For 50 years, The People’s Music School has been delivering on its founder’s bold vision.

In 1976, Dr. Rita Simó opened the doors to The People’s Music School in Uptown, bringing her vision of a completely free music school to life. Fifty years later, The People’s Music School has provided free, intensive music education to thousands of students across Chicago who face financial barriers to accessing music education. From our humble beginnings as an old beauty parlor storefront in Uptown, to our current programming reaching 800+ students representing over 55 ZIP codes, The People’s Music School has enabled Chicago’s children to unlock their creativity, find their voices, and achieve their dreams. For fifty years, we’ve provided access to the benefits of an intensive music education – and we’ve done it 100% tuition-free.

That’s why we’re asking for your support for Big Night: 50 Years of Daring to Play, the People’s Music School’s ninth annual Big Night gala. At our biggest night of the year, we will celebrate five decades of bold dreams, proud accomplishments, and growing impact. 

This year, we will posthumously honor Dr. Rita Simó, founder of The People’s Music School, as we recognize and celebrate her legacy of impact. A Dominican immigrant and Julliard-trained pianist, Rita founded “The Music School for the People” in 1976 in a former beauty salon, staffed by volunteers and made possible by the donation of a baby grand piano. She had dreamt of having her own place to teach and share the joy of learning music with others, and her tenacity made that dream a reality that endures five decades later. She believed all children should have access to music education, regardless of their family’s socioeconomic status. Her joyful spirit, fierce commitment to equity, and deep pride in her Dominican heritage made her a beloved leader in Chicago. A pillar in Chicago’s arts community and a tireless voice for equitable community access, she spent many years on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Rita’s fearless legacy lives on in every note played at The People’s Music School.