OUR MISSION
At Keys to Connection, we believe music is a way to connect, support, and inspire one another. Through our programs, young musicians share their talents, experiences, and resources to strengthen both the musical community and the broader community around us:
Through live, free concerts, we share music with seniors and create meaningful intergenerational connections.
Through our Buddy Program, we share encouragement, experience, and musical guidance with younger musicians.
Through The Performance Closet and our fundraising events, we share resources and opportunities through a culture of generosity and sustainability.
Together, these initiatives help build a musical community where musicians support one another, share opportunities, and create meaningful connections across generations.
Check Out Our Fundraising Event
The Performance Closet: Stage ready. Priced right.
After a month of preparation, the Keys to Connection team finally presented MIC’s first-ever resale event to MIC students and public.
About 150 people attended, turning it into a memorable success. More than 30 families donated to support this effort. The beautiful performance attire was redistributed to over 50 families. The boys’ collection was sold out completely, and most of the girls’ dresses found new owners. We sold over 100 items! It was especially rewarding seeing families and children excitedly choosing their new performance attire, enjoying the event’s welcoming atmosphere.
One touching moment stood out. As we reached out to local families, we met a family who came to visit and will be relocating to Chicago from Austin this summer. They have a child who is 5 years old and learning piano. They visited our event and showed strong interest in starting their music adventure at MIC.
Our team grew stronger as well. Through regular meetings, we built trust, learned to define roles clearly, and supported one another every step of the way.
It takes a village to make this happen! We had an incredibly generous support from Mr. Scott Verschoor - thank you so much! With additional support still coming in, we are thrilled to share that this event raised more than $2,500 for the Music Institute of Chicago.
We would like to give our sincerest thanks to the many people who made this event possible, including but certainly not limited to:
• Mr. Scott Verschoor, our biggest supporter and advocate
• Ms. Rachel Barton Pine, for her outstanding support, kindness, and generosity
• MIC leadership and campus directors: Ms. Sue Polutnik, Ms. Jennifer Bienemann, Ms. Jen Hanson, Ms. Erin Fusco, Mr. Patrick
O’Malley, Ms. Marie Alatalo, Mr. Clem Leek, Ms. Hana Marek
• Our amazing MIC teachers: Dr. Matt Hagle, Ms. Elaine Felder, Mrs. Brigitte Gray, Ms. Bianca d’Avila do Prado, Mr. Avi Friedlander,
Dr. Soo Young Lee, Ms. Christina Tio, Ms. Lisa Zilberman
• New Trier teachers: Ms. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Tony Knuth
• So many others in our community who supported this effort
Thank you all for making this event so special. Already looking forward to next year’s Performance Closet!
We are so honored to hear these words of kindness:
"We are delighted with your incredible innovation and thoughtful fundraising!"
MIC leadership
"Thank you, for your endless creativity, oversight, and passion for this project. We are all honored to be a part of this amazing initiative."
MIC leadership
"This sale reflects heart, vision, and kindness for others. I am proud of each of you—thank you for your generosity.
Amazing work! MIC thanks you all!!"
MIC leadership
"It was so beautiful to see many of my students proudly wearing the beautiful outfits they got from your event at the Festival Concert. They all looked very sharp and confident on stage!" Thank you again for hosting it!"
A MIC teacher
"This is such a great event! Thank you so much for doing it. My kids found their performance wear for the upcoming concert and had a lot of fun shopping and getting goodies."
A MIC parent
"Wow, my son looks so nice in this suit! He will be wonderful next week at the concert!"
A MIC parent
The Performance Closet Year-Round
Following the success of our annual Performance Closet fundraiser, we are excited to launch Performance Closet Year-Round. This ongoing initiative helps connect young musicians with recital dresses, concert attire, dress shoes, and other performance essentials throughout the year. Through community donations, attire requests, and a small curated inventory, we aim to give performance wear a second musical life while helping more young musicians take the stage with confidence.
[Donate Performance Wear] [Request Performance Wear]
The Wellshire Morton Grove Concert Series
Saturday, April 25th , 2026, 2:00 PM
We were thrilled to have our guest performers, singers Jaiden and Evie Hsu! Today we performed the music of Mozart, Chopin, Ravel, and Prokofiev. Jaiden and Evie sang several beautiful pieces, including "Silver Lining" and " La Vie en Rose".
One resident gently held each performer's hand and said " Thank you for coming and bringing such a beautiful performance to our center."
This is one of those moments that remind us why we do this!
Check Out Our Latest Outreach Event!
CONNECT WITH KEYS TO CONNECTION
For concert bookings, inquiries, or collaborations, don't hesitate to connect with Keys to Connection. We cherish the opportunity to engage with fellow music enthusiasts and create unforgettable musical experiences.