Old Town School of Folk Music

at 4544 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago , 60625 United States

1. Landmark
2. Concert Venue
3. Landmark & Historical Place
4. Music Lessons & Instruction

Description

The Old Town School of Folk Music is a Chicago teaching and performing institution that launched the careers of many notable folk music artists. Founded by Folk musicians Frank Hamilton and Win Stracke, and Dawn Greening, the School opened in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago in 1957 (the original location has since been demolished). It began by offering guitar and banjo lessons in a communal teaching style and hosting performances by well-known folk musicians. Currently the school is led by executive director Bau Graves and has an enrollment of about 6,000 students per week, 2,700 of them children.HistoryFoundingThe Old Town School was originally founded by musicians Win Stracke and Frank Hamilton and opened December 1, 1957. Win was a classically trained singer and Frank was a young multi-instrumentalist and teacher of folk music; Frank had previously studied under Bess Lomax Hawes, daughter of folklorist John Lomax. Win and Frank met at the Gate of Horn nightclub in Chicago where they were both performing. Together Frank and Win developed a classroom technique based upon traditional oral and folk teaching methods: listening, watching, trial and error, and playing by ear. Where other music schools taught sight reading and performance, Win and Frank wanted the Old Town School "method" to retain its emphasis on participation and development of aural skills. Early Classes were held in a dining room at the home of co-founder Dawn Greening

Company Rating

4382 FB users likes Old Town School of Folk Music, set it to 7 position in Likes Rating for Chicago, Illinois in Landmark & Historical Place category

Summary

Old Town School of Folk Music is Chicago based place and this enity listed in Music Lessons & Instruction category. Located at 4544 N Lincoln Ave IL 60625.