The People's Music School

The People's Music School's Winter Spectacular at the Riviera Theatre
2023-12-17 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | The Riviera Theater, 4746 N Racine Ave, Chicago, IL, 60640, United States
Sunday, December 17th, 10-11:30am and 1:30-3pm
FREE ADMISSION
Join The People’s Music School for a heartwarming and unforgettable day of musical magic as we present our Winter Spectacular, a free concert at the iconic Riviera Theatre featuring nearly 300 student musicians.
The People’s Music School will perform the Chicago premier of Nina Shekhar’s Mad Libs for Youth Ensemble. Mad Libs is a co-commission with Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, Play on Philly, and Sistema Ravinia, made possible by the Amplifying Voices program. Amplifying Voices is a New Music USA initiative which is powered by the Sphinx Ventures Fund, with additional support from ASCAP, the Sorel Organization, the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, and The Wise Family Charitable Foundation. Watch a short video about the composition and workshop here.
The concert will also feature the world premier of “Resonance,” composed by TPMS Student Bennett Gonzalez, and performed by Sean Connors and Robert Dillon, members of the Grammy award-winning ensemble Third Coast Percussion. Read about Bennett and his composition on our blog.

Back of the Yards Winter Concert
2023-12-14 18:00 - 19:30 | Lara Elementary, 4637 S Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States

Greater South Side Winter Concert
2023-12-13 18:00 - 19:30 | Wendell Phillips Academy High School, 244 E Pershing Rd, Chicago, IL, 60653, United States

Albany Park Winter Concert
2023-12-12 18:00 - 19:30 | Hibbard Elementary, 3244 W Ainslie St, Chicago, IL, 60625, United States

Grand Opening: Rita Simó Roof Deck
2023-08-17 18:30 - 20:00 | Uptown Academy, 931 W EASTWOOD AVE, CHICAGO, IL, 60640, United States
The People’s Music School invites you to the GRAND OPENING of the Rita Simó Roof Deck on August 17 from 6:30 – 8pm. Stop by to see our remodeled outdoor community space, enjoy live music provided by our faculty, and a light reception. Free to attend, and all are welcome!
The Rita Simó Roof Deck honors founder of The People’s Music School Dr. Rita Simó, a Julliard-trained pianist from the Dominican Republic. Her belief was that all children should have access to music education, regardless of their family’s socioeconomic status. She opened The People’s Music School in Uptown in 1976.
After many years of the roof deck being in disrepair, we are thrilled to unveil the remodeled Rita Simó Roof Deck, a community space made possible by the generous contributions of The People’s Music School community. Many thanks to the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, The Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, and TPMS alum and board member Nalini Kotamraju for making this project possible. See more of the generous donors who made this project possible here.

Performapaloozathon!
2023-06-03 | Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), 5500 N St Louis Ave, Chicago, 60625
It’s The People’s Music School’s biggest performance of the year!
RESERVE YOUR SPOT

Enjoy our day-long performance spectacular – in person for the first time since 2019. With 20+ student solo and ensemble performances, musical collaborations, awards, food trucks, lawn games, and more!
Highlights Include:
12:30pm-2:30pm: Student ensemble performances, including powerful performance with Violins of Hope and Chicago Sinfonietta, featuring historic instruments recovered from WWII.

Violins of Hope hosted by JCC Chicago and other partner organizations is coming to Chicagoland and surrounding areas across Illinois from April through September 2023. The collection of 70 string instruments played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust have been painstakingly restored and are now coming to our area for cultural exhibitions, performances, and community education with a message of hope, resistance, resilience, and unity. Learn more here.
Chicago Sinfonietta champions diversity, equity, and inclusion by creating community through bold symphonic experiences. CS a source of community through music, as well as ensuring and inspiring a continued investment in diversity and inclusivity in the genre of classical music to promote fairness and equity. Learn more here.

Albany Park Spring Concert
2023-05-19 18:00 - 19:30 | IL

Back of The Yards Spring Concert
2023-05-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Lara Elementary, 4637 S Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States

Greater South Side Spring Concert
2023-05-17 18:00 - 19:30 | Hyde Park Academy High School, 6220 S Stony Is Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, United States

Uptown Academy Percussion Recital
2023-05-14 17:30 - 18:30 | Uptown Academy, 931 W EASTWOOD AVE, CHICAGO, IL, 60640, United States

SLAM Program Showcase at the Winthrop Family Historical Garden
2023-05-13 10:00 - 11:30 | Winthrop Family Historical Garden, 4628 N Winthrop Ave, Chicago, IL, 60640
RESERVE YOUR SPOT

The People’s Music School invites you to a SLAM Program Showcase at the Winthrop Family Historical Garden! The event features performances by our advanced music students. All are welcome to come and enjoy music, refreshments, art activities, and learn more about The People’s Music School and the work we do to bring accessible music education to Chicago students. Join us for a morning of music and family fun in the garden!

Senior Send-off
2023-05-06 15:30 - 17:00 | Uptown Academy, 931 W EASTWOOD AVE, CHICAGO, IL, 60640, United States
Join us on Saturday, May 6th as we celebrate our TPMS seniors with awards, gifts and light refreshments. Friends and families welcome! RSVP by April 22

Chicago Youth and Music Festival Side by Side with Civic Orchestra of Chicago
2023-03-26 | Symphony Center, 220 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60604

Big Night 2023: Chicago In Harmony
2023-03-10 18:00 - 22:00 | IL
Save the date for our annual gala at Morgan MFG on Friday, March 10, 2023! Co-chaired by Kia Javanmardian and Laura Sutphen. Learn more

Fall Salon Concert*
2022-11-14 17:30 - 19:00 | Holly’s Bar at Wintrust Building, 231 S La Salle St, Chicago, IL, 60604, United States
*This event is invitation-only.

Holiday Art Show & Community Reception
2022-11-10 17:00 - 18:30 | Wintrust Bank – Mayfair, 4343 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL, 60641, United States
Albany Park families are invited to our holiday art show and community reception at Wintrust Bank – Mayfair! Enjoy light bites, cocktails, musical performances, and our student art gallery.

Grand Opening: Hyde Park Academy High School
2022-10-19 17:00 - 18:30 | Hyde Park Academy High School, 6220 S Stony Is Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, United States
Join The People’s Music School for a celebration of our newest site, Hyde Park Academy High School! With student performances, building tours, and refreshments.

Jeff Tweedy and the Students of The People's Music School Live in Concert
2022-07-21 18:30 - 21:00 | Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL, 60601
Join People’s at Pritzker Pavilion from for a concert as part of the #MillenniumPark Music Series! Our students will join Jeff Tweedy, founding member and leader of the Grammy Award-winning American rock band Wilco, for an incredible summer evening of music. Read more
