The Old Town School Student Advisory Council was founded in September 2019 by Old Town School's Board of Directors and Administrators to support and extend the School's mission.
Council Members
- Grant Kuchan
- Cristina Mercader
- Amy Rasmussen
- Daniel Marre
- Bruce Carmichael
- Oliver G. Prince, Jr.
- Dave Rice
- Scott Paeth
- Steve Veldman
Our Vision
We envision a future in which there is a clear, effective, accessible two-way line of communication between the Old Town School student population and the Old Town School leadership. Students are empowered to be active participants in support of the mission and growth of Old Town School.
Our Mission
We will accomplish this by:
- Acting as ambassadors for the organization internally and externally;
- Promoting the organization, its offerings, and its goals;
- Striving to improve the student experience by developing, planning, executing activities that strengthen the student connection to the Old Town School community at large;
- Maintaining an open line of communication with the administration, board, and other stakeholders.
About Us
Grant Kuchan
Grant has been a student at the Old Town School since 2008, starting with Clawhammer Banjo with Rick Neely. He worked his way through the Clawhammer curriculum, and then fell into Jonas Friddle's Jug Band class. To feed his love for Blues and Jug Band music, Grant felt it was time to finally learn guitar. He is currently pretending to know what he’s doing in Chris Walz's Blues Finger style class. Grant graduated from Boston University with a BFA in Theatre. When he isn't at the Old Town School, or picking up his son from the Old Town School, he is a Novelist, and, on occasion, a personal trainer. He is very excited to be a member of the Student Advisory Council.
What is your day job?
Novelist/Personal trainer
Do you play any instruments? If so what?
Banjo and Guitar
How did you first become a part of the Old Town School community?
Took up the banjo in 2008 to help me quit smoking. I quit, but still not as good at playing the banjo as I was at smoking.
What is your favorite aspect of Old Town School?
Skip Landt and Jonas Friddle
What is the best concert you saw at Old Town School? Other Music Venue?
Eric Bibb
Why did you join the Student Advisory Committee?
To help
Are there any instruments you have been wanting to learn how to play?
Kazoo
Who is your favorite musical artist or band?
Ray Charles
What was your first concert?
Ray Charles
What is your go to Karaoke song?
P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)
What is the best piece of advice you have received at OTS?
There are no wrong notes, just creative chord voicing.
What is your favorite TV show or movie?
Doctor Who (both classic and the new one)
60s? 70s? 80s? 90s? 00s? 10s? What is your favorite decade and why?
Hoping the next one is awesome.
Cristina Mercader
Cristina Mercader has been an active student, volunteer, concert goer, and member of the Old Town School of Folk Music for over 10 years. She has taken classes, both group and private, from the guitar, dance, ensemble, piano, theater, theory and voice programs at both the Armitage and Lincoln Square campuses. She often collaborates with other Old Town School students and friends in music shows throughout the city lending vocal, guitar, or keyboard back up. Currently you can find her in Jacob Sweet's Guitar 4Ever class, one of Andrea Bunch's ensembles, and singing with the Blues Band Live! Class. She is a head volunteer at the Old Town School of Folk Music as well as a playroom volunteer at Lurie's Children's Hospital of Chicago. Originally from Farmington Hills, MI, Cristina graduated from the University of Michigan (go blue!) with a mathematical economics degree and is now a consulting actuary with Willis Towers Watson. In Cristina's humble opinion, the Old Town School of Folk Music is one of the best places to spend your time and money at as evidenced by her constant presence at the school. Cristina is very excited to be a member of the Student Advisory Council and is looking forward to working with the broader student population as well as the Board and staff to improve the student experience at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
What is your day job?
Actuary
Do you play any instruments? If so what?
Guitar, keyboards, voice
How did you first become a part of the Old Town School community?
I grew up playing piano and when I moved to Chicago I missed playing music. Since I couldn't fit a piano in my Lincoln Park studio apartment, I decided to start taking private guitar lessons with Bob Goins at the Armitage location
What is your favorite aspect of Old Town School?
I love being part of such a supportive and talented community. Most of my closest friends are due to this school and I am constantly amazed by the depth of the talent I witness from everyone at the school
What is the best concert you saw at Old Town School? Other Music Venue?
At Old Town School, I loved the Nancy and Beth show featuring Megan Mullally. Added bonus was that I got a Nick Offerman sighting!
Why did you join the Student Advisory Committee?
To be an advocate for the broader student community and to be a positive agent of change to help keep Old Town School sustainable for the longterm.
Are there any instruments you have been wanting to learn how to play?
Drums. It seems to be the instrument most in demand.
What is your go to Karaoke song?
Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody
What is the best piece of advice you have received at OTS?
Jim Dewan substituted for one of my guitar classes and he recommended recording each class. There is so much to learn during any one class session that recording classes helps me go back and remember certain things. Plus it's so hard to hear what you really sound like while you're playing so listening to my recordings helps me determine what I need to work on
What is something on your bucket list?
I want to travel to Italy and basically eat and drink my way through the country
Amy Rasmussen
Amy is an experienced arts administrator, strategic planner, marketer and fundraiser. She holds degrees from DePaul University and Columbia College Chicago. President Obama named her a Champion of Change for Arts Education in her role as Executive Director of Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education. CAPE is a Chicago-based non-profit organization providing in-school and after-school arts programs for academically struggling schools. In addition, she currently serves as a member of the Student Advisory Council at the Old Town School of Folk Music, the nation's largest community music school and co-founded the Ravenswood Community Orchestra. She plays oboe, flute, alto sax and guitar and has a passion for Bernstein, Copland, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and The Avett Brothers.
What is your day job?
Executive Director, Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education
Do you play any instruments? If so what?
Guitar, oboe, flute, saxophone
How did you first become a part of the Old Town School community?
I started taking Guitar 1 lessons in 1995
What is your favorite aspect of Old Town School?
The people
What is the best concert you saw at Old Town School? Other Music Venue?
Best concert at Old Town School was Patty Smith and the Mother Truckers at Folk n Roots, long time ago
Why did you join the Student Advisory Committee?
Because I was asked, and if I have something positive to contribute to the school I want to do it!
Are there any instruments you have been wanting to learn how to play?
Bass, I'd probably be good at it but I've never taken lessons
Who is your favorite musical artist or band?
Too numerous to pick a true favorite
What was your first concert?
Neil Diamond, Poplar Creek about 1982
What is your favorite thing to do in Chicago?
See concerts and play concerts
Daniel Marre
Daniel first starting attending classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music in the early- to mid-1990s. After a pause of a few years, he started taking classes at OTS again and has re-discovered a welcoming and nurturing community. Daniel was born in London and emigrated with his family to Las Vegas as a pre-teen After graduating high school in Las Vegas, Daniel made his way to Chicago for college and has remained in Chicago ever since. Must be the weather. Daniel has two wonderful children, both boys, both in college. A lawyer by training and trade, Daniel has in more recent years begun to discover his more artistic side. Which is not that surprising since the half of his family is sprinkled with professional musicians, documentary filmmakers, kinetic sculptors, and other artistic types. While practicing law can provide intellectual satisfaction, in recent years Daniel has been drawn more and more to community issues and community development. In addition to the Student Advisory Council for OTS, Daniel serves as a board member of Lawyers for the Creative Arts (a service which provides pro bono services to artists), and is an elected community representative for his local neighborhood high school, Roberto Clemente Community Academy (Go Wildcats!). For at least 4 decades, and counting, Daniel's most fervent wish is to become the youngest member of The Rolling Stones.
What is your day job?
Attorney
Do you play any instruments? If so what?
Guitar & Bass Guitar
How did you first become a part of the Old Town School community?
A friend invited me to check it out
What is your favorite aspect of Old Town School?
The nurturing and welcoming community
Why did you join the Student Advisory Committee?
A desire to give back and make sure other people have the opportunity and experience I had
Are there any instruments you have been wanting to learn how to play?
Piano
What is the best piece of advice you have received at OTS?
If you're going to mess up, do it big and with style.
What is your favorite thing to do in Chicago?
Sit outdoors enjoying good food and good friends
If you had your own late-night show, who would you invite as a guest?
My friend Joe.
What band would you like to join in your dream life?
The Rolling Stones
Bruce Carmichael
Bruce grew up in Evanston. He has been a student at OTS since 2015, beginning with Guitar 1 and continuing to the present with private lessons and Extended Play with Mary Peterson. He has taken 2 levels of voice lessons and began mandolin lessons when the pandemic hit. The Beatles Socials with Tommy Zender, Songs of Good Cheer, and the Square Roots festival are OTS favorites of Bruce's. His one regret is that he didn’t learn guitar as a teenager, so he's now making up for lost time. He retired in 2019 after a 43 year career in Human Resources in both the corporate and non-profit sectors.
What is your day job?
Retiree
Do you play any instruments? If so what?
Acoustic guitar, beginning mandolin
How did you first become a part of the Old Town School community?
During college in the 1970's I used to attend gatherings at OTS with friends
What is your favorite aspect of Old Town School?
The people (staff, students, and concert-goers)
What is the best concert you've ever seen at Old Town School?
Option 1
Why did you join the Student Advisory Committee?
I was looking for some way to give back to an organization that has been so important to me, my family and our community
Are there any instruments you have been wanting to learn how to play?
Piano
What is the best piece of advice you have received at the Old Town School?
"Gentle repetition" is the key to learning to play an instrument
What is your favorite thing to do in Chicago?
Attend Chicago street and neighborhood festivals and Bears and Cubs games with my family
If you had your own late night show, who would you invite as a guest?
Jim Gaffigan, Amanda Gorman, Iris Dement
What band would you like to join in your dream life?
The Beatles; Chicago Transit Authority; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Oliver G. Prince, Jr.
What is your day job?
Executive Coach; Leader Development Strategy and Governance Consultant
Do you play any instruments? If so what?
Guitar, piano
How did you first become a part of the Old Town School community?
Became a student in 2006 to study American roots music. Joined the jazz guitar program a few years later - hooked ever since.
What is your favorite aspect of Old Town School?
The wonderful people in the community.
What is the best concert you've ever seen at Old Town School?
Keb Mo'
Why did you join the Student Advisory Committee?
Give back to the school; help to enhance the student experience
Are there any instruments you have been wanting to learn how to play?
My hands are full learning my axe!
What is the best piece of advice you have received at the Old Town School?
Tony DoRosario told me to "stretch" myself. Hard to hear for someone who has played as long I have...and he was right!!
What is your favorite thing to do in Chicago?
Lakefront exercise; golf; dining out
If you had your own late night show, who would you invite as a guest?
Michelle Obama
What band would you like to join in your dream life?
Three way tie: Miles Davis Quintet; Band of Gypsys; Allman Brothers Band
