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West Loop's Merit School of Music Appoints New Executive Director

By Stephanie Lulay | July 16, 2015 6:12am
 Charles Grode, a Chicago Symphony Orchestra leader, has been named executive director of Merit School of Music in the West Loop.
Charles Grode, a Chicago Symphony Orchestra leader, has been named executive director of Merit School of Music in the West Loop.
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Merit School of Music

WEST LOOP — Merit School of Music in the West Loop has a new leader.

Charles Grode, a Chicago Symphony Orchestra official, has been named president and executive director of the non-profit music school.

Before joining Merit, Grode served 17 seasons at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, most recently as vice president for the Negaunee Music Institute, the orchestra's education and community engagement division that engages more than 200,000 students, parents and teachers annually.

Grode starts at Merit Sept. 1. He succeeds Tom Bracy, who left Merit in March to become director of education programs for the Conn-Selmer Company, spokesman Jay Kelly said. Longtime Merit president Duffie Adelson retired in June after 33 years of service, although she remains active with the school as a Life Trustee.

Grode said he is thrilled to become part of Merit's team, where he will work to ensure that young people from all backgrounds reach their fullest potential through music.

"Over the past 17 years, I've had the privilege to work on behalf of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra across the city's musical, educational and philanthropic communities," Grode said. "Through that work I've had the pleasure of knowing the Merit School of Music as a great collaborative partner, and during that time, I have admired how every aspect of the school is dedicated to providing the highest quality musical and educational experience to its students."

Barry Mitchell, chairman of Merit's board, said Grode was a "perfect candidate."

"Charlie's skills and his obvious enthusiasm for Merit's mission made him the perfect candidate," Mitchell said.

In his new role, Grode will work with Merit's board on strategic planning and guide Merit's efforts to expand programming and engage a wider range of students. Grode will also be responsible for leadership and overall management of the organization.

Helping more than 50,000 students realize their musical potential since 1979, Merit School of Music is headquartered at 38 S. Peoria St. in the West Loop. The school offers a number of programs, including early childhood classes, instrumental music and voice instruction and private lessons.

Merit annually provides instruction to nearly 5,000 students through on-site and in-school instruction through the CPS Bridges: Partners in Music program. The program acts as a pathway to Merit's Alice S. Pfaelzer Tuition-free Conservatory, which serves a diverse cross section of the city's young musicians.

At the conservatory, students are accepted by audition only and receive college prep-level training from Chicago’s finest music instructors, valued at $2,500 per year, for free. Nearly 100 percent of the conservatory's graduating seniors are accepted into college, and most continue their music studies at top universities and music conservatories.

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