Beneficiaries
The Chicago lighthouse
Children’s Development Center Music Lab
Since 1906, The Chicago Lighthouse has been a leader in comprehensive vision care and social services that improve the quality of life for patients, clients and their families.
The Children’s Development Center (CDC) is a private, non-public, specialized school recognized by the State of Illinois. They serve students across Illinois school districts with a variety of educational needs and disabilities including vision loss, traumatic brain injury, autism, intellectual disabilities and multiple disabilities. This therapeutic day school provides one-on-one attention and a high staff-to-child ratio, offering the support needed for students to access the common core curriculum and develop capabilities for increased independence.
The Lincoln Park Music Center Foundation is providing instruments like drums, tambourines, xylophones and more for students at the CDC, providing them the opportunity to express themselves through music and ultimately increasing their confidence.
Intonation Music
Music Education Programming
Intonation was founded in 2006 in response to a shortage of engaging, safe, after-school options in under-resourced neighborhoods. The program’s early success showed that a rock band is an authentic arts learning opportunity with a unique allure for young people.
Intonation works with children to channel their love of music into a valuable skill set and a creative outlook to learning through school and community-based modern music education programs. Their model meets students where they are, and every aspect is designed to amplify student voice and participation. Band members make the decisions in the life of their band, including what songs will become the template for their learning, band name, and the dynamics of their performance.
In the 2018-19 program year, Intonation will provide music education at nine schools and three community classrooms in Chicago Park District spaces to nearly students through in-school, after-school, weekend, and camp programs. Over the course of the program, students will learn the basics on ALL of the rock band instruments and vocal performance, using a popular song of their choosing as the basis for study.
In the 2020-21 program year, support from the LPMCF will allow Intonation to increase the number of music classrooms from 9 to 12— increasing their instructional capacity by 30%.
The Lincoln Park Music Center Foundation is providing upgraded and standardized keyboards and amplification systems, reflecting their greatest instrument and equipment needs at Intonation. This will support instruction and performance opportunities to youth in the Greater Bronzeville area.
ASPIRA
Programa de Musica - Wind Band Ensemble
Aspira Business & Finance High School was established in 2015 in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Aspira is a non-profit tuition-free charter school that provides an innovative approach to college and career readiness by offering students the tools to be successful in academics and business. Aspira’s Programa de Musica is a music program for at risk students coping with adverse conditions at home and in their community.
The Lincoln Park Music Center Foundation is funding Aspira’s Programa de Musica in the purchase of wind band instruments, music and equipment for the school’s music room. This will support the school’s goal of providing opportunity for its students in expressing themselves, while keeping them engaged and in school through the exploration of musical expression and study.
The People's Music School
the Piano Lab at The People's Music School
The People's Music School provides free high quality music education to children in need in Chicago. Similar to LPMC, The People's Music School believes that through intensive instruction and performance, students can achieve excellence in music that transfers to other areas in life. LPMC students also provided tutoring this summer and performed together with The People's Music School students. Our collaborations allow both organization to focus on their shared mission to build a foundation of responsibility, self-esteem, resilience and purpose. Visit their website here.
The Lincoln Park Music Center Foundation made our first gift for the People’s Music School: a new piano lab! One prominent aspect in the curriculum at The People’s Music School includes group music lessons for the young musicians. More than a dozen group lessons occur Monday-Friday for every instrument, including piano. The previous lab at People’s Music School had not been updated in more than 25 years and desperately needed repairs. Now, the piano lab is equipped with state of the art technology, including an instructing keyboard that projects the teacher’s playing, streamlining learning for the students. We are incredibly proud to solidify our partnership with the People’s Music School and are touched by the love, support and dedication from our young musicians!
The Inter American Magnet School
Keyboard Lab
In 2017, we raised 28,000 dollars for The Inter American Magnet School in Lakeview for a new piano lab. This lab includes 32 brand new keyboards for the students to learn and practice on.
The Inter-American Magnet School was founded by two north side mothers who dreamed of a multilingual, multicultural school where children from varied backgrounds would be taught in English and Spanish in an atmosphere of cultural pride. Since 1975, the school has grown and developed from a preschool program to a K-8 school. Through its dual language program, students affirm the values of their own cultures while acquiring an understanding, appreciation, and acceptance of other cultures and demonstrating social consciousness in a pluralistic world.
The Wien Museum
Beethoven Museum Heiligenstadt Recital Hall
In 1802, Beethoven moved to the town of Heiligenstadt on the outskirts of Vienna known for its miraculous healing springs and treatments. The great composer had recently realized he was losing his hearing-- the most important sense of a man devoted to music. The medical treatments failed to restore his hearing and Beethoven was devastated. Returning to his rooms, Beethoven wrote a letter to his brothers outlining his despair and plans to end his life. While writing, his words shifted from regret and grief to hope and anticipation. He realized that despite his disability, he could prevail. Within the next few years, Beethoven would write some of his most powerful compositions, and in doing so, cemented his legacy as one of the greatest visionaries of all time. The letter, now known as the Heiligenstadt Testament, is housed within the room it was written.
With that in mind, the LPMC Foundation donated $75,000 to the Vienna Museum to support the renovation of Ludwig van Beethoven's Heiligenstadt home. In addition to renovating the house, the Vienna Museum has also constructed a performance space in the facility. Music students from Vienna and around the world will have the opportunity to listen to and perform in this new space. In fact, LPMC students will be among the first to perform in this space. In November, a group of students and their families will be traveling to Vienna for the grand opening and dedication of the new museum. The students will perform at the dedication ceremony, for the American ambassador to Austria, and for Viennese school children to demonstrate the international values of hard-work, dedication, and passion.
The Lincoln Park Music Center Foundation was essential to making these plans a reality. Indeed, the Board was discussing funding the project when it was approached by the American Friends of the Vienna Museum, a Chicago-based organization directed by a family that used to study with Ms. Kim. The AFVM, devoted to furthering the cultural bond between Chicago and Vienna, understood something essential: the LMPC Foundation would be a perfect match to this project. Beethoven’s letter represents some of the traits Ms. Kim instills in her students: perseverance, love, hope, and passion. This partnership will allow those from around the globe to learn more about this time in the famed composer's life and allow the music Beethoven inspired to ring through the rooms in which he despaired. And to honor the children of the world, the Lincoln Park Music Center Foundation of Chicago wishes to share the LOVE, PASSION, INSPIRATION & BEAUTY of Beethoven's music through the gift for this concert hall.
Potential Beneficiaries:
Currently, we are focused on supporting non-profit or 501(c)3 organizations that provide musical education opportunities for children living and learning in areas of Chicago with limited access to music programs during their regular school day. At present, we are not accepting grant applications. However, we may accept them in the future.