Registration for Fall 2026 is now open!
We can't wait to welcome One City students and families this fall! Get ready for an amazing experience ahead and check out the details about our registration and programs below.
Registration for RETURNING students opens on April 1, 2026.
Registration for NEW students opens on May 1, 2026.
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One City Jazz
One City Jazz gives every student a new, high-quality instrument when they join in fifth grade—choosing from trumpet, trombone, saxophone, piano, electric bass, or drums. Students play in one of three jazz bands (the Earl Hines, Dorothy Donegan, or Louis Armstrong Band), take weekly lessons with a specialist, and attend a class called Jazz in Context. This program is free of cost to the families and students who continue through eighth grade—over 90%—keep their instrument for high school and beyond.
Registration for One City Jazz is now closed.
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One City Strings
One City Strings is a Suzuki-based violin program for children from Pre-K through 8th grade. Students attend classes every Saturday along with their parent or caregiver. The program is completely free for families and provides all necessary instruments. Each child is given a properly sized rental violin to match their stage of growth. Upon completing the program in 8th grade, students are gifted their own full-size violin to carry with them into high school and beyond.
One City Strings is unable to accept new students in Fall 2026. The wait list for Fall 2026 is now closed.
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One City Percussion
One City Percussion is open to students in grades 5th through 8th. Participants learn a wide range of instruments and styles, including marching drumline, mallet and pitched percussion, and hand drums. The program is completely free for families, and students who complete the program through 8th grade receive their own percussion kit to continue playing in high school and beyond.
We are still accepting students for One City Percussion.
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About Us
One City, a community initiative of VanderCook College of Music, provides free, high-quality music education and instruments to elementary and middle school students across the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. Rooted in the belief that access to music can be life-changing, One City offers programs such as Jazz, Strings, and Drumline that honor the city’s cultural legacy while nurturing young musicians in grades K–8. With a focus on excellence, equity, and family involvement, One City supports the development of musical skill, personal growth, and community connection.
As part of VanderCook’s lab school model, One City also serves as a hands-on teaching experience for VanderCook undergraduates, who work directly with One City students under the guidance and mentorship of experienced faculty. This unique setting reinforces VanderCook’s mission to develop skilled music educators who embody strong character, professionalism, and a lifelong commitment to enriching lives through music.
Thank you to our generous donors, including recent grants from the Illinois Arts Council, the Les Paul Foundation, the Wurlitzer Foundation, and to everyone who supports One City.
Contact Us!
VanderCook College of Music
3140 South Federal Street
Chicago, IL 60616-3731
312-225-6288
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Changing lives one note at a time.
One City, a community initiative of VanderCook College of Music, provides free, high-quality music education and instruments to elementary and middle school students across the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. Your donations support our lifelong commitment to enriching lives through music education.
