2027 WINTER STUDENT SHOW

The Winter Show is where the practice pays off — a chance for students to step up, show what they've been working on, and feel what it's like to land a song in front of a room full of people who are genuinely rooting for them. Participation is optional, and we recommend at least six months of lessons so a student feels performance-ready — a quick chat with your Instructor is the best way to gauge it. Once a student is in the show, we ask families to come and stay for the whole performance; every performer, first slot to last, deserves a full room. And the show goes on rain, snow, or shine — it's late February in Chicago, so plan for a fair chance of all three in one afternoon.

• Prepare sooner than later: The earlier a student has their song down, the better it feels when they step up to perform — and the calmer the week before gets for everyone. No one has ever finished a song wishing they'd practiced less. Each Instructor has their own practice guidelines, so follow your Instructor's lead; when a song needs to be performance-ready, aim for the outcome and get it mastered early. Locking it in sooner is also how lessons get to move on to the fun new stuff faster.

• When & Where:
  • Saturday, February 27 & Sunday, February 28, 2027
  • Union Church of Hinsdale — 137 S. Garfield St., Hinsdale, IL 60521
  • Students are grouped across several 90-minute shows over the two days. Each student performs in one show; the running order within a show is set about two days out, so settle in and enjoy the whole thing.

• Arrival: Arrive 15–20 minutes before your show and check in with your Instructor when you get there.
• Attending other shows: You're welcome to catch the other shows too — more music, more fun. If you plan to attend a show other than your own, give us a heads-up through the General Questions form.
• Parking: Street parking is available, and there's a public parking garage off S. Garfield Ave, right next to Hinsdale Middle School. The Union Church lot is open to guests but fills up fast — especially Sunday, when it's shared with the church service and other events. Give yourself a few extra minutes; future-you will be grateful.

• What to bring:
  • Your printed music, if you use it — we won't have music or lyric sheets on hand.
  • Guitarists: bring your guitar and tune up before you step up. Our PA is excellent, which also makes it an honest friend — check your tuning one more time right before you play.
  • Bring your own drum sticks, picks, and straps — those don't come with the setup.
  • Provided in the performance area: digital piano, amps, a full drum set, and a full PA with microphones.
  • Performing to a track? Send it ahead and we'll have it cued up in the show playlist.

• Recording: Record all you like. For the best shot — and so the family behind you doesn't go home with great footage of your shoulder — use the side aisles to the left or right of the seating.
• Dress Code: Students should wear something that feels like them and feels good to perform in. Comfort counts; you're the one up there.
• Admission & Scholarship Fund: There's no admission charge. We do collect for the CH Music Academy Scholarship Fund — by QR code and Zelle on show day, and you can give in advance or afterward right here on the show page. Every bit helps another student get their chance to perform.
• Seating for larger groups: We want everyone comfortable. If you need seating for more than four guests (besides the student), give us a heads-up through the General Questions form. Safety comes first, so fire-code limits mean we can't always say yes to every request — thanks for understanding.

• Questions & correspondence: For anything that needs to reach us about the show, use the General Questions form.
  • Musical question about a piece or practice strategy? Talk with your Instructor directly in the lesson (unless you're an adult student), or reach them through the Student Help Desk.