Search Interviews

Part 1 of 2. Judge Carl Marshall talks to Julissa (17) about his experiences as a juvenile justice judge, the law, justice and a more perfect union.

Musician and historian Stephen Wade talks with his friend Matt Brown about Stephen's musical beginnings, studying banjo with his mentor Fleming Brown in the 1970s, and his reflections on the Old Town School then and now. Since learning to play...

In this conversation between Old Town School Latin percussion instructor Carlos Cornier and his coworker Mareva Lindo, Carlos talks about the musical origins that shaped his interest in percussion and Latin music; getting into and out of Scientology to ultimately...

Saladeen Alamin has been teaching Latin Dance at the Old Town School for over two decades. In this conversation with his wife, Rosita Ragin-Alamin, they talk about his early years as an acrobatic mambo dancer, his reflections on teaching at...

Karen Gasche (75) speaks with her opera teacher Marcia Aubineau (71) about her love of the opera. Together they share memories of their opera class, and reflect on the beauty and power of the art form.

Jimmy T., as he is affectionately known by all, is one of the most familiar faces at the Old Town School. Now the head of the Guitar, Bass and Songwriting program, Jimmy's worked here since starting in the music store...

A conversation between Andrew Sa and Mareva Lindo. Andrew talks about his experiences taking the class Songwriting and the Creative Process with Sue Demel and describes the experience as group therapy and recommends the experience to everyone because it teaches...

Julian Ross has taken classes at the Old Town School for over 10 years. In this conversation with his son Christopher, Julian reflects on why this place has remained such a constant in his life, and Christopher shares some of...

Betty Nudelman speaks with documentarian Mareva Lindo about her memories of the Old Town School community in its early years, when it was housed within the Immigrant State Bank Building at 333 W North Ave--in the Old Town neighborhood from...

When a young Reggio "The Hoofer" McLaughlin first started tap dancing in Chicago, venues turned him away at the door, saying "we haven't booked a tap dancer since 1945!" In this conversation with his coworker Mareva Lindo, he talks about...

A conversation between friends, longtime musical collaborators, and fellow Old Town School teachers Jonas Friddle and Anna Jacobson. Jonas is a singer, songwriter and old-time banjo player whose songs have received The John Lennon Songwriting Award, First Place in the...

Jon Langford and Sally Timms--of The Mekons and countless other projects--have been part of the Old Town School community in a myriad of ways since the 1990s. Just a few months after Langford was honored as a “Music Legend” by...

Claire McCoy (58) sits down with her father, George Black (86), to ask him about his experiences as an actor and his career as a professor in the theater departments of various universities.

Born in St. Louis on August 6th, 1924, and raised on Chicago's South side, Ella Jenkins was the first person in line on the opening night of the Old Town School of Folk Music, December 1st, 1957. At the time,...

My friend Dick Hermann, an attorney, author, and columnist writes often about his passion for education reform. We talked about this.

A conversation between Peggy Lipschutz and Peggy Browning. This conversation was recorded at the school on October 14th, 2017. Go to www.oldtownschool.org/StoryCorps to hear selected excerpts from interviews collected as part of the StoryCorps-Old Town School partnership.

Long-time friends and colleagues Madaha Kinsey-Lamb (73) and Jim Marley (80) discuss their work and friendship over the years.

A conversation between Joe Filisko, blues harmonica player and teacher, and Harlan Terson, touring and teaching bass player. Harlan remarks on his luck to experience the zenith of the blues era and working with several Chicago Blues Legends. Joe remembers...

A conversation between Jane Stracke Bradbury and Old Town School documentarian Mareva Lindo. Jane has been present at every incarnation of the school, even before it began. Daughter of Old Town School co-founder Win Stracke, she recalls memories of her...

A conversation between Charles Kim, Guitar and Songwriting teacher at Old Town School since 1999 and Kim Bellware, friend and student. Kim and Charles discuss the effect of YouTube on classes at Old Town School, and how people choose to...

A conversation between partners and musical collaborators Gregg Ostrom and Tisa Batchelder, who met many years ago at the Old Town School, where they work. They share memories of their first encounters with the school, of their long courtship, and...

Zane Schaefer, a retired band director of 43 years talks about the importances of the arts.

Judy Hauff and Louise Dimiceli-Mitran worked at the Old Town School in the 1970s, at a time when everyone seemed to wear a lot of hats. They reunited to talk about some of the adventures they had together back then,...

Grayce Gadson (71) shares with her colleague Kleopatra Gaiter (32) anecdotes from her time as a student in Florida, Indiana, and California during the desegregation of schools in America. Grayce and Kleopatra compare their varying experience with school institutions, specifically...

A conversation between Paul Tyler and Judy Higgins. This conversation was recorded at the school on May 8th, 2017. Go to www.oldtownschool.org/StoryCorps to hear selected excerpts from interviews collected as part of the StoryCorps-Old Town School partnership.