programs

Selective Programs

About

Impact

Support Merit