Welcome to the Oak Park School of Music

At Oak Park School of Music we are committed to providing the best music education for the community. OPSM is located in the heart of Oak Park, Illinois– a community rich in architectural, literary, artistic, and musical history.

Founder/director Joann Cho, a native of Los Angeles, CA, received her B.M. in piano and composition from Northwestern University. She returned to California to complete her M.A. and Ph.D at the University of California, Santa Barbara; she taught lessons and classes both at the university and at local music schools throughout those years. As she worked with young musicians both in structured and independent settings, she recognized gaps in traditional teaching methods. Her desire to create holistic musicians who can perform, improvise, compose, and use their voice and bodies to internalize musical patterns led her to the beginning stages of envisioning the Oak Park School of Music.

OUr Mission

We develop the whole musician: one who listens and reflects as they learn. Our students continue their growth as musicians outside the classroom by participating in both on-site and off-site performances. At OPSM, we focus on collaborative opportunity in addition to independent study.

HOW WE WORK

OPSM offers a carefully curated collection of group classes and numerous performance opportunities for our students, faculty, and guest artists throughout the year.

Our facilities include:

  • three spacious teaching studios, each housing professional grade grand pianos

  • sound-isolated drum and percussion studio

  • keyboard lab for group piano classes

  • music technology studio

  • recital hall


OPSM Staff

Featured
Joann Cho
Joann Cho

Founder and Director

Pianist, composer, and improviser Joann Cho performs regularly with Chicago based contemporary music ensembles Picosa, Fonema Consort, and Aperiodic. She has recently performed with members of Dal Niente, Eighth Blackbird, and Spektral Quartet in performances at Goodspeed Hall (University of Chicago), Gottlieb Hall (Merit School), Preston Bradley Hall (Chicago Cultural Center), and the Garfield Park Conservatory. Cho was a collaborating artist for "*And" - a 2013 release by Chicago based tape label, Parlour Tapes+, and she is currently recording an album of contemporary solo piano works entitled Elaeth Songs.

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