Search Interviews

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...

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,...

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...

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.

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...

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...

DeAnne Hart (78) and Fred Mindlin (64) talk about the founding and history of the Pajaro Valley Arts Council.

Tamar Laks (63) talks to her husband Jay Silverstein (68) about growing up in Brooklyn, NY, visiting the Brooklyn Museum, working for the Brooklyn Museum, and her thoughts on the Arts and how they've influenced her family.

Musician and musicologist Bau Graves was Executive Director of the Old Town School of Folk Music from 2007 to 2018, during which he was known for his humor, and as the director of the Mandolin Ensemble. IT director and instructor...

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

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.

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

Mother and daughter Terry Hampton (61) and Tracy Fenske (40) discuss the history of the Avenue Theater as a space for community theatre and arts, and the legacy of their late friend and colleague Lisa Trueheart.

World-class Irish fiddler Liz Carroll talks with friend and bodhran player Mike Austin about the Irish music community in Chicago, Liz's ideas about learning music, and her time teaching at the Old Town School of Folk Music in the 1980s....

Friends and Chicago Tribune columnists Mary Schmich and Eric Zorn talk about their memories at the school, from taking lessons to co-founding the long-running holiday showcase and singalong, Songs of Good Cheer. This interview was recorded at the Old Town...