Old Town School of Folk Music: A Chicago Institution

The Old Town School of Folk Music is a Chicago institution that has been teaching music to people of all ages for over 60 years. With a commitment to making music accessible to everyone, the school offers classes in a wide range of genres, from blues and country to rock and jazz.

Introduction

Old Town School of Folk Music is a Chicago institution. Founded in 1957, it is one of the oldest and largest not-for-profit musical organizations in the country. Each year, it serves over 10,000 students of all ages and backgrounds through its acclaimed music education programs.

In addition to its educational mission, Old Town School of Folk Music is also a world-renowned live music venue, presenting over 400 concerts and events each year. It has been home to many legendary performers over the years, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and innumerable others.

Old Town School of Folk Music is much more than just a school or a concert hall – it is a vital part of the fabric of Chicago. If you’re looking for a truly unique cultural experience, this is the place to be.

History

Old Town School of Folk Music is a music school founded in 1957 in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is the largest adult music school in the world, with more than 13,000 enrolled students. The school offers classes in a variety of musical genres, including blues, country, Celtic, bluegrass, gospel, jazz, and rock.

Early days

Old Town School of Folk Music was founded in 1957 by Win Stracke and Frank Hoffman onChicago’s North Side. Win was a successful folk singer with an interest in promoting and teaching folk music, while Frank was a well-known music teacher in the Chicago area. They shared a vision of creating a school where anyone could learn to play music, and their passion for making music accessible to everyone quickly made the Old Town School one of the most popular and well-respected music schools in the country.

In its early days, the Old Town School was known for its lively and informal atmosphere. Classes were often held in coffeehouses and clubs, and students were encouraged to play and sing together outside of class. This focus on community and collaboration remains at the heart of the Old Town School experience today.

As the school grew, it began to offer more formal classes in addition to its popular jams and sing-alongs. Today, the Old Town School offers classes for all levels of experience, from beginner to professional. Students can choose to take classes in a wide variety of musical styles, including folk, blues, bluegrass, country, jazz, rock, world music, and more. In recent years, the school has also added programs in dance, theater, visual arts, and early childhood education.

The Folk Revival of the 1960s

The Old Town School of Folk Music first opened its doors in 1957, at a time when the nation was enthralled by the sounds of rock and roll and other popular music genres. But in the years to come, the school would play an important role in reviving interest in folk music, particularly during the folk revival of the 1960s.

The folk revival was a nationwide movement that sought to revive interest in traditional folk songs and styles of music. The revival began in the late 1950s and reached its height in the 1960s. During this time, many young people became interested in folk music as a way to express their political beliefs and social concerns. The Old Town School of Folk Music played a significant role in fostering this revival by providing a place where people could learn about and enjoy folk music.

In addition to teaching people about traditional folk songs, the Old Town School of Folk Music also helped to popularize newfolk songs that were written during the revival period. These songs often had political or social themes, and many were sung by well-known artists such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. The Old Town School of Folk Music served as an important venue for these artists, helping to spread their music to a wider audience.

Today, the Old Town School of Folk Music is still going strong, offering classes and concerts for people of all ages who want to enjoy and learn about folk music. The school has also expanded its mission to include other genres of music, such as blues, jazz, and world music. But its roots are still firmly planted in the folk tradition, making it an important part of Chicago’s musical history.

The Old Town School today

The Old Town School of Folk Music is a world-renowned music school with two locations in Chicago, Illinois. The school offers classes and programs for all levels of students, from beginners to professionals. The Old Town School is known for its diverse range of music styles, including folk, blues, jazz, rock, country, and more. The school also offers dance classes, as well as visual arts and language courses.

Since its founding in 1957, the Old Town School has become an integral part of the Chicago music scene. The school has produced many notable alumni, including Grammy Award-winning folk singer John Prine and rock guitarist Steve Albini. In addition to its educational programs, the Old Town School is also a venue for live music performances by local and national artists.

Programs

There’s a little something for everyone at the Old Town School of Folk Music. With group and private classes available for students of all ages, the Old Town School of Folk Music has been teaching the joys of music to Chicagoans for over sixty years. Check out some of our most popular programs below.

Music instruction

The Old Town School of Folk Music is a music school in Chicago, Illinois, United States, that offers instruction in a wide variety of folk and traditional music. It is the largest accredited folk music school in the world, and one of the most important institutions preserving and teaching American musical heritage.

The Old Town School was founded in 1957 by retirees above a grocery store on Armitage Avenue in the Old Town Triangle neighborhood on the city’s Near North Side. The first class was a ukulele class taught by Win Stracke. In its early years, the school hosted many influential figures of the Chicago folk scene, including Dave Van Ronk and Odetta. The school moved several times before settling into its current location in Lincoln Park in 1998.

Today, the Old Town School offers more than 700 courses per week to students of all ages and abilities. Most classes meet once a week for 75 minutes, though some are 90 minutes or 2 hours long, and some are offered multiple times throughout the week or month. The school also offers private lessons and ensembles not open to the general public. In addition to music instruction, the school also offers classes in dance, drama, visual arts, crafts, language arts, children’s programs, early childhood education, wellness & fitness, food & wine appreciation, technology & media production arts, after-school programs for middle and high school students through its Center for After-School Excellence (CASE), summer camps for kids and teens through Camp OTSFM at Warren Wilson College near Asheville NC (otsfm-camp.com).

Public performances

Since its inception, the Old Town School of Folk Music has been dedicated to bringing the joy of music-making to as many people as possible. A central part of that mission has been our commitment to performing for and collaborating with members of the communities we serve.

In recent years, we’ve expanded our public performance offerings beyond our historic Friday and Saturday night concerts in the Thomas More Center Auditorium. We now host hundreds of free and low-cost public performances each year at locations throughout Chicago and beyond. These include rotating galleries of visual art, regular film screenings, participatory dances, literary readings & more.

Community outreach

Old Town School of Folk Music’s community outreach programs take the music to people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience it. The school’s Community Partners Program provides free or reduced-price tickets to concerts and classes for social service agencies, schools, and others working with underserved populations. The program served more than 9,000 people in the 2017–2018 season.

The school also offers free concerts and events throughout the year that are open to the public, such as its Summer Square Dances, Thanksgiving Day Singalong, Winter Solstice Celebration, and St. Patrick’s Day Concert. In addition, Old Town School faculty members provide music instruction and performances in Chicago Public Schools and at other locations through the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events’ ArtsPartners program.

Notable alumni

The Old Town School of Folk Music is a music school in Chicago, Illinois, that teaches and promotes traditional American music and dance. Founded in 1957 by Win Stracke and Frank Hamilton, it is now the largest community-based music school in the United States, with an enrollment of over 5,000 students of all ages per week.

While the school offers instruction in many instruments, its focus is on folk and acoustic music. It is particularly known for its guitar classes and for its singing classes; other popular courses include fiddle, banjo, mandolin, autoharp, ukulele, hammered dulcimer, penny whistle, accordion, percussion/djembe, harmonica, bodhran (Irish drum), dobro/resonator guitar, dulcimer/mountain dulcimer, electric guitar/bass/rock band camps…

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Old Town School of Folk Music is a Chicago institution that has been teaching and sharing the music of America and the world for over 60 years. From its humble beginnings in a small basement, to its current two locations, the school has always been a community-centered organization, with a focus on making music accessible to everyone. Today, the school offers classes for all levels, from beginners to professionals, and continues to be a thriving cultural center in Chicago.