Great songs, great players, great fun!
Our faculty of teaching artists, extraordinary guitarists and professional musicians themselves, lead this program with a fun, multi-layered, and immediately gratifying approach to learning guitar. Young folks learn to play a wide variety of cool tunes from folk, rock, pop, and world music. Each song purposefully stretches new muscles and teaches new skills in an authentic and memorable way.
We expect that young folks work and play at each level for up to a year, mastering skills and becoming confident learners and players. Through the guitar, we foster holistic musical understanding and a true love for music. We teach young folks how to: create good tone, establish steady beat, play in rhythm, and internalize melody and song.
At the Old Town School of Folk Music, learning within the social environment is core to our approach. The musical conversation of a classroom, of a jam, of our school inspires, motivates, teaches our youth and their families to live musical lives! Come participate in that magic!
When you go to the Old Town School of Folk Music, you are learning something bigger than the guitar. Surrounded by the thousands of musicians who play on our stages, climb our steps, jam in our lobbies, we come from something larger-a rich history, an evolving tradition, a living culture of folks from around Chicago and the world coming together to create music.
Our Goals for Young Guitarists:
Young folks will learn to hear, to internalize music. As young folks refine their listening skills, they will learn to feel rhythm, internalize pulse, and remember melody.
Young folks will discover and develop their own musicality, and identify themselves as creative musicians.
Young folks will master a rich and varied repertoire, rooted in the traditions of diverse global and American communities.
In a social learning environment, young folks will learn how they learn. They will learn to articulate the learning process; and as they transfer knowledge to tackle new challenges, young folks will consider themselves lifelong musical learners of a growth mindset!
The next session will be a 16 week session beginning the week of January 7th. Registration opens for current students on Monday, November 12th and new and returning students on November 19th.
In the meantime, join us at the FREE Saturday OPEN Jam any Saturday at noon at 909 Armitage. It's for all levels and ages and an important way we collaborate in learning. Bring your instrument or borrow one of ours.
45 minutes · Once a week for 16 weeks · $312 ($292 members)
Sunday with Gabriel Medina
55 minutes · Once a week for 16 weeks · $376 ($356 members)
Now 55 minutes of practice and play!
The next session will be a 16 week session beginning the week of January 7th. Registration opens for current students on Monday, November 12th and new and returning students on November 19th.
In the meantime, join us at the FREE Saturday OPEN Jam any Saturday at noon at 909 Armitage. It's for all levels and ages and an important way we collaborate in learning. Bring your instrument or borrow one of ours.
55 minutes · Once a week for 16 weeks · $376 ($356 members)
Saturday with Jason McInnes
55 minutes · Once a week for 16 weeks · $376 ($356 members)
The next session will be a 16 week session beginning the week of January 7th. Registration opens for current students on Monday, November 12th and new and returning students on November 19th.
In the meantime, join us at the FREE Saturday OPEN Jam any Saturday at noon at 909 Armitage. It's for all levels and ages and an important way we collaborate in learning. Bring your instrument or borrow one of ours.
55 minutes · Once a week for 16 weeks · $376 ($356 members)
Saturday with Alex Farha
55 minutes · Once a week for 16 weeks · $376 ($356 members)
Now 55 minutes of teaching and learning!
The next session will be a 16 week session beginning the week of January 7th. Registration opens for current students on Monday, November 12th and new and returning students on November 19th.
In the meantime, join us at the FREE Saturday OPEN Jam any Saturday at noon at 909 Armitage. It's for all levels and ages and an important way we collaborate in learning. Bring your instrument or borrow one of ours.
55 minutes · Once a week for 16 weeks · $376 ($356 members)
The next session will be a 16 week session beginning the week of January 7th. Registration opens for current students on Monday, November 12th and new and returning students on November 19th.
In the meantime, join us at the FREE Saturday OPEN Jam any Saturday at noon at 909 Armitage. It's for all levels and ages and an important way we collaborate in learning. Bring your instrument or borrow one of ours.
55 minutes · Once a week for 16 weeks · $376 ($356 members)
The next session will be a 16 week session beginning the week of January 7th. Registration opens for current students on Monday, November 12th and new and returning students on November 19th.
In the meantime, join us at the FREE Saturday OPEN Jam any Saturday at noon at 909 Armitage. It's for all levels and ages and an important way we collaborate in learning. Bring your instrument or borrow one of ours.
55 minutes · Once a week for 16 weeks · $376 ($356 members)
Thursday or Saturday with Jason McInnes
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks · $188 ($178 members)
The next session will be an 8 week session beginning the week of January 7th. Registration opens for current students on Monday, November 12th and new and returning students on November 19th.
In the meantime, join us at the FREE Saturday OPEN Jam any Saturday at noon at 909 Armitage. It's for all levels and ages and an important way we collaborate in learning. Bring your instrument or borrow one of ours.
55 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks · $188 ($178 members)
Our private lessons like our group classes run in 8-week sessions, however, you can begin private lessons during any week in the session. Please call our customer service folks at 773.728.6000 to register as private lesson availability is based upon individual teacher schedules.
Lessons are scheduled weekly, for 30, 45 or 60 minutes, and are available every day of the week at our Lincoln Square and Lincoln Park locations. Our experienced and professional faculty will work with you to develop an individualized program that helps you achieve your musical goals.
Stop in at either location or call the front desk at 773.728.6000 to register.
$288 for 30 minutes ($278 for members)
$416 for 45 minutes ($401 for members)
$536 for 60 minutes ($516 for members)
8-week lessons: 09/03/2018 – 10/28/2018
Monday 07/16/18: Re-registration for current students begins
Monday 07/30/18: Transfer registration
Wednesday 08/01/18: Open registration
8-week lessons: 10/29/2018 – 12/23/2018
Monday 09/24/18: Re-registration for current students begins
Monday 10/08/18: Transfer registration
Wednesday 10/10/18: Open registration
8-week lessons: 01/07/2019 – 03/03/2019
Monday 11/19/18: Re-registration for current students begins
Monday 12/03/18: Transfer registration
Wednesday 12/05/18: Open registration
Click for teacher profiles and schedules
John Abbey »
Bass Guitar, Upright Bass, Guitar
Luciano Antonio »
Guitar
Louis Bardales »
Guitar
Dave Bragman »
Banjo, Guitar
Bill Brickey »
Guitar, Wiggleworms Program, Drummers, Voice for Guitarists
Matt Brown »
Banjo, Fiddle, Guitar
Steve Dawson »
Guitar, Songwriting
Lisa Joy DeRosia »
Wiggleworms Program, Guitar, Piano
Deanna Devore »
Guitar, Songwriting
Tony do Rosario »
Jazz Guitar
Geoff Dolce »
Violin, Fiddle, Guitar, Ukulele
Steve Doyle »
Dobro, Guitar, Lap Steel
Al Ehrich »
Bass Guitar, Upright Bass, Cello, Dance & Movement - Qi Gong
Alex Farha »
Guitar, Oud
Ryan Fisher »
Banjo, Guitar
Jonas Friddle »
Banjo, Fiddle, Guitar, Mandolin, Ensembles, Band Coaching
Dan Fulkerson »
Guitar
Donna Herula »
Guitar, Resonator Guitar, Blues, Slide, Fingerstyle
Ed Holstein »
Guitar, Banjo
Steve Hutchins »
Guitar, Blues Band Live!
Paul Kaye »
Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin
Charles Kim »
Bass, Composition, Guitar, Songwriting, Ukulele
Jason McInnes »
Guitar, Wiggleworms Program
Shelley Miller »
Guitar, Songwriting, Ukulele, Wiggleworms Program
Elaine Moore »
Guitar, Voice
Randy Morris »
Guitar
Shoji Naito »
Guitar, Harmonica (Blues & Jazz)
Cathy Norden »
Piano, Guitar
Michael O'Toole »
Guitar, Ukulele, Fiddle, Banjo, Mandolin, Theory, Improvisation
Mary Peterson »
Theater, Guitar,
Wiggleworms Program
Bill Simmons »
Guitar
Joel Styzens »
Drum Kit, Guitar, Percussion, Piano
Jacob Sweet »
Bass Guitar, Guitar, Songwriting, Ukulele
Harlan Terson »
Bass Guitar, Guitar
Rebecca Toon »
Voice, Guitar
Jon Wall »
Guitar, Ensembles, Bass
Chris Walz »
Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin
Lindsay Weinberg »
Wiggleworms Program, Voice, Piano, Guitar
Chris Winters »
Guitar, Ukulele
Zoey Witz »
Guitar
