Music Institute of Chicago

MIC Academy String Quartets Sweep Junior Division of the 2008 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition

Musicians from three Academy string quartets of the Music Institute of Chicago swept the Junior Division of the 2008 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in South Bend, Indiana (May 9 - 11, 2008) taking top honors of Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals.  A total of 129 ensembles applied for places in the Senior and Junior Divisions of the 2008 Competition.  Sixty-six ensembles applied to participate in the Junior Division, 24 ensembles progressed to the quarterfinals, 12 ensembles to the semifinals, with three ensembles placing.

Now in its 35th year, The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association promotes and encourages the development, awareness, and appreciation of chamber music and its role in our culture through innovative educational programs, chamber music performances, and sponsorship of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.  The Fischoff Competition is the nation’s largest chamber music competition and attracts the finest young instrumentalists from across the country and around the world.   Junior Division Competition ensembles (ages eighteen and younger) are invited to perform in master classes with the distinguished jurors and all ensembles are given verbal and written critiques by the jurors to help them in their musical development.

Sel Kardan, President of Music Institute of Chicago, stated, “We are extremely proud of our young musicians.  This is truly an extraordinary achievement for them, our faculty, and our Academy program.  We congratulate not only our young quartets who placed this weekend the Polaris, Ridere and Aurelia quartets, but also the Fiero Quartet, and Trio Pantoum who also were accepted into the competition.  All are to be commended for their exceptional dedication and talent.  A special winners’ concert will be held at Nichols Concert Hall in the next few weeks presenting the three winning quartets in performance.”

First Place Scholarship & Gold Medal:   $2,000

QUARTET POLARIS

Coaches:  Almita and Roland Vamos and Hans Jorgen Jensen
Musicians:  
Vincent Meklis, violin
Grade:  10
Teacher:  Almita and Roland Vamos
Hometown:  Orland Park, IL

Andrea Jarrett, violin
Grade:  11
Teacher:  Almita Vamos
Hometown: Saline, MI

Matthew Lipman, viola
Grade: 10
Teacher:  Almita Vamos
Hometown:  University Park, IL

Gabriel Cabezas, cello
Grade:  10
Teacher:  Hans Jorgen Jensen
Hometown:  Wilmette, IL

Quartet Polaris is also the Silver Medal winner at the 2008 Saint Paul String Quartet Competition.

Second Place Scholarship & Silver Medal:  $1,500

RIDERE QUARTET

Coach:  Roland Vamos
Musicians:
Emma Steele, violin/viola
Grade:  12
Teacher:  Cyrus Forough
Hometown:  Chicago, IL

Samantha Bennett, violin/viola
Grade:  12
Teacher: Almita & Roland Vamos/Marko Dreher
Hometown:  Evanston, IL

Ryan Meehan, violin
Grade:  12
Teacher:  Almita & Roland Vamos
Hometown:  Winnetka, IL

Mindy Park, cello
Grade:  12
Teacher:  Hans Jorgen Jensen
Hometown:  Palatine, IL

Ridere has won chamber music competitions including the St. Paul String Quartet Competition and the Rembrandt Young Arts Competition.  The quartet recently appeared on the WGN-TV’s morning news program ‘Time for Talent” segment and performed the MIC 2008 Gala. Earlier this year the quartet traveled to New York where they performed in Carnegie Hall as part of the TV show ‘From the Top: Live in Carnegie Hall’.

Third Place Scholarship & Bronze Medal:  $1,000

Aurelia String Quartet

Coach:  Marko Dreher
Musicians
Laura Park, violin
Grade:  8
Teacher:  Almita Vamos
Hometown:  Palatine, IL

Susie Koh, violin
Grade:  7
Teacher:  Almita Vamos & Marko Dreher
Hometown:  Buffalo Grove, IL

Arianna Smith, viola
Grade:  7
Teacher:  Marko Dreher
Hometown:  St. Charles, IL

Allan Steele, cello
Grade:  9
Teacher:  Hans Jorgen Jensen
Hometown:  Chicago, IL

The Aurelia String Quartet first played together as a chamber group while attending Triada Music Festival in Vermont last summer.   Earlier this year Aurelia won second place in the Jules M. Laser Chamber Music Competition. 

 

Generation Next: Young Composers Competition

 

Organized by MIC faculty Abraham Stokman, a noted pianist and contemporary music champion, the Generation Next Young Composer's Competition is designed to celebrate young up-and-coming composers by giving them an opportunity to have their work presented on stage at Nichols Concert Hall.

2008 Composition Competition
Chamber Music Works: 
3-12 minutes, (classical, jazz, or folk)
for 1 to 4 players

Categories:
piano, guitar, strings, woodwinds, brass (trumpet only), voice, light percussion

Applicants cannot be younger than 12 years of age or older than 18 years of age on March 8, 2008

• First Prize: $350
• Second Prize: $150
• Third Prize: $100
• Honorable Mention: $75

Application Deadline: Must be postmarked by February 1, 2008

Winner’s Recital
The winning work will be performed by MIC student performers prior to the final Four Score Festival concert: March 8, 2008 at 6:30 pm

Questions?  Please contact: Abraham Stokman, astokman@musicinst.org.

For an application please call: 847.905.1500

Mail application, score, and cover letter to:
Abraham Stokman
Music Institute of Chicago
300 Green Bay Road
Winnetka, IL   60093

 

 

MIC Barnes and Noble BookFair

 

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Shop till you drop!

Visit the Evanston Barnes & Noble at 1630 Sherman Avenue on Saturday, December 1st and a percentage of your Barnes & Noble purchases will benefit MIC!

Choose from bestsellers, games, gift items, home and office products, Godiva chocolates, packaged Starbucks coffee, CDs, DVDs, and children’s books and toys. MIC musicians will be performing in the afternoon and MIC volunteers will be on hand to wrap gifts.

Just a few blocks away at Nichols Concert Hall there is a free family open house and kid’s concert beginning at 1:00 p.m. and MIC’s American Academy Chamber Strings performs a free concert at 7:30 p.m.

Spend a day with MIC in Evanston.

Download the voucher now» (225kb)

 

 

The Inaugural Concert of the E.M. Skinner Organ, Opus 208

 

Friday, September 28, 2007 at 8:00 pm
1490 Chicago Avenue
Evanston, IL  60202

After a multi-year planning period and a two phase, two-and-a-half year restoration, the Music Institute of Chicago (MIC) is pleased to announce an inaugural concert featuring the newly completed, historic restoration of its 1914 E.M. Skinner organ, Opus 208Two celebratory concerts showcasing the instrument are scheduled, the first of which is Friday, September 28, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. in Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston.  The concert features Yale professor and organist, Thomas Murray and honorary chair and guest speaker, Sir Andrew Davis.  MIC organ restorer and curator Jeff Weiler will be on hand after the concert to answer questions about this magnificent instrument and its restoration.  A champagne toast follows.  Concert tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $7 for students.  Purchase tickets on line, by calling 847.905.1500, ext. 108, or at the door. 

Not long after the 2003 purchase of the historic Nichols Concert Hall and Evanston campus (formerly the First Church of Christ, Scientist designed by renowned Chicago architect Solon S. Beman in 1912), an organ committee was formed to pursue restoration of the 1914 E. M. Skinner, Opus 208 organ.  One of the oldest Skinner instruments still playable, the organ remained remarkably unchanged following its installation in 1914.  Unlike the many Skinner masterpieces removed, or rebuilt beyond recognition, Opus 208 remained in original form, a historical and musical gem in what Chicago Tribune critic, John von Rhein calls a “jewel box” of a concert hall.  The unique location of the organ—few concert halls of similar size possess an organ—and the instrument’s historical value, only add to its significance. 

To that end, the September 28 inaugural concert not only features a great evening of music by renowned organist Thomas Murray, but celebrates Nichols Concert Hall as a community center with unique performance, teaching, and recording resources.  As fewer and fewer teaching institutions offer organ instruction, the Music Institute of Chicago has stepped forward to fill this need.  Opus 208 is the centerpiece of this effort and provides a beautiful, reliable, and historic instrument for organ instruction.  MIC’s first rate organ faculty includes:  David Schrader, Margaret Kemper, and James Russell Brown.  Organ is available for students of all ages (age 8 and above). 

 

 

MIC Has a new campus

 

Highland Park is now part of the Music Institute of Chicago. The new campus in downtown Highland Park will offer private instruction, early childhood classes, and group class instruction. We welcome the Music Arts School faculty and staff to MIC and look forward to continue providing Highland Park and surrounding communities with outstanding music education.

The Music Arts School is a community music school with a 55-year history of providing Highland Park and neighboring communities with high quality music instruction. Founded in 1952 by respected pianist and teacher Mortimer Scheff, the school has served generations of Highland-Parkers from its charming Victorian house on Elm Street. Following the retirement of the founder in 2005, the Music Arts School became a not-for-profit community music school governed by a board of trustees committed to furthering Mr. ScheThis fall we are excited to announce that the long established Music Arts School in ff’s original mission. Under the leadership of current Executive Director Greg Diethrich, the school has expanded course offerings, created community outreach programs, hired outstanding faculty, and funded financial aid for deserving students. Currently the school has over 350 students enrolled in private lessons in strings, piano, winds, and percussion. Early childhood classes and group instruction in guitar are also offered.

The Music Arts School is a wonderful addition to the Music Institute of Chicago’s growing network of campuses. Its degreed and experienced faculty, knowledgeable staff, and focus on serving students of all ages and levels of interest make it a perfect match for the Music Institute of Chicago. Effective this fall, all current and new Highland Park students will have access to the Music Institute of Chicago programs including need based financial aid, creative arts therapy programs, and free musicianship classes for students enrolled in private instruction. Future plans for the new Highland Park Campus include more group instruction classes, expansion of early childhood and adult studies programs, and a move to a larger home in downtown Highland Park. Please join us in welcoming Greg Diethrich and the Music Arts School faculty and staff to the Music Institute of Chicago family. All of us look forward to providing you with exciting and stimulating music education in Highland Park and at all of our locations.