Celebrating 16 years of quality music education!
Smiling Strings currently serves 17 schools. Since 1994, the program has attained a reputation for providing high quality music instruction for Chicago's North Side on all stringed instruments. Your student has the opportunity to select whether they'd like to play the violin (most popular), viola, cello or string bass. Instruction is offered twice a week (30 min) in a small group setting. Major concerts are held for each school at least twice a year, even for our newcomers! The tuition is comparable, often lower, than other options in the surrounding area.
Besides the Director, Deborah Grimes, there are currently 8 other Faculty members, all college graduates with music degrees and strings as their primary instrument and all covered by a million dollar liability policy. As a beginning Smiling Strings student, there will be a lot of focus on proper technique and performing/memorizing simple folk songs and the Suzuki repertoire. By the second year (depending on age) most students then supplement their instruction with note-reading methodology such as "Essential Elements for Strings". By the 2nd or 3rd year, all students are participating in some kind of performing ensemble offered at each school or through combined school orchestras.
Serving both public and private schools, Smiling Strings continues to receive "Superior" ratings at the CPS Elementary Music Festivals. Ms. Grimes also guest conducts for a number of Archdiocesan musical events. Students used to play every year for the Lincoln Park Zoolights Festival until large groups were replaced by wandering minstrel shows. When the program was smaller, there were also "International" Nite concerts and even a Baroque "Minuet" Festival. As the program grew in size, Ms. Grimes branched out and co-founded the Northside Youth Symphony. Though this is a distinct and separate non-profit organization, the majority of string members in this group are part of (or used to participate in) Smiling Strings. It is a wonderful outlet for students wanting a full symphonic orchestral experience.
Feel free to browse thru our website, whether you are a parent or school administrator. We hope to have you on board creating beautiful music very soon!