(February 10th) This Weekend’s Events

As far as I can tell, there isn’t much happening on Saturday but lots on Sunday. It is a great opportunity to see Little Miss Ann at a cozy venue.

Sunday, February 10th

• 12:00 pm Little Miss Ann at the Beat Kitchen
• 12:00 pm Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Old Town School of Folk Music
• 3:00 pm Passport: Fulcrum Point New Music at the Harris Theater

Back from Vacation

Sorry for the interruption. I’m back from my winter break now. Lots in kids music in Chicago is happening! More on the way…

(November 17th & 18th) This weekend’s events

Lots happening this weekend! Our own Miss Ann is at Beat Kitchen on Sunday and there is also the (very crowded) free Magnificent Mile Lights Festival with Justin Roberts & Ralph’s World (and did I mention crowds). Unfortunately for us (but good for them!), it looks like the Sunday Billy Jonas fund raiser at Akiba Schechter is already sold out.

Saturday, November 17th

• The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.
  • 11:00 a.m. Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players
  • 12:00 noon Ralph’s World
  • 1:00 p.m. KT Tunstall presented by 101.9fm THE MIX
  • 2:00 p.m. Sister Hazel presented by 101.9fm THE MIX
  • 3:00 p.m. Radio Disney AM 1300 Party Patrol
  • 4:00 p.m. Corbin Bleu presented by Radio Disney
• 2:00 pm Tricia Sebastian at Bookamania at the Harold Washington Library

Sunday, November 18th

• 11:00 am Farmer Jason at the Old Town School of Folk Music
• 12:00 pm Little Miss Ann at the Beat Kitchen
• 3:30 pm Billy Jonas at Akiba Schechter

Awards for Chicago area musicians

As mentioned on Zooglobble, this year’s Children’s Music Web Awards have been announced. I spotted three Chicago area kids musicians on the list:

• Linda Robertson
• Thaddeus Rex
• Jeanie B

I’m sure lots more end of year lists of favorites are on their way.

(November 11th) This Sunday’s Events

This Sunday there are two great kids music events. Ella Jenkins is performing with Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer at the Old Town School of Music and Baby Loves Disco is having their November party.

• November 11th at 11:00 am Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer with Ella Jenkins at the Old Town School of Folk Music
• Sunday, November 11th, 12:00 – 3:00 pm Baby Loves Disco at the Metro

(October 27th & 28th) This weekend’s events

Kids Music in Chicago is raffling off 4 free tickets to the ScribbleMonster show! Send an email to karen@KarenInChicago.com to enter. The winner will be announced on Friday, October 26th. The show is on Sunday at 1:00 pm at Schubas.

This Halloween weekend promises several terrific events. The Scribble Monster show should be great fun, with a costume parade and contest for the kids. The Chicago Afrobeat Project show also includes a performance by the Purcussion All-Stars from Lincoln Elementary as well as a costume contest. The Wee Hairy Beasties are performing a rare show and Karen Bank-Lubicz is performing as well.

Saturday, October 27th

• 2:00 pm Wee Hairy Beasties at Martyr’s A rare performance!
• 6:30 pm Chicago Afrobeat Project (CAbP) at Martyr’s This kids show kicks off with a performance by Mr. G’s Percussion All-Stars, an all percussion group of students from Lincoln Elementary, followed by a costume contest – open to all kids and adults who come to the show – and a concert by the Chicago Afrobeat Project in celebration of the release of their latest album, (A) Move to Silent Unrest.

Sunday, October 28th

• 1:00 pm ScribbleMonster at Schubas Rock out and play with ScribbleMonster at one of Chicago’s greatest rooms for live music. There will be all kinds of Halloween fun including a costume parade and contest for the kids.
• time tba Karen Banks-Lubicz at Beat Kitchen The show is going to be scheduled for after the Bears game.

(October 13th & 14th) This weekend’s events

Another busy weekend for kids music. This Saturday is the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Day of Music. It is an open house for families with all sorts of terrific music and events. We’re especially looking forward to the performances by Erin Flynn and Ella Jenkins at 2:30 & 3:30. As if that weren’t enough, Milkshake and Scribble Monster are performing and Cookie Magazine is throwing a Family Arts & Music Festival.

• Saturday, October 13th from 2:00 pm until 10:00 pm Macy’s Day of Music at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (full schedule)
  • 2:30 pm Erin Flynn
  • 3:30 pm Ella Jenkins
• Sunday, October 14th at 12:00 pm Milkshake Band at the Old Town School of Folk Music
• Sunday, October 14th at 1:00 – 5:00 pm Cookie Jams: Family Arts & Music Festival at River East Arts Center. Sponsored by Cookie Magazine. Meridith Brooks is performing and lots more stuff for kids.
• Sunday, October 14th at 4:30 – 6:00 pm Scribble Monster at Bubbles Academy.

(October 6th & 7th) This weekend’s events

Justin Roberts is performing three concerts this weekend, so here’s your chance to see him live. On Saturday he’s performing at a Benefit Concert for The Evanston Hospital. Evidently the 11:00 am show is sold out, but there are still tickets for the 2:00 pm show. On Sunday Justin Roberts will be at the Hyde Park Union Church.

• Saturday, October 6th at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm Justin Roberts at the Evanston Hospital
• Sunday, October 7th at 3:00 pm Justin Roberts with Liam Davis and Gerald Dowd at the Hyde Park Union Church

(September 15th & 16th) This weekend’s events

It is nice to have another weekend chock full of great kids music. In addition to the Celtic Fest in Grant Park and the Do Division Streetfest, we also have the wonderful World Music Festival happening all over the city. If you go to the Garfield Park Conservatory on Saturday, you can enjoy both the World Music Fest and the County Fair.

• Friday, September 14th – Monday, September 17th World Music Festival
• Saturday, September 15th and Sunday, September 16th
  • Do Division Streetfest From noon to 6pm at Andersen School Playground, on the corner of Division St. & Wolcott, attractions include Pony Rides, Craft Tables, Face Painting (Sunday), Balloon Sculpting (Sunday), Inflatable Rides & Concessions. Live entertainment on stage including ARCC Ballet, Peanut Buddy & Jams, Bubbles Academy, The Musical Zoo, The Puppet Place, Mary Macaroni and Chang’s Martial Arts. Family dance party each evening from 5pm to 6pm.
    • Saturday at 1:30 and 3:30 pm, Sarah Parker
  • Celtic Fest The Celtic Kids’ Area will also feature miniature golf, pop-a-shot basketball; music entertainment with The Wiggleworm teachers from the Old Town School of Folk Music and a jumping jack.
    • Saturday, 12:30 p.m. Lindsay Weinberg
    • Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Lindsay Weinberg
    • Saturday, 3:00 p.m. Abby Rowald
    • Saturday, 4:00 p.m. Abby Rowald
    • Sunday, 12:30 p.m. Karen Banks-Lubicz
    • Sunday, 1:30 p.m. Karen Banks-Lubicz
    • Sunday, 3:00 p.m. Laura Doherty
    • Sunday, 4:00 p.m. Laura Doherty

Oh, and another cool thing about music . . .

Written by Ann Torralba

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to give a kids concert to some of the families at the World Relief Organization. This organization provides free services for refugee families that have immigrated to the United States. Some of the families that attended the concert were from Burma/Myanmar, Russia, Burundi, Congo, Uganda, and Somalia.

The concert took place in the World Relief Organization’s early childhood room in Albany Park. The interesting thing about this concert was that the families and I started off with different knowledge bases. While many of the families were probably familiar with their countries own traditional children’s songs, they were not familiar with this country’s traditional children’s songs like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Itsy Bitsy Spider”. Initially, the language barrier also seemed like it might pose a challenge. Here’s where the amazing part comes in . . . we were all able to communicate with each other through music. For 45 minutes, we danced, clapped, did hand movements, smiled, laughed, swayed, stomped, and marched. In the end, it really didn’t matter what language anyone spoke.

I met some wonderful dedicated people working at the organization like Annie, the early childhood teacher and Keri, the Director of Education. If you are interested in making a donation to WR-Chicago’s education programs, you can make a tax deductible donation by writing a check to World Relief-Chicago, Attn: Keri Lucas, Director of Education Dept, 3507 W. Lawrence Avenue , Chicago , IL 60625 .

If local Chicagoans want to donate items (i.e. household goods for apartments for newly arrived refugees, toys or other classroom materials for the early childhood education classroom, etc….) or volunteer with any of our programs, they can contact Keri Lucas at klucas@wr.org or 773-583-9191 x248.