NOVEMBER 3, 2024
SUPPORTING SCHOLARSHIPS & FINANCIAL AID
NICHOLS CONCERT HALL 2024-2025
This program is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council Agency. S E A S O N S P O N S O R S
The Music Institute of Chicago is grateful to all its funders and partners, whose generous support helps us to educate, entertain, and inspire through live music performed by both new emerging artists and the most established artists of our time.
The Music Institute of Chicago is grateful for the support of these annual institutional supporters: Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Edwardson Family Foundation, John and Pauline Fife, John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, Horejsi Charitable Foundation, ITW, The Julian Family Foundation, The Kiphart Family Foundation, William Harris Lee & Co., The Negaunee Foundation, Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Sargent Family Foundation, Shure, The Wallace Foundation, and the Farny R. Wurlitzer Fund from the DeKalb County Community Foundation.
The Music Institute also acknowledges the generous support of Cook County Arts; the Evanston Arts Council, a city agency supported by the City of Evanston; the Highland Park Community Foundation; the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Sponsorship opportunities range from concerts and performances, to the annual Gala, special capital projects, and community engagement initiatives. For more information contact: Jennifer Bienemann, Vice President and Chief Development Officer at jbienemann@musicinst.org.
Dear friends,
We’re thrilled to welcome you to the Music Institute of Chicago’s 2024 Fall Fundraiser, dedicated to celebrating our community, our mission, and the transformative power of music.
This special gathering is a chance for us to come together in support of the programs that make music accessible and enriching for so many. Through scholarships, performance opportunities, and community outreach, we shape the lives of students of all ages and bring joy to audiences across the region.
Today’s program represents a cross section of MIC students from near beginners to polished performers, from young children to adults. This is what MIC is all about, a lifelong engagement with music.
Donors like you make this possible.
Whether you’re attending as a supporter, alumni, or partner, your presence helps to amplify our efforts to make high-quality music education and performance accessible to all, regardless of financial means.
And today, your gift makes double the impact. Donations to the Fall Fundraiser will be matched up to $50,000 through the generosity of Lori Julian on behalf of the Julian Family Foundation.
Donate now with the QR Code in your program, or if you prefer, there are staff in the lobby before and after the show available to take your donation via credit card, cash, or check.
Thank you for believing in the power of music and music education.
Mark George Emily Abraham President and CEO Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs
FALL FUNDRAISER CONCERT PROGRAM
Sunday, November 3 » 3:00 pm
WELCOME
Dr. Mark George, MIC President and CEO
Third Coast Suzuki Strings – Cello Program
Community Music School Suzuki Cello Program
Led by teachers Bianca d’Avila do Prado, Philip Lee, and Everardo Sanchez
Louise Chan, piano
Long, Long Ago T. H. Bayly (1797-1839)
Lightly Row German Folk Song
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Folk Song, arr. Shin’ichi Suzuki Variation A (1898-1998)
Ants, Ants, Ants
Duerme mi Tesoro Puerto Rican Folk Song
Kelsey Becerra
Leann Becerra
Julian Bustos-Muñoz
Alise Cedacero Rosas
Hailee Cedacero Rosas
Luis Coto
Isaiah Fink Pressler
Rafa Fink Pressler
Ivan Garcia
Khaled Garcia
Caleb Garduno
Elena Gomez
Mateo Gomez
Ian Gonzales
Lucas Gonzales
Sophia Gonzalez
Neveah Ige
Joshua Kimsel-Perez
Quetzalan Kitchel
Hope Lang
Alexandra Mateos
Zaid Mateos
Elia McQuarters-Nelson
Julietta Murillo
Luciana Murillo
Melvin Nyamekye Taylor
Jacob Karim Reyes Ceballos
Jade Reyes Ceballos
Yeshua Reyes Ceballos
Belinda Rosas
Alexander Sadat
Alina Salazar
Danse Rustique, Op. 20, No. 5
William Henry Squire (1871-1963)
Rosalee Eltanel, Sophia Lau, Nadiya Kundu, Riley Kwok, Eugene Kang, Liam Lockwood
Cloudia Huang, class teacher
Louise Chan, piano
Lightly Row German Folk Song
Riley Branch, piano
Camille Witos, teacher
Intermezzi Klavierstücke, Op. 117, No. 3
Audra Wilson, piano
Daniel Baer, teacher
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major, D. 898 Franz Schubert
II. Andante un poco mosso (1797-1828)
Sang Mee Lee, violin faculty
Paula Kosower, guest cello
Elaine Felder, piano faculty
Scherzo Tarantelle, Op. 16
Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880)
Xiruo Wang, violin
Davis King, teacher
Louise Chan, piano
Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3
Ludwig van Beethoven I. Allegro (1770-1827)
Santino Pardo Robles, piano
Daniel Baer, teacher
(1928-2020)
Erica Anderson, oboe faculty
Louise Chan, piano
Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041 Johann Sebastian Bach I. Allegro moderato (1685-1750)
Almita Vamos, violin faculty
Mark George, piano
String Quartet No. 62 in C Major, Op. 76, No. 3, "Emperor" Franz Joseph Haydn I. Allegro (1732-1809)
The Hemingway Quartet
Elle Cho and Sebastian Manning, violins
Romeo Vashishth, viola
Lucy Wu, cello
Paul Zafer, coach
Community Sing
Dona Nobis Pacem Traditional
Daniel Wallenberg, conductor
Barbara Ann Martin, Jennifer McCormick, Zalman Usiskin - section leaders
TEACHER OF NOTE AWARDS
We are are excited to announce the second annual Teacher of Note awards.
The Teacher of Note Awards were created to bring our community together to honor and express appreciation to the people who live our mission every day: MIC’s internationally-acclaimed, award-winning faculty.
The award recipients represent the excellence of the entire MIC faculty and demonstrate dedication, enthusiasm, and inspiration in their teaching. With these awards, MIC embraces the participation of each and every member of our community. Together, we honor excellence in teaching.
2024 TEACHER OF NOTE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Avi Friedlander and Davis King
Avi Friedlander
Well known as a Suzuki cello workshop and institute clinician, Avi Friedlander teaches a variety of methods from classical to jazz and rock. Friedlander is the director of the Barston Suzuki Center at the Music Institute of Chicago, a Suzuki teacher trainer, and string pedagogy teacher at the University of North Florida and Northwestern University. He holds Masters and Bachelors degrees in cello performance from The University of Michigan, and pursued his professional studies degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Friedlander is the former Assistant Principal cellist of the Atlanta Opera, former member of The New World Symphony, and former professor of Cello at Emory University in Atlanta. His primary teachers have included Anthony Elliott, Stephen Geber, Irene Sharp, Tanya Carey, and David Premo and he has also worked with Richard Aaron, Hans Jensen, Janos Starker and Bernard Greenhouse. He has studied improvisation methods with Eugene Friesen from the Berkley College, Stephan Braun from Berlin, and Tim Kliphuis from Amsterdam.
In addition to his own compositions, Friedlander writes his own arrangements for solo cello of rock tunes from Jimi Hendrix to Pearl Jam, and is the author of his method books, “chopping around” and “pizzing around,” which introduce alternative styles to cellists. In his free time, Friedlander loves to read, play hockey, and spend time with his family. His cello students have gone on to win multiple competitions and have been accepted into numerous music programs around the country. In addition to his cello teaching career, Friedlander is also a level 3 USA Hockey certified coach and coaches youth travel hockey. His hockey teams have won numerous medals in tournaments and more recently, an Illinois state championship in 2024.
Davis King
A dedicated teacher, violinist and violist Davis King began his musical journey in his public school’s string program. At the age of six, he gave his first violin lesson, and by twelve, he had already established a small studio in his hometown of Southampton, New York.
After his studies at Northwestern University, King embarked on a two-year fellowship with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, where he had the privilege of being mentored by the renowned Yo-Yo Ma. During this period, he also began teaching as an assistant to his instructors, Almita and Roland Vamos, whose guidance played a crucial role in shaping his artistry and teaching.
Currently, King holds teaching positions at the Music Institute of Chicago and the Chicago College of Performing Arts. His passion for nurturing young talents extends beyond these institutions, as he actively collaborates with the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative. In addition, King maintains a thriving private studio.
Davis King’s students routinely earn admissions to prestigious institutions such as the Juilliard School, the Colburn School, the New England Conservatory, the Royal College of Music, Rice University, Indiana University, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Moreover, his students have secured top prizes in various national and international competitions, including the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, the Sphinx Competition, the Irving M. Klein International String Competition, and the Johansen International Competition.
Third Coast Suzuki Strings
The Music Institute of Chicago’s Third Coast Suzuki Strings is a program that provides equitable access to MIC’s renowned Suzuki Education platform by transcending socioeconomic and geographic barriers.
Third Coast Suzuki Strings provides tuition-free violin, viola, and cello lessons for children and youth using the Suzuki method. Students study with highly trained Suzuki faculty during weekly private lessons and group instructional sessions for 34 weeks during the school year and six weeks in summer.
In addition, all students receive fully subsidized instrument loans and repertoire books and have free access to the full slate of performances at Nichols Concert Hall, workshops and master classes, recitals, MIC’s Suzuki Sundays, and the nationally renowned Chicago Suzuki Institute in the summer. Parents and guardians are actively involved in all aspects of the child’s musical development and receive specialized training to be a “home teacher.” At present, Third Coast engages 15 Chicago-based and 30 Evanston-based students.
Third Coast Suzuki Strings is made possible with support from:
The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation City of Evanston
William Harris Lee & Company
Dr. Scholl Foundation
Farny R. Wurlitzer Fund from the DeKalb County Community Foundation
Book 5-7 Suzuki Cello Repertoire Class
Dr. Cloudia Huang, group class teacher
This class of 12 energetic third through eighth grade students has learned a great amount of repertoire. The cello skills now under their belts mean they have started forming their own artistry in music. This year, Suzuki cello faculty decided to add the element of cello choir as part of this class’s curriculum so these young musicians can learn and play cello ensemble music. Despite the differences in age and personalities, the common language of music brings them together. They share joy, passion for music, and friendship with each other through cello playing on Saturday afternoons.
Riley Branch, piano
Riley Branch, age eight, is a student of Camille Witos. He is excited to share his music! He really enjoys the extraordinary sound of piano music and is always enthusiastic to learn new pieces. Riley is in third grade at Dr. Bessie Rhodes school of global studies. Aside from his piano studies, he loves reading, swimming, fencing, basketball, and ice skating.
Audra Wilson, piano
Audra Wilson has been a champion for racial and economic justice for over 20 years, serving as a public interest lawyer, teacher, policy shaper, community mobilizer, and experienced executive manager. Currently, she holds the position of President and CEO at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, a national anti-poverty organization based in Chicago.
Wilson is also an avid music enthusiast. She began playing the piano at the age of five and spent several years studying at the Westminster Conservatory of Music in Princeton, New Jersey, where she grew up. Currently, she continues her piano studies with Dr. Daniel Baer. Furthermore, Wilson serves on the MIC’s Board of Trustees and leads the PianoForte Piano Performance Group, an amateur piano ensemble that meets quarterly at the exquisite PianoForte high-end piano store and performance space in the South Loop. In addition to her piano skills, she is an accomplished alto saxophonist.
Faculty
and Friends Trio (Sang Mee Lee, Paula Kosower, and Elaine Felder)
Sang Mee Lee, violin
Sang Mee Lee, is an alumna of the Music Institute of Chicago where she studied with Roland and Almita Vamos. She went on to earn her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in violin performance from the Julliard School and has been recognized for her solo performances in the United States, Europe, and the Far East. Her many awards include First Prize of the Tibor Varga International Violin Competition, Leopold Mozart International Violin Competition, Irving M. Klein International String Auditions, and the Stulberg International Strings Competition, among others. A faculty member at the Music Institute since 2000, she currently serves as the String Department Chair at MIC.
Paula Kosower, cello
Paula Kosower is an active performer and teacher who collaborates frequently with Chicago ensembles including Fulcrum Point New Music Project and the Chicago Philharmonic Chamber Music Series, among others. A member of the contemporary ensemble Picosa, she also substitutes with the cello sections of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Kosower earned her Bachelor and Master’s degrees at Indiana University and completed her Doctorate of Music degree at
Northwestern University. She has premiered numerous compositions with concerts at the Ravinia Festival, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. She currently teaches applied lessons and cello pedagogy at several Chicago-area universities.
Elaine Felder, piano faculty
Elaine Felder is one of the Music Institute of Chicago’s longestserving faculty, joined the MIC piano department in 1976. During her time with MIC, she has mentored hundreds of students of all ages and levels of ability and has led ensembles to both local and national competition prizes. She currently serves as Chair of the MIC Piano Department, and she coaches both Community Music School and Academy chamber music. She leads the popular Adult Piano Camp each summer and is a regular Chicago Duo Piano Festival faculty member. In 2017, she was honored with the Richard D. Colburn Award for Teaching Excellence.
Xiruo Wang, violin
Xiruo Wang, age 12, is a seventh grader at Whitney Young High School Academic Center and a Merit Scholarship recipient at the Music Institute of Chicago, where she studies violin under Davis King. A fellow of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative (CMPI), Xiruo began playing violin at age three and has since earned top honors in prestigious competitions such as the DePaul Concerto Festival for Young Performers, Walgreens National Concerto Competition, Sejong Music Competition, Society of American Musicians Competition, IMA Annual Violin Bach Competition, and the Music Festival in Honor of Confucius. She enjoys performing violin duets with her brother George and holds the title of Junior Affiliate Artist at Guarneri Hall. Beyond her passion for music, Xiruo enjoys reading, playing piano, creative writing, chess, running, and bicycling.
Santino Pardo Robles, piano
Santino Pardo Robles, 17, is a senior at Lincoln Park High School. Santino started his studies in Manila with Ena Maria Aldecoa, Piano Chair at the University of the Philippines, and after moving to Buenos Aires, he continued under the tutelage of Aldo Antognazzi. He continues to master his craft both with Dr. Daniel Baer at the Music Institute of Chicago and with Maestro Antognazzi. When not playing the piano, Santino enjoys reading, running, and spending time with family and friends.
Erica Anderson, oboe faculty
Erica Anderson is an in-demand educator and guest clinician, with many classes led in Evanston, Skokie, and Chicago. She teaches at Carthage College, Elmhurst College, and the Music Institute of Chicago, where she serves as MIC’s Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion department chair as well as oboe faculty. A specialist in oboe pedagogy for young children, she has completed “Every Child Can” Suzuki training. In addition, she designs and runs the Quintet Attacca Chamber Camp and Oboe Reed-Making Workshops.
Anderson is a founding member of Quintet Attacca, an Ensemble in Resident at the Music Institute of Chicago. The Quintet performs many formal and outreach concerts throughout the midwest and beyond. Anderson is also a member of the Chicago Philharmonic and has performed with the Joffrey Ballet, MusicNOW, Chicago Lyric Opera, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, and others.
Anderson attended Interlochen Arts Academy, Eastman School of Music (BM), and DePaul University (MM). She studied with Richard Killmer, Daniel Stolper, and Robert Morgan.
Almita Vamos, violin faculty
Almita Vamos graduated from the Juilliard School of Music where she was a student of Mischa Mischakoff and Louis Persinger. She was the winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York City, The Juilliard Orchestra Competition, and the Chautauqua Orchestra award. Vamos, along with her husband Roland and cellist Tanya Carey were members of the Lydian Trio for fourteen years and recorded for Monacelli Press. More recently, Vamos and her husband completed a recording featuring Chicago-area composers. As a duo team with her sister Eugenia, Vamos has performed in Greece, Italy, and Taiwan, in addition to two recitals in Carnegie Recital Hall which received glowing reviews from the New York Times. She has appeared with orchestras in China, Taiwan, and Korea and in recitals across Europe, Canada, and the United States.
Vamos has served on the violin faculty of Western Illinois University, Oberlin Conservatory, Northwestern University, and for forty years at the Music Institute of Chicago. She currently teaches at Roosevelt University, and has been awarded teaching awards seven times from Presidential Awards, ASTA, and others. Vamos’ students have won top prizes in many national competitions including, Klein, Stuhlburg, Johannsen, Corpus Christi, Kingsville; and international competitions including the Queen Elisabeth
Competition, Tchaikovsky, Carl Flesch, Menuhin, Bach (Leipzig), Szigeti, Kreisler, Neilsen, Paganini, and Montreal. Her students play in many orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, and many others.
Dr. Mark George, piano
Mark George, President and CEO of the Music Institute of Chicago since 2010, has enjoyed a unique career making music and connecting people of all kinds to the performing arts. In 2011, the Chicago Tribune named him “Chicagoan of the Year” in classical music. George served as national board chair for the Suzuki Association of the Americas, and he is currently a trustee for the Solti Foundation US and the Evanston Chamber of Commerce.
A highly regarded pianist, George has performed and recorded extensively throughout the United States. He has held faculty positions at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Case Western Reserve University, and the Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music.
George previously served as director of the Hartt School Community Division and director of distance learning at the Cleveland Institute of Music. His work as an interdisciplinary curriculum developer and consultant has rendered the arts and humanities more accessible to diverse communities. He also led the resurgence of the 2006 Grammy Award-winning Cleveland Chamber Symphony. His board-level leadership, striking performances as a pianist, and inventive programming ideas re-established the ensemble as a major force in contemporary music.
The Academy
Founded in 2006, the Music Institute of Chicago Academy is a nationally recognized training center for highly gifted, pre-college pianists and string players. The Academy provides a comprehensive musical education for students who aspire to be professional musicians. A carefully assembled faculty includes internationally recognized teachers and performers with a passion for developing young talent and an established track record of student achievement.
Academy Chamber Music
The Academy's robust chamber music program has resulted in numerous national competition gold, silver, and bronz medals. The Academy presents four chamber music concerts each year. Piano and string duos, piano trios, and string quartets perform at Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston. Academy Chamber groups perform at high profile cultivation events, fundraisers, and civic events throughout the Chicago area.
The Hemingway Quartet
Paul Zafer, Academy Chamber Music Coach
The Hemingway Quartet is comprised of violinists Elle Cho, Sebastian Manning, Romeo Vashishth and cellist Lucy Wu. All four students are Merit Scholarship Fellows at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy, a training center for advanced pre-college musicians.
Elle Cho, 15, began her violin studies at the age of three, and made her solo debut with the Oistrakh Orchestra at the age of eight. Since then, she has been a prize winner at numerous competitions. In addition, Elle has taken part in master classes led by Midori, Ani Kavafian, Rachel Barton Pine, Boris Garlitsky, James Ehnes, and Ilya Kaler. She has participated in numerous summer festivals such as Bowdoin, Heifetz, Encore, Musica Mundi, Mozarteum Masterclasses, and the Menton Summer Festival, where the world’s top classical artists work with students on the French Riviera. Elle’s quartet (Quartet Meraviglia) won the Bronze Medal at the 2024 Fischoff National Chamber Competition. She is currently a student of artist faculty member Almita Vamos.
Sebastian Manning, 15, also studies with Almita Vamos. He has participated in several national and international competitions, where he has won various prizes. Among them, over the past year, first prizes in the “Mini Paganini” Competition (Belgrade), “Muse” International Competition (Greece), “Nouvelles Étoiles” International Competition (Paris), and “Petar Konjovic” International Competition (Belgrade). In June 2024, he was a Finalist in the “Leonid Kogan” International Competition in Brussels, and in August 2024 he was a Semifinalist in the Kloster Schöntal International Violin Competition (Germany). He was also the concertmaster of the Junior Orchestra of Romania.
Romeo Vashishth, 17, studied at Manhattan School of Music Precollege with Lucie Robert for three years, where he was a named Scholarship recipient. He has attended the Bowdoin International Music Festival for the past three years, and has played for esteemed artists such as Philip Setzer, Ilya Kaler, and Shmuel Ashkenasi. Romeo and has worked with members of the Emerson, Vermeer, American, and Jupiter string quartets, and studies with Almita Vamos.
Lucy Wu, 16, studies with cello teacher and Academy chamber music coach, Stefan Kartman. Since her solo orchestral debut at age ten with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, she has won many competitions and performed as a soloist with the Milwaukee, Madison, Chippewa Valley, and Oistrakh Symphony Orchestra's. In 2024, her quartet (Quartet Meraviglia) won the Bronze Medal at the 2024 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Lucy has worked with David Ying, Clive Greensmith, Hans Jensen, Paul Katz, Stephen Balderston, and Guy Johnston.
The group chose their ensemble name, Hemingway, because we were inspired by the sense of adventure in his writing, and seek to convey the same sense of adventure and storytelling through their playing. Hemingway was born in Oak Park Illinois, which is fitting, given the proximity to where they meet each week at the Academy in Evanston, IL.
Daniel Wallenberg, conductor
Daniel Wallenberg has been conductor of the Music Institute Chorale since 1987. In 2021, he and his wife Nina were the recipients of the Colburn Award for Teaching Excellence.
In addition to his work the MIC Chorale, Wallenberg is the director of the junior and adult choirs at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation and was the founder and artistic director of “Zemer Am,” the Chicago Jewish Choral Festival. He also was on the conducting staff of the Chicago Children’s Choir (now “Uniting Voices Chicago”) where he worked with the In-School Chorus Program and the After-School Programs for the Humboldt Park and Roger Park Neighborhood Choirs.
Born in Bogota, Colombia, Wallenberg earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in choral conducting from the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. In Israel, Wallenberg founded several adult and children’s choirs and sang with the Cameran Singers, a professional choir in Tel Aviv. He has extensive conducting experience with collegiate choral groups and both community and children’s choirs in different parts of the world and has many choral arrangements and compositions to his name. He is also an amateur cellist and is an avid chamber music player.
Dr. Louise Chan, collaborative piano
Dr. Louise Chan, a native of Ottawa, Canada, is a classical pianist, chamber musician, orchestral keyboardist, and music educator. She is a founding member of the Blue Violet Duo with violinist Kate Carter. Their second album, “Strike, Strum and Stride,” was released by Centaur Records in January 2023.
Chan is dedicated to performing new music; recent Chicago performances have included appearances at the Ear Taxi Festival, the George Crumb Festival, and with Fulcrum Point New Music Project and The Zafa Collective. She was the former principal pianist for the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and is a keyboard substitute for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
As a music educator, Chan maintains a busy studio of young and adult piano students at the Music Institute of Chicago. Her students have been prizewinners at local and state competitions. She is a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s College of Examiners, and travels throughout North America as an adjudicator. She has served on the faculties of the Chicago Chamber Music Festival, the Chicago Duo Piano Festival, and Northeastern Illinois University. She studied with Fernando Laires at the Eastman School of Music and Alan Chow at Northwestern University.
FALL FUNDRAISER DONORS
The following list recognizes friends and supporters who contributed to MIC’s 2024 Fall Fundraiser. We are grateful for gifts of all sizes to support our mission.
As of October 30, 2024
Donations to the Fall Fundraiser Concert are generously matched by Lori Julian on behalf of the Julian Family Foundation up to $50,000.
$5,000 - $10,000
Zalman* and Karen Usiskin
Renée Parquette,* in honor of Barbara Ann Martin Green
Mr. Miles D. White
$1,000 -$4,999
Anonymous Gifts
Miles G. Boylan
Hu Family
Timothy Patenode* and Judy Royal
Barbara* and Peter Sereda
Lee Anne* and Rich Stoddart
Scott* and Areta Verschoor, in honor of Soo Young Lee
$500-$999
Anonymous Gifts
Mrs. Gail E. Belytschko
Janet and Scott Cummings, in honor of Lisa Cornwall
Bill and Libby Graham
Charles Van Fossan
$250-$499
Anonymous Gifts, in honor of Audra Wilson
Jennifer McCarthy Bienemann and Robin Bienemann
Maren W. Deaver
Mark Forbis
Jen Hanson, in honor of Davis King
Kathleen Rundell
Mrs. George Williams
$100-$249
Anonymous Gifts
Emily Abraham, in honor of Erica Anderson, Brad Conroy, Louise Chan, Avi Friedlander, Davis King, Sang Mee Lee, and Almita Vamos
Kaiser Ahmed and Em Couling, in honor of MIC Senior Staff
John and Patricia Berwanger
Maggie Deng and Stanley Leong
The Drane and Shadle Family, in honor of Abe Stokman
Xyla Gatilao, in honor of Abraham Stokman
Dr. Mark George and Dr. Elizabeth Calihan
Jill Goldsmith, in honor of Abe Stokman
Justine and David Hourihane, in honor of Avi Friedlander
Mariana Ingersoll
Margaret Kitchel
Carol and David Liner
Sarah J. Miller
Kathy Nordmeyer
Diane and David Onofrey
Oksana Pidruchna and Viktor Perekhozhuk
Grace and John Poe
Sue and Tim Polutnik, in honor of Abe Stokman
Sandy Rhee and Allen Kao, in honor of Avi Friedlander
Marcia and Jeff Rubin, in honor of Avi Friedlander
Carol and Charles Siegel, in honor of Zal Usiskin
Miriam Van De Sype and Flavius Cucu, in honor of Davis King
$1-$99
Anonymous Gifts
Mira Ahn and Liuxue Sun
Ayoyinka Akere
Anne and Dennis Arouca
John and Sedefka Beck
Kunal Bhaumik
Mami Chiyokubo and Stefan Kaufmann
Maggie Enich
Andrea Ewing, in honor of Louise Chan
Mark Forbis
Mary Fridman
Erin N. Fusco, in honor of Bianca d'Avila do Prado and Lisa Zilberman
Constantine Gekas
Dale Griffin and Patricia O'Connell
Mrs. Claire Aebersold Neiweem and Mr. Ralph Neiweem
Maria Novokreshchenova
Sylvie Romanowski
Micki Ross and Richard Bloom
Abigail B. Sivan and Milton Harris
Ms. Nora S. Takagi, in honor of Abraham Stokman
Michelle Vogl
Gifts in honor of Abraham Stokman
In 2024, MIC lost Abe Stokman after 30 years of inspirational teaching at the Music Institute of Chicago.
These donors made gifts in his honor.
The Drane and Shadle Family
Xyla Gatilao
Jill Goldsmith
Sue and Tim Polutnik
Ms. Nora S. Takagi
* MIC Board of Trustee member
RESIDENT ENSEMBLES AT NICHOLS CONCERT HALL
The Music Institute welcomes five resident ensembles to Nichols Concert Hall for the 2024-2025 season.
This new partnership includes a range of public performances showcasing the breadth and depth of great music-making in Chicago and compliments the Music Institute’s “Nichols Concert Hall Presents” series as well a robust calendar of Music Institute of Chicago faculty and student performances as well as other special events. In addition, resident ensembles will expand enrichment opportunities available to Music Institute of Chicago students through master classes and other educational offerings.
APOLLO'S FIRE
GRAMMY® winners Apollo's Fire, led by Jeannette Sorrell, are renowned for their passionate and historically informed performances of Baroque music.
CHICAGO A CAPPELLA
Chicago a cappella is a dynamic group known for their innovative arrangements and impeccable harmonies.
CIVITAS ENSEMBLE
Founded in 2011, Civitas Ensemble is a leading chamber music group in Chicago.
THE ORION ENSEMBLE
The Orion Ensemble is a renowned chamber music group known for their exciting interpretations of standard repertoire and their commitment to introducing audiences to rarely performed masterpieces.
Rembrandt Chamber Musicians
Rembrandt Chamber Musicians is a highly accomplished ensemble featuring three of the most talented musicians in the Chicago area.
Saturday, November 9 at 7:30 PM
MIC Piano Faculty Member Matthew Hagle presents: “Phantoms of Countless Lost”
Saturday, November 16 at 7:30 PM Academy Orchestra Concert
Sunday, November 17 at 3 PM
Artemis Chamber Orchestra: Sonnenberg Suite with Guest Artists – ATLYS Quartet
Sunday, November 17 at 7:30 PM Orion Ensemble Concert: “To Hope”
Saturday, November 23 at 2 PM Guitar/Harp Departmental Recital
Saturday, November 23 at 4:30 PM Voice Departmental Recital
Sunday, November 24 at 3 PM Music Institute Chorale Concert: “Clap Your Hands”
Saturday, December 7 at 11 AM Duke it Out! Nutcracker
Saturday, December 7 at 7:30 PM Academy Chamber Music Concert
Sunday, December 8 at 3 PM
Civitas Ensemble presents: Celebrate the Holidays
Sunday, December 8 at 7:00 PM Adult Studies Fall Recital
2024-2025 PUBLIC EVENTS CALENDAR FALL SEMESTER
NICHOLS CONCERT HALL
Thursday, December 12 at 12:00 PM MIC Concert Band Performance
Saturday, December 14 at 7:30 PM
Chicago a cappella presents: “Holidays a cappella”
Sunday, December 15 at 1:30 PM Piano Departmental Recitals
Saturday, January 11 at 3 PM Chamber Music Recital - 1
Sunday, January 12 at 1:30 PM Chamber Music Recital - 2
Sunday, January 12 at 4:30 PM Strings Departmental Recital
Sunday, January 19 at 3:00 PM
MLK: A Community Celebration Concert
Sunday, January 26 at 6:30 PM Woodwinds, Brass & Percussion Recital
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
TRUSTEES
Scott Verschoor, Chair
Alexandra C. Nichols, Chair Emerita
Timothy J. Patenode, Treasurer
Barbara Sereda, Secretary
Carlos R. Cárdenas, Vice Chair
Lee Anne Stoddart, Vice Chair
Paul Brourman
Hans Germann
Daniel Hahn
Courtney Holohan
Shiraz Kotte
Kay Mabie
Yana Nedvetsky
Renée Parquette
Vikram Raghavan
Jim Stone
Ross Updegraff
Zalman Usiskin
Audra Wilson
Florian Zettelmeyer
Tao Zhu
LIFE TRUSTEES
John J. Berwanger
Mitzi Freidheim
Brooks Morgan
Rachel Barton Pine
Priscilla F. Richman
William N. Topaz
HONORARY
BOARD
Robert Chen
Peter Dushkin
John and Fran Edwardson
James Ginsberg
Jennifer Koh
Nina Kraus
Deborah F. Rutter
Scott and Nancy Santi
Rick Waddell
EX-OFFICIO TRUSTEES
Mark George
Christopher Rintz
THE MUSIC INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
leads people toward a lifelong engagement with music through unparalleled teaching, exceptional performances, and valuable service initiatives that educate, inspire, and build strong, healthy communities.
Since its founding in 1931, the Music Institute’s commitment to innovation, access, and excellence has served as an important community resource and helps to ensure music is available to everyone. Each year, the Music Institute provides personalized music instruction to more than 1800 students, regardless of age, level of experience, or financial means, across eight Community Music School locations in Chicago, Downers Grove, Evanston, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Wheaton, Winnetka, as well as online.
In addition, the Music Institute brings music education, arts curriculum integration, professional development, and music performance and engagement opportunities to thousands in the Chicago area; offers scholarship opportunities to students in its Community School and its Academy, a nationally recognized training center for highly gifted precollege pianists and string players; and welcomes thousands of visitors annually for performances, master classes, and special events at Nichols Concert Hall.
For more information: musicinst.org • 847.905.1500
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO GIVE THE GIFT OF MUSIC EDUCATION?
• Providing an outlet for creative expression
• Building practice skills, concentration, and confidence
• Benefitting from individualized learning and mentorship
• Offering a chance to excel outside of academics or the workplace
• Making lifelong friends and memories
• Increasing an appreciation for music and the arts
The Music Institute of Chicago has been providing children and adults with high-quality music education for almost a century.
With 8 campus locations and nearly 150 highly-qualified faculty teaching more than 40 instruments, we have the honor of turning thousands of students into music makers every year.
EVERY GIFT YOU MAKE IS A GIFT OF MUSIC FOR ANOTHER STUDENT. We believe that everyone deserves