This Winter, I had the honor of serving on the Song Review Committee alongside the folks at The Music Class, Inc. our curriculum providers. Our goal was to research and identify problematic songs; songs that have racist connotations or negative histories that would need to be changed, updated, or replaced. We assembled an advisory board of BIPOC experts in music history and culture to give us guidance on the best way to move forward to ensure our curriculum embraces and celebrates inclusivity and diversity.

View the video and read the full article here: themusicclass.com/blog/music-matters-pursuit-inclusivity-tmcs-music-library

Dear Friends,

Alas, the time has come. We were sadly unable to negotiate any short-term rent relief with our landlord that would have allowed us to stay, so we have made the extremely difficult and anguishing decision to move out of our beloved studio at 3829 N. Southport.

But fear not, we will still be here! We are going mobile for a little while! This pandemic has proved that we don't need our studio to do music class, we can do music class anywhere! We know this, because we literally have been doing music class everywhere but in our studio for the last 6 months! We've done music class at a movie theater, a restaurant, in our student's backyards, and online!

We love our space and the colorful walls, but music class is not a building. Music class is you, and me, and the music, and we can do that anywhere.

Yes, the weather will get colder, and we are actively working on a plan to offer small sized indoor classes around the Southport Corridor, in addition to the private & pod classes on offer. Once things have gone back to normal and our little business has had a chance to recover, we will begin looking for a new studio in Lakeview. No matter where we end up, we love our Southport community, and we promise to always have a strong presence on Southport :)

Our lease ends on November 30th, one day shy of what would have been The Music Playhouse's 10 year anniversary at 3829 N. Southport.

Request for little artists:

Our landlord insists on putting up the For Lease sign this Thursday, October 1st, and I was thinking, wow, that is going to be a depressing sight to walk past for the next two months, but I had a thought... would you help me decorate the window? I would love to see artwork from our students bring love and joy to our studio while we're still here :)

On the STORE page of our website, you can download a Coloring Page that you and print out, decorate, and slip through the mail slot in our door to be taped up on display in our window. If you are out of town and would still like to participate, you can scan and email your artwork to erin@themusicplayhouseofchicago.com and I'll happily print it out and display it :)

Please help us celebrate the last 10 years and cheer our journey forward with your artwork!

Much Love,
Miss Erin, and all of us at The Music Playhouse :)

IN REAL LIFE
Join us outdoors in the Garden at The Music Box Theater for our Fall Mini-Session! Safe, socially distanced, music, learning, and fun in the sun! A portion of the class fees and contributions go to support the Music Box Theater.

For families with children ages 0-6. Fall Mini-Session begins September 14th. Full Session or drop-ins available.

VIRTUAL
Join us from the comfort of your own home for non-stop singing, dancing, and rhythm games! Our unlimited monthly membership allows families to join as often as they like! Memberships include digital music downloads of The Giraffe Collection®. Drop-ins also available. Classes are offered every weekday morning and Monday afternoons starting August 31st. More class times may be added. Stay tuned!

See you this Fall in music class!!
-Miss Kat, Miss Jaime, Mr. Cole, & Miss Erin :)

If you or anyone you know is a strong singer who loves kids, let us know! Click on the button below for the job description and application instructions. Please read through the full description and instructions before applying.

Thanks!

First of all, the safety of our teachers and our little students will always come FIRST. Thank you SO much to those who completed our reopening survey!! Your input is extremely valuable to us, and we are grateful for your care and your feedback :)

The short answer: we will be rolling out a soft reopening with outdoor classes and private indoor classes very soon! Virtual classes will also continue through 2020.

The long answer: We are currently working on a reopening plan. We are coordinating schedules, deep cleaning the studio, researching and acquiring health and safety guidelines, equipment, and kid-safe disinfectants, brainstorming safe alternatives to instruments and props, scouting outdoor locations, and preparing plans and updating our policies. New information and guidelines are coming to light, and we are taking it seriously and adapting accordingly. All of the teachers agree that reopening requires careful planning and diligent research. We are super excited about the idea of singing and dancing with our special kiddos in-person, and we promise that we will not approach this recklessly.
We are hoping to reopen for regular in-person *small* group classes with our Fall Session in September. We are also working on securing locations for outdoor classes starting as soon as possible, and will be opening for private classes in our studio very soon. In the meantime, we are so happy that we live in an era where we can provide a safe and fun alternative through our virtual classes. Your children mean the world to us, and as ALWAYS, we are committed to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for all.



If you are interested in private classes, please click on the blue button below to fill out an request form.

More specific classroom safety guidelines and policies will be announced soon. We cannot wait to have you back in class! See you online in the meantime :)

Sincerely,

Miss Erin, Miss Kat, Miss Jaime, and Mr. Cole :)

Miss Erin was interviewed on WGN Radio! Check it out!

We were featured in Block Chicago! Big thanks to the moms who interviewed with them! Check it out!

As you have likely heard by now, the shelter-at-home order has been extended through the end of May. The good news is, we are here for you! We will continue offering virtual music classes and special events all the way through this pandemic. We believe in the joy and healing power of music, and we have made it our mission to continue sharing it with you.

Even after it is considered safe to reopen for in-person classes, we will continue offering online classes in addition to in-person classes for those who feel more comfortable saying at home and for those outside of our area. The current plan is to continue offering virtual music classes up to, and possibly beyond September. Please keep in mind this is an ever changing and evolving situation, and this is all subject to change, but we will do our best to deliver consistent high quality music education in whichever medium we can!

We are committed to keeping our classes affordable and accessible to families looking for fun, silly, active, and educational activities to enjoy together as a family. Please help us uphold our mission by spreading the word about our classes and inviting friends to join! Brand new families can enjoy a free trial using code *freetrialvmc4* at checkout.

See you next time in music class!

-Erin :)

On Friday, April 17th, Governor Pritzker announced that schools will not reopen this school year. Though this did not come as a surprise, hearing the reality of that news is disappointing to many. We understand the importance of staying safe at home and also understand the importance of routine, normalcy, and staying active and mentally stimulated. The Music Playhouse studio will remain closed to the public at least until June 1st, and continue offering virtual music classes and special events to families with children ages 0-6.

Once shelter in place is lifted and it is considered safe for businesses like ours to reopen, it will likely be for very small class sizes. Therefore, we will continue to offer online classes at least until the Fall (and likely beyond) for those who wish to continue practicing safe social distancing.

Thank you again for all of support that you've shown us, we truly wouldn't be here without you. Keep singing, keep dancing, keep listening to music at home as a family, wash your hands, and we'll see you next time in virtual music class ;)