Dear Community,
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. A Dominican immigrant and a Juilliard-trained pianist, Rita had dreamt of having her own place to teach and share the joy of learning music with others. Despite all odds, her tenacity made that dream a reality that endures five decades later.
Since our founding, TPMS has provided free, intensive music education to thousands of students across Chicago who face financial barriers to accessing music education. We’re not only building quality musicians, we’re helping to create confident, capable young people. It’s something we’ve been doing for 50 years—100% tuition-free.
This year, our programming reached 800 students representing over 55 ZIP codes. We delivered over 100,000 hours of intensive music education, with classes and ensembles led by 70+ phenomenal teaching artists. 100% of our seniors graduated high school, compared to 65% at CPS.
Our students continue to demonstrate just how far this investment can take them. Students like Zechariah, who just this year advanced into the SLAM @ Greater South Side piano program, performed at our Big Night gala, and received a scholarship to attend Berklee Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive over the summer.
This annual report offers a look into what truly sets our school apart. Inside, you’ll find highlights from a remarkable anniversary year—student achievements, alumni success stories, family testimonials, and community celebrations. Together, they reflect our steadfast commitment to our mission: providing access to the benefits of an intensive music education, for students all across Chicago.
In service,
Miriam Owens
President & CEO, The People's Music School
Our Mission
Our mission is to deliver access to the benefits of high-quality, tuition-free music education. Through intensive instruction and performance, our students achieve excellence in music that transfers to other areas in life. They grow musically, socially, emotionally and intellectually, and develop a foundation of responsibility, self-esteem, resilience and purpose.
Our Programs
The People’s Music School (TPMS) focuses our work where need is greatest, providing rigorous after-school music programming to 805 students who have financial barriers to access. TPMS’s original community school in Uptown has persisted for over 50 years. Over time, we have opened programs in Chicago’s underserved communities to expand student access and increase our portfolio of sites. Through the cultivation of musical learning and growth, our ultimate goal is to empower students with crucial life skills, support socio-emotional development, and provide transformational opportunities made possible through music education. TPMS also strengthens local communities by geographically working in the communities that we serve.
Students receive on average four hours of intensive after-school music instruction weekly, including instrumental instruction, ensemble instruction, music theory, and performance opportunities. This degree of intensive music education produces valuable life skills, such as growth mindset, resilience, and improved literacy and math skills.¹ TPMS’s intensive after-school music education programs are designed to drive these benefits and to eliminate barriers to access, including financial, geographic, linguistic, and cultural barriers.
Young students at The People’s Music School begin their musical journeys with General Music, a program that teaches the foundations of music designed for elementary students in first grade.
Music Theory curriculum at The People’s Music School trains students to think critically and apply new tools for creative self-expression. All students take a rigorous annual theory exam to assess progress.
Lessons, both private and group, offer students the opportunity to refine their skills, nurture their creativity, and demonstrate musical excellence. All students participate in an annual solo jury assessment to assess their musical progression.
Ensembles offer our students the opportunity to collaborate as young musicians, learn from their peers, and perform for live audiences. Every student has multiple opportunities to perform annually.
Our Service, Leadership, Artistry, and Mentorship (SLAM) honors program gives advanced, older students the opportunity to build on their skills of discipline, teamwork, critical thinking and self-assurance and apply them as they face new challenges and experience new opportunities.
¹“Music-based mentoring and academic improvement in high-poverty elementary schools. Journal of Youth Development.”; “Planting the Seeds: Orchestral Music Education as a Context for Fostering Growth Mindsets. Front. Psychol.”
Our Impact
800
students enrolled
94%
BIPOC students
21
instruments taught
1,389
individual donors supporting TPMS
5,701
hours of service provided by families
70+
teaching artists
4
hours on average of weekly programming per student
100%
high school graduation rate
RACIAL DIVERSITY
SOCIOECONOMIC DIVERSITY
Highlights from our 50th Year
- We celebrated 50 years of The People’s Music School, marking five decades of providing access to the benefits of an intensive music education for Chicago’s young people.
- We enrolled 800 students across 4 program sites, with intensive instruction provided by 70+ teaching artists.
- Over the course of the year, we offered 30+ performance opportunities and teamed up with nearly 20 musicians, artists, and organizations, including Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Grant Park Music Festival, Chicago Blues Fest, Third Coast Percussion, D-Composed, Àkójọpọ̀ Music Foundation, Crossing Borders Music, and more, to provide enriching musical experiences.
- We raised over $825,000 at our Big Night: 50 Years of Daring to Play gala, posthumously honoring The People’s Music School’s founder Dr. Rita Simó.
- We welcomed 4 new members to our Board of Directors: Sally Cohen, Eric Holder, Josh Lebovitz, and David Michael.
- We secured 5 new major funding partnerships and celebrated renewed relationships with lapsed individual donors and institutional funders.
- We sustained a 73% year-over-year student retention rate, with data showing that the longer students remain in the program, the deeper and more sustainable the impact.
- We upheld the pillar of phenomenal teaching, offering over 20 hours of professional development opportunities to teaching artists and building our library of diverse teaching resources.
- We closed out the school year with our Performapaloozathon concert series, featuring 59 student ensembles. TPMS congratulated the Class of 2026, with a 100% high school graduation rate.
- We sent 26 Summer Ambassadors to intensive summer music programs, including Berklee Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive, GRAMMY Camp – Nashville, Madeline Island Chamber Music, Lawrence Summer Music Institute, Birch Creek, Merit Music Piano Summer Camp, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
Rita’s Legacy, Still in Motion
By Nalini Kotamraju, Ph.D.
I’m a proud alum of The People’s Music School. I attended People’s from about age 14 to 18, taking piano lessons at first and then singing in the children’s choir. I returned as a college student for an internship. Now, I serve on the Board of Directors, and my mother did as well. My family has had a two-generation involvement with the People’s Music School.
Part of the reason that People’s continues to be part of my life is because I feel grateful for the opportunity to have participated in what the school does and what it stands for. I firmly believe that music education should be free, and that people should have the opportunity to learn music, regardless of ability to pay. And I also recognize that People’s has given me so much — the opportunity to grow, to meet people, to push myself, to conquer fears. And for me, that all started with Rita.
Rita Simó was a formidable presence in my entire adolescence and adulthood. She was stubborn like nobody’s business, tenacious, and persistent. She was a role model of leadership, a terribly technophobic boss, and a relentless optimist. If you ever wanted to see Rita mad, you would start using words like “do-gooders” or “charity.” Because that wasn’t – and isn’t – what The People’s Music School is about. Rita understood that music matters, that it is foundational to the human experience. And for that reason, it was incredibly important that everyone has access to it.
I think Rita would be really impressed with where the music school is now, 50 years later, along lines she might never have thought. There are many things she would be so immensely proud of—that we’re in so many geographic locations, that we’re serving so many more children, and by extension, families and communities. I think she would be tickled pink that we’ve accomplished that, based on what she started in a former beauty parlor in Uptown.
But most importantly, we’re still committed to—and we still provide—high-quality, tuition-free music education. We have amplified the number of children and adults’ lives that we’ve touched. The need is still strong for free music education, especially at the quality at which we provide it.
That’s Rita’s legacy continued, and we’re still doing it.
Nalini Kotamraju, Ph.D. attended The People’s Music School in the 1980s as a teen in the Uptown neighborhood. She serves on the Board of Directors and is a member of the Program Committee. She lives in Oakland, California.
The People’s Music School Is My Family
By Freya Javier
My name is Freya. I play cello and I was a student at The People’s Music School for almost 8 years. I joined when I was in 5th grade at Hibbard Elementary in Albany Park. I can still remember when my mom decided to register me for the program on a whim. We were sitting in McDonald’s and I begged her to let me quit.
Almost a decade later and I couldn’t be more grateful that she made me stay. I truly mean it when I say this: The People’s Music School is my family. I have countless memories of eating afterschool snacks while chatting with my friends in the Hibbard auditorium. I remember the silly pass-time games during group lessons with Mr. David or the “note-guessing” games with Ms. Claire, which I found surprisingly entertaining.
As I grew older and entered high school, I started to explore my passion for music. Like all things, I wanted to get better, so I practiced more. The more I practiced, the more opportunities came my way: private lessons, the ability to play advanced music, and the incredible summer programs I participated in. I attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp the summer after my Freshman year. A year later, I joined Blue Lake International, where I got to tour around France, Germany, and Poland with an orchestra. And now this summer, I have the honor of attending the Lawrence Summer Music Institute. It’s still unbelievable that I’ve been given these opportunities.
Throughout it all, I’ve learned two major things. First, being part of a diverse community with access to quality music education is one of the most valuable things a human can have. The People’s Music School accomplishes this in the best way possible – whether it be the smiles of the staff members that greet us each morning or the ability to look around your ensemble and see people who look like you. All these years, I truly felt like I was in a place that welcomed and supported me, all while giving me the resources to make my dreams possible. So for that, I want to give a big thank you to The People’s Music School.
The second thing I learned was the importance of musical connection. A few months ago, me and a few other SLAM students were interviewed about our experience with the program. The topic of “musical thrill” came up, which refers to the feeling of connecting with a musical piece so strongly that you start to feel goosebumps. This shows up when you’re watching a performance, performing a piece with others, or simply listening to music. I believe that feeling this feeling and connecting it to the deeper meanings behind a piece is crucial to being a good musician. It wasn’t until I recognized this idea that my fears of performing in front of others decreased and my desire to dedicate time to purposeful practice increased.
So to the younger students or the students who have a couple more years of being in this program, I urge you to look for that passion – the reason why you’re doing this. Because the hard work and discomfort is not for nothing.
Freya Javier graduated from Von Steuben High School in May of 2026 and is a first-year at the University of Chicago, where she is excited to be studying the physical sciences and looks forward to pursuing undergraduate research opportunities. She plans to join the symphony orchestra and chamber ensemble to further fulfill her love of music. She is currently fundraising for a new cello. Donate to her fundraiser here.
How The People’s Music School Inspired Anna Pastrana’s Classical Music Career
Award-winning pianist and music educator Anna Pastrana is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Piano Performance at Roosevelt University while teaching piano at Oak Park School of Music and Better World Music School. But long before graduate studies and teaching, Anna was a young pianist searching for a place to grow after moving from Moscow to Chicago at age 10. What she found was The People’s Music School.
After auditioning with “Für Elise,” Anna was accepted to the piano program at Uptown Academy. She remembers her piano teacher, Hulya Alpakin, fondly. “She absolutely shaped me as a musician and as a performer,” Anna says. “Because of her, I got a lot of great opportunities.”
Even at a young age, Anna knew she was receiving a uniquely comprehensive music education. “The education that People’s Music School was giving, I remember it had everything,” she says. “Theory classes, vocal exercises, music history.” She credits founder Rita Simó with setting the tone for the rigorous training she received. “I remember in my jury one year, Rita gave me good comments about playing with ‘freedom’ when playing Chopin. That stuck with me for a long time.”
Looking back, Anna says TPMS prepared her for university-level music studies. “When you go to college, sometimes students don’t have the ear training background, theory background, or solo performance experience. But The People’s Music School introduced us to all of that from the start.”
Today, Anna still sees the school’s influence in her work as a pianist and teacher. “The People’s Music School not only helped me become a better musician, but it helped me to be a better teacher.” And the impact is clear: “Music is so important for development and intelligence. So when you start music education as a child, you’re opening doors to so many skills already. Just like normal education, I think music education has to be available for everybody.”
First Movement
We are grateful for our First Movement donors who have become dedicated partners in our journey towards student impact.
Rita’s Circle – $15,000
Anonymous
Mary Beth & Brian Fahrney
Lavin Bernick Huber Charitable Fund
Ira and Sheila Stone Family Foundation
Rock Khanna and Manish Saraf
Jo Ann Seager
Steans Family Foundation
Zell Family Foundation
Conductor’s Circle – $10,000
The Allen and Darian Shapiro Foundation
Ephraim Family Foundation
Ellen and Matt Feldman
Andrew and Jill Gluck
Jeppson’s Malört
The Libby and Errol Halperin Charitable Trust
Craig and Elizabeth Owens
Frank Reid & Amparo Maya
Cecilia Torres VanGetson & Aaron VanGetson
Composer’s Circle – $5,000
Anonymous
Michael Buck
Sue and Bruce Gottschall
Karen Grant
Gary and Carol Hart
Loretta Julian
Jason Klein
Jonathan and Katy Kletzel
Frank Swiderski, Jr.
Adam and Marie Lucas
Scott and Judy McCue
Anthony and Rachel Salazar
Our Supporters
View a complete list of our individual, corporate, foundation, government, and in-kind supporters here.
Financials
Our Board of Directors
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Emerald-Jane “EJ” Hunter, Board Chair
Marketing & PR Committee Chair
Ringleader, myWHY Agency
Christie Crouch, Vice Chair
Donor Engagement Committee Chair
Vice President & GM, Hormel Foods
Adam Lucas, Treasurer
Finance Committee Chair
Vice President, Concentric Equity Partners
Cindy Murray, Secretary
Governance Committee Chair, Director, Donor Engagement Committee
Executive Advisor, Nuvono
DIRECTORS
Michael Buck
Lifetime Trustee, Program Committee Chair
Portfolio Mgr., Senior Analyst, Driehaus Capital Management LLC
Manuel Chavez
Director, Donor Engagement Committee
Managing Director and Partner, William Blair
Sally Cohen
Director, Donor Engagement Committee
Attorney, Hale Law, LLC
Ellen Feldman
Lifetime Trustee, Donor Engagement Committee
Civic leader
Fernando Ferreyra
Director, Donor Engagement Committee
Senior Managing Director, Black & Veatch
Gary Hart
Director, Finance Committee
Tax Partner (retired), Mowery & Schoenfeld LLC
Eric Holder
Director, Donor Engagement Committee
VP | Wealth Advisor,
Bernstein Private Wealth Management
Joe Idaszak
Director, Donor Engagement Committee
Dir. & Portfolio Mgr., Global Renewables & Infrastructure Securities, Brookfield Asset Management
Adam K. Jackson
Director, Donor Engagement Committee
Portfolio Advisor, Vice President, Global Family and Private Investment Offices, Northern Trust
Carolyn Jaw
Director, Governance Committee
Executive Vice President, Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
Nalini Kotamraju
Director, Program Committee
Civic leader
Josh Lebovitz
Director, Marketing & PR Committee
Vice President Group Director, Data & Analysis at Digitas North America
David Michael
Director, Governance Committee
Managing Partner, Gould & Ratner, LLP
Nancy Power
Director, Donor Engagement Committee
Chief Human Resources Officer, Ariel Investments
Anthony Salazar
Director, Donor Engagement Committee
Sr. Vice President, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Steven Shaw
Director, Governance Committee
Community Engagement Director, Verizon
Rob Whiteman
Director, Finance Committee
Better Future Advisors LLC, Partner (retired), McKinsey & Company
Our Associate Board
Yasmine Gordon, Chair
Snap, Inc.
Kolade Aderele
Cleveland Avenue
Kiran Chandrasekaran
Bain & Company
Elizabeth Gelman
Civic leader
Lizzie Mander
Bain & Company
Reginald McCoy
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Danny Rubin
Bain & Company
Brenner Swenson
Reverb
Michael Yao
Bain & Company
Our Teaching Artists
Dylan Abbott
Carmen Abelson
Alex Armstrong
Emily Beisel
Joel Block
Bobby Bonslater
Rachael Botz
Ben Branda
Natalie Butler
Nico Carter
Kathryn Cederborg
Hsuan Chen
Mi Ran Choi
Raquel Coleman
Tae Corbin
Diego Correa
Fabian Correa
Jamaal Crowder
Liliana Cruz
Christopher Dammann
Kelly Dennis
Laura Duggan
Ben Eager
Arlecia Ebert
Anatolia Evarkiou-Kaku
El Faussane
Zayith Fernandez
Sam Frampton
Ariel Garcia
Karlyn Gehring
Simon Gomez
Lidanys Graterol
Mark Haworth
Miro Hernandez
Rodolfo Hernandez
Pilar Herrera Bermudez
Dan Hickey
Jonathan Hodges
Grace Hudson-Mairet
Christopher Jackson Green
Sarah Jenkins
Jack Kartsotis
Janice Lee
Fabricio Lock Sotomayor
Istvan Loga
Ralph Maranon
Cameron Marquez
Bethany McKnight
Caleb McMahon
Elijah Medina
Eric Monge
Jae Hyun Moon
Alex Moore
Emily Munn-Wood
Oliver Munoz
Stephon Owens
Rossman Palfrey
Helder Perez
An Phan
Adrian Quiroz
Kenthaney Redmond
Megan Robbins
Allison Rye
Bryan Tamayo
Jonathan Thomas
Michael Thompson
Felipe Tobar Blanco
Gloria Wide
Cedrice Young
Our Staff
Eitan Barkow
Instrument Inventory Coordinator
Chelsey Bazuro
Senior Manager of Institutional Giving
Natalie Butler
Chief Program Officer
Jaila Carr
Program Coordinator, Greater South Side
Brandy Casseus
Program Manager, Greater South Side
Kathryn Cederborg
Program Manager, Uptown Academy
Kelly Dennis
Senior Manager of Program Operations
Ellie DePastino
Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications
Jessica Esteves
Human Resources and Technology Manager
Ariel Garcia
Senior Manager of Program Initiatives
Caro Granner
Program Associate, Uptown Academy
Miro Hernandez
Program Manager, SLAM
Kasia Johnson
Chief Financial Officer
Grecia Landin
Program Manager, Albany Park
Alo Ochoa
Program Coordinator, Back of the Yards, SLAM
Miriam Owens
President and CEO
David Perez Delgado
Program Coordinator, Albany Park
Jennifer Riskind
Chief Development Officer
Megan Robbins
Senior Manager of Learning and Teaching
Michael Thompson
Development Coordinator
Felipe Tobar
Manager of Learning and Teaching
Wes Woodward
Development Associate, Individual Giving
Get Involved
Spread the word: Tell a friend, follow and boost us on social media, or host an event! We always need more people to know about the great work happening here.
Attend an Event: Head to our events page to see our calendar of upcoming concerts, recitals, community programming, and more. We can’t wait to see you!
Join a committee or task force: Composed of expert volunteers, members of our People’s community, and members of our Board of Directors, our committee and task force members serve as advisors and experts that guide our work. Learn more about our committees and how to inquire about involvement.
Volunteer: We have nearly 30 performing events per year, and we always need help! Volunteering at an event is a great opportunity to get to know our close-knit community.
Donate: Every dollar you give to The People’s Music School goes towards eliminating barriers to access in music education and enriching young lives in Chicago.
931 W. Eastwood Ave. Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 784-7032 | peoplesmusicschool.org
@peoplesmusicschool