Faculty & Staff

Charles Kim

Songwriting, Composition, Guitar, Bass

He's taught everything from Beatles and Radiohead tunes, Jazz Improvisation, bass lines, and how to sing and play together. He's an author of his own nationally distributed guitar method book. He also teaches the year-long songwriting program, which includes six classes: Lyrics, Melodies, Harmony and Chord Progressions, Arranging and Editing, Generating Song Ideas, Music and Words. He's also taught students how to write a pop-song, how to figure out their favorite tunes, work on band arrangements, and get ready for the recording studio.

Charles has appeared on over 30 albums, works as a producer/recorder, and written works for theater, dance companies and film, including a commissioned work for the Royal College of London.

He has been teaching beginning through advanced group guitar and theory classes at the Old Town School since 1999, including specialty classes such as 90's Rock, Learning Songs From Recordings, Playing and Singing Together, Jazz Theory, Fingerboard Theory, Ear Training, and Pro Tools Recording. He currently teaches Guitar I-IV, Lead Guitar, Beginner and Intermediate Music Theory, and Music Theory For Songwriters.

Education: Charles has studied with McArthur Grant Recipient Ken Vandermark for Jazz Studies and Improvisation, and studied Classical Guitar at Vanderbilt University.

On the web:

charleskimmusic.com
astronomermusic.com
Musician Charles Kim Draws Music from The Great Perhaps (Chicago Public Radio, July 2009)
Conversation with the Astronomer’s Charles Kim (Chicago Public Radio, November 2005)
Private Lessons

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays.
For Bass, Guitar | ages 13 & up
Call 773.728.6000 for times, locations, and availability.
Group Class Offerings
Songwriting 1
Mondays at 6:30 PM beginning 8/30/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
No class Sept. 6- Labor Day
CLASS CANCELLED | Seats Available: 0

Guitar 3
Mondays at 8:00 PM beginning 8/30/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
No class Sept. 6- Labor Day
CLASS IS FULL. Please call 773.728.6000 for waiting list info.

Guitar 1 Repertoire
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM beginning 9/1/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
REGISTER NOW | Price: $160 | Member Price: $150

Lead Guitar Basics
Wednesdays at 8:00 PM beginning 9/1/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
REGISTER NOW | Price: $160 | Member Price: $150

Beginning Music Theory
Thursdays at 5:30 PM beginning 9/2/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
CLASS CANCELLED | Seats Available: 0

Guitar 1 Repertoire
Thursdays at 7:00 PM beginning 9/2/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
CLASS IS FULL. Please call 773.728.6000 for waiting list info.

Songwriting for the Absolute Beginner
Thursdays at 8:30 PM beginning 9/2/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
Guitar 2 ability. Click to see what skills are covered in that level.
CLASS CANCELLED | Seats Available: 0

Guitar 3 Repertoire
Saturdays at 11:00 AM beginning 9/4/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
REGISTER NOW | Price: $160 | Member Price: $150

Ensemble Basics
Saturdays at 1:00 PM beginning 9/4/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
CLASS CANCELLED | Seats Available: 0

Beatles for Beginners
Saturdays at 1:00 PM beginning 9/4/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
REGISTER NOW | Price: $160 | Member Price: $150

Radiohead Ensemble
Saturdays at 2:30 PM beginning 9/4/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
CLASS CANCELLED | Seats Available: 0

Songwriting 1
Mondays at 6:30 PM beginning 10/25/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
REGISTER NOW | Price: $160 | Member Price: $150

Lead Guitar Basics
Wednesdays at 8:00 PM beginning 10/27/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
REGISTER NOW | Price: $160 | Member Price: $150

Music Theory For Songwriters
Thursdays at 5:30 PM beginning 10/28/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
REGISTER NOW | Price: $140 | Member Price: $131.25

Songwriting 2
Thursdays at 8:30 PM beginning 10/28/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
REGISTER NOW | Price: $140 | Member Price: $131.25

Beatles for Beginners
Saturdays at 1:00 PM beginning 10/30/2010 for 8 weeks
4544 N Lincoln Ave
REGISTER NOW | Price: $160 | Member Price: $150

Workshops
Strumming Secrets
Sunday, September 19 at 1:30 PM-3:30 PM
4544 N Lincoln Ave
Now that you’ve learned your first few chords, figure out how to make your rhythm sound more solid. This workshop will help you quickly figure out strumming patterns, syncopation, singing and playing together, and how to make your rhythms more interesting and inspired. A workshop for beginners and old pros alike!
Guitar 1 and above if you know 12 chords you are welcome
REGISTER NOW | Price: $20 | Member Price: $20

Magic Formulas For Songwriting
Sunday, September 19 at 3:30 PM-5:00 PM
4544 N Lincoln Ave
When you hit the ground running writing a song, take a look at some of these time tested templates of song construction. Many songs in rock, pop, blues, country, jazz and standards use similar forms of lyrics, chords and melodies. By learning some of these easy formulas, you can jump headfirst into a song by adding your own personal touches. Just plug in to these secret formulas, and you’ll have new songs coming out of you in now time at all!
REGISTER NOW | Price: $20 | Member Price: $20

Fingerpicking For Absolute Beginners
Sunday, October 10 at 1:30 PM-3:30 PM
4544 N Lincoln Ave
Fingerpicking can be easy if you know how to start! Learn simple techniques and patterns that you can use right away! Let us show you simple thumb- and- one finger approaches to finger picking that can eventually turn in to more complex accompaniment.
REGISTER NOW | Price: $20 | Member Price: $20

Generating Ideas for Songs
Sunday, October 10 at 3:30 PM-5:00 PM
4544 N Lincoln Ave
Learn how to inspire yourself with new approaches of writing both words and music! You’ll also learn how to break down your writer’s block. You’ll develop methods to inspire, surprise and challenge yourself lyrically, melodically, harmonically and sonically. You’ll use techniques including journaling, collaboration, randomization, and referencing other works to pull your songwriting out of the ruts. Discover how to find those new ideas and funnel them into songs.
REGISTER NOW | Price: $20 | Member Price: $20