New music school set to open in February aims to connect to the community through music

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

A music school set to open in February in Northfield aims to connect to the community through music.

Michael Poupko, director and teacher at the North Shore Music Institute for eight years, will use his experience to open a new school and live music agency for events. Our Music Institute will serve the North Shore suburbs of Winnetka, Northfield, Northbrook, Glenview, Kenilworth, Wilmette, Glencoe and Highland Park.

OMI, located at 400 Central Ave. in Northfield, will hold an opening reception on Feb. 1. I had chance to talk to Poupko about his vision for OMI.

Q – Great to talk to you. You will be launching Our Music Institute in February. How did you come up with the idea for the school and is this just the right time to do it? 

Thanks a lot for the interest and for taking the time to talk to me. In a way, I came up with the idea for OMI over the past twenty years. You could even say 30 years!

OMI represents a coming together of just about everything I’ve picked up throughout my life as a musician, music teacher, music school director and business owner. I’m putting it all into this to promote music education and community for customers, students and staff, alike.

In this age of technology, people tend to do more things on their own and often times the sense of “we’re all in this together” gets lost. That’s an important concept for me. Hence the name, Our Music Institute.

Q – How will Our Music Institute be different from other music schools? What are some of the main things you want to convey to students through Our Music Institute?

Aside from having an unparalleled staff of teachers in the area, Our Music is different form other music schools in that we try to be forward thinking while keeping our roots strong. We’re offering traditional music lessons as well as DJ classes, family music classes, music technology classes and collaborations with schools and local park districts.

Also, I really want students to feel part of something. It’s easy to go on YouTube and learn lots about playing your instrument, but music is a conversation and a way for us all to connect. I see OMI as a vehicle for encouraging a sense of community within the context of music.

Q – Our Music Institute also will be a live music agency. Is it your hope that your students will be able to take what they have learned to a live music setting?

I've been involved with live music in all kinds of settings and situations for more than 20 years at this point. I know the business and I’ve collected a vast network of top-level musicians and performers suitable for virtually all scenarios.

I’m really excited about advocating for and providing opportunities for professional musicians and students, alike. Students will have opportunities to perform live and sort of graduate to professional gigs if they’re interested and ready. 

Q – You were director and teacher at the North Shore Music Institute for eight years. What did you learn from the experience and how will you be taking what you learned into this new school?

I’d say that the biggest things I’ve learned as director of a community music school have to do with the value of connecting with people and community. It means everything. 

Q – I understand that Our Music Institute will strive to be part of the community. In what ways will you be doing that?

OMI will be connected to the community in many ways. It’s very important to me.

We’ll be offering classes and live music collaborations with various park districts and community organizations. I’m also work closely with the community as a board member of the Winnetka Northfield Chamber of Commerce. 

Q – Aside from Our Music Institute, you are a working musician. What can people expect this year from your various musical projects?

I’ve been a working as a musician for more than 20 years and that aspect of my life is continually expanding. In the near future, I will definitely be hyper-focused on making Our Music Institute the best it can be for the community and the professionals musicians involved.

2018 provides plenty of musical sparks in Chicago suburbs

2018 proved to be an exciting year for live music in the Chicago suburbs. Here are a few highlights from the year:

Singer Pete Jive and other musicians, including noted guitarist Pat Bergeson, perform Michael Heaton's song "The Good Times" Sept. 1, 2018, at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora as part of a benefit concert for Heaton, who is battling cancer. 

Chicago blues musician Toronzo Cannon performs "John The Conquer Root" on June 16, 2018, at the Blues on the Fox festival at RiverEdge Park in Aurora. 

Fiona Grey joins her father, Ralph Covert, and his band The Bad Examples, on the song "Not Dead Yet" on Sept. 8, 2018, at the Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ.

Joe Louis Walker and his band performed Aug. 9, 2018, at College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center.

The band Chicago Samba performs on July 14, 2018, as part of Jazz Up Glen Ellyn in downtown Glen Ellyn.

The band HOSS performs the AC/DC song "Hells Bells" on Dec. 1, 2018, at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora as part of its annual Holiday Show and Toy Drive to benefit Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora.

Novo Management, Chicago musicians team up to help Albany Park Food Pantry as part of holiday benefit showcase

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

Novo Management & Publicity along with a group of Chicago musicians are teaming up to make the holidays brighter for those in need.

Novo Management & Publicity will hold its Holiday Showcase at 9 p.m. Dec. 22 at Montrose Saloon,  2933 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago. The showcase will feature Donnie Biggins from 9 to 9:30 p.m., Todd Kessler from 9:45 to 10:15 p.m., Jared Rabin from 10:30 to 11 p.m. and Mark Panick (plus backing musicians) from 11:15 p.m. to midnight.

There is a $5 cover charge and all proceeds will go to the Albany Park Food Pantry. I had the chance to talk to August Forte, of Novo Management & Publicity, about the show.

Q – I understand the Novo Management & Publicity Holiday Showcase will benefit the Albany Park Food Pantry, with the door proceeds from that night going to the food pantry. How much are you looking for the event to raise for the food pantry?

Montrose Saloon charges $5 for shows on Friday and Saturday nights and the venue holds about 100 people. With four artists performing from 9 p.m. to midnight, I hope that the room will be packed all evening and we can raise $500.

That said, any amount will help the APFP, especially at this time of year when so many folks find it difficult to put food on the table. 

Q – How did the lineup for the night come together? Do you think the bands complement each other? What should people expect?

I reached out to all four performers (Mark Panick, who will be joined by his Black Friars Social Club band members) along with Jared Rabin, Todd Kessler and Donnie Biggins directly as I have had the pleasure of handling press and marketing for all of them over the years. 

While all four musicians draw from different music wells (Panick’s writing is dark and poetic; Rabin has a classical and jazz background but plays an accessible strain of Americana; Kessler leans toward pop and folk and is a fantastic story teller; Biggins is a true wordsmith in the tradition of Dylan and Springsteen), they are all very talented singer-songwriters.

People should expect to hear great original music and, possibly, some holiday tunes.

Q – Does Novo Management & Publicity enjoy the times when music can not only entertain, but also raise money for a good cause? 

Definitely! I did some pro bono press and marketing for a benefit show at Metro several years ago and my business partner’s group just played a benefit (for the family of a former band mate who passed away) at Beat Kitchen. 

Q _ I see that Novo Management will hold another artist showcase in January. Do you see your showcases as a way to introduce people to bands they might not know? 

Yes, our showcase on January 19 at Montrose Saloon will expose three emerging Chicago bands – Faux Co., She Rides Tigers and The Thin Cherries – to a wider audience. All three bands have gotten some local airplay and attention from Chicago press, but getting gigs can be difficult as we live in a city with a very competitive music scene.

Montrose Saloon has been very welcoming to up-and-coming bands and that is one of the reasons that I promote shows there.

The band HOSS creates plenty of holiday cheer while collecting toys for Hesed House in Aurora

Pete Lindenmeyer and his band HOSS performed at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora on Dec. 1 as part of the band's annual Holiday Show and Toy Drive to benefit Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora.

The band HOSS helped kick off the Christmas season with its annual Holiday Show and Toy Drive to benefit Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora. 

HOSS, with help from the Pawnshop Horns, performed the AC/DC album "Back in Black" as part of the show.

HOSS also performed many seasonal favorites as part of the benefit show on Dec. 1.