Celebrating our Graduating Seniors

May 6, 2018

Music Institute of Chicago graduating seniors gathered for a final recital on Sunday, May 6 at Nichols Concerts Hall in downtown Evanston.  Members of both the Community Music School and Academy performed works by Liszt, Chopin, and Mozart as well as Leonard Bernstein, Alicia Keys and more!

President Mark George addressed the students with the following remarks.

"Congratulations for those beautiful performances. Congratulations also on all the impressive directions you are headed as you step into adulthood. You are now alumni of the Music Institute of Chicago.  You are always welcome at this institution, on this stage. I believe that only one of today’s performers is going on to major in music. In fact, 99% of our students do not major in music. And this is perfect because the world needs all kinds of extraordinary people doing all kinds of extraordinary things. But I guarantee you that you will always have music in your lives. Whether or not you continue to practice and play, your training will stick with you. With only three or four years of training the benefit stays right here (points to head) forever. We are happy to have played a role in bolstering your brain (your corpus callosum is undoubtedly larger); in teaching you to be a sensitive listener; in helping you develop a strong work ethic; in leading to understand and appreciate art, and in encouraging you to create beauty. The way I see it, if we continue to send fifty or sixty of you into the world each year, that world is more likely to be a much better place."

2018 Music Institute of Chicago Graduates