Testimonials

Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, Chicago Music Teachers has the experience to teach you what you want to learn.

  • "Corey has been teaching drums to my son, now 11, for almost 2 years. His patience and ever present smile have really inspired him to work hard and have fun learning the drums. He teaches him proper technique while also letting him play the songs he really wants to learn. I teach guitar and I know that's important to keep a child's interest. I give Corey two thumbs up!"

    Jeanie B.
    Evanston IL

  • "I have nothing but good things to say about the lessons that I have taken with Eli. He is extremely experienced and has been able to teach me every song I have asked him about. He was extremely patient during lessons while I would try to figure out fingerings. He is also great at teaching how to solo which I think has been a big part of my improvement. In just a few months I was able to confidently play with friends that have been playing for years. I could not give a higher recommendation."

    Geoffrey N.
    Lake Forest, IL

  • Our son has been very happy with his piano lessons with Corey over the past two years and we love the way Corey keeps lessons both relaxed and challenging, flexible and structured. He is responsive to our son's choices of musical pieces and also good at suggesting others for him to try, and his encouragement inspired our son to compose and perform an original piece. Our son's enthusiasm for learning to play music and his interest in expanding to other instruments has grown as well while he has been with Corey. Corey is a so nice, easy going, positive, and understanding of our schedules too; we can't recommend him highly enough!

    Jeanne and Rodolfo W.
    Evanston, IL

  • My son Drew, 7, has been taking drum lessons with Corey for a year, and he just started guitar lessons. Corey is patient and encouraging, and makes the lessons fun. Drew NEVER complains about missing a play date for his drum and guitar lesson, which is really saying something! We are very happy with Corey and Chicago Music Teachers.

    Jo G.
    Winnetka, IL

  • We have been working with Eli McLaughlin of Chicago Music Teachers for over a year now. My son was 11 at the time and he had been taking guitar lessons from an established music school on the north shore that was starting to become a little too structured and corporate for our taste, and I felt that the pace of learning had started to slow. We were simply looking for a good teacher that would challenge our son, teach him good strong fundamentals (instead of just teaching him songs), that we could pay monthly. Eli has greatly exceeded our expectations. He is a great teacher, challenges our son, comes right to our house, charges a fair price, and always shows up on time. My older son actually wanted to learn the bass guitar, so Eli stays for an extra half hour to teach him as well. Both boys have improved greatly. I would highly recommend Eli and Chicago Music Teachers to anyone looking for guitar lessons.

    Jim K.
    Glenview, IL

  • I think Eli is a great teacher because he is nice, and he teaches us the songs that we want to learn. He also teaches us new stuff every lesson, and different styles of music. Its also cool that we have a teacher with his songs on itunes! Thanks for being a great teacher.

    Josh and Zach K. (ages 13 and 15)
    Glenview, IL

  • Our son's guitar playing has improved more in one year studying with Eli than it did during the previous two years with other instructors. Eli is not only a gifted musician; he also has a way of communicating ideas on a level that young guitarists can understand. Most importantly, he instills his passion for music into his students, motivating them to practice, improve, and develop a love for music.

    Mark T.
    Wilmette, IL

  • Just over a year ago, my son's guitar didn't come out of the guitar case too much. I cajoled, threatened and pleaded with him to practice to no avail. I wasn't really sure how to proceed or if he should even continue to take lessons. I thought maybe my child was just too young. Worse, I thought he just wasn't interested in playing. I considered the possibility of just having him stop lessons. Fortunately, it was at that juncture, we met Eli McLaughlin.

    The transition wasn't immediate. It began slowly and is still emerging week by week, but I have gone from begging my son to practice to the sound of guitar music playing in the house at any hour of the day. Eli is a gifted teacher and an accomplished musician. By finding ways to teach music that my son loves to play, Eli has been successful at motivating him to play more. Eli has a strong sense of how to approach teaching a kid as well. He can offer up musical theory in a way that a fifth grader listens, but is patient if his attention drifts for a moment after a long day at school.

    We were lucky to find Eli to teach our son. And when I am in my house and I hear guitar music coming from my son's room, I feel nothing but happy. I have a child who loves to play music now, inspired by the skill of his teacher.

    The guitar has finally come out of the guitar case in our house...and I am so grateful.

    Valerie K.
    Wilmette, IL

  • We searched long and hard for a music teacher who could accommodate our 5 children's various musical interests and keep them all (ages 5-13) engaged and excited about learning. At Chicago Music Teachers, our highest hopes were met. Our teacher Jim showed up on the first day full of creative ideas and a contagious love of all kinds of music. With patience and humor, he helped each of our children discover their hidden talents and taught them to persevere when their skill levels were not yet a match for their aspirations. He brought them exotic instruments from his own collection to try out, and suggested songs from standards to their own pop faves for them to experiment with. He came to our house (so much better than schlepping all five of them to a studio after a long school day), worked with them in groups and individually, as the occasion called for, and was just generally flexible and fun to be with. The icing on the cake for us was that Chicago Music Teachers was very fair with its pricing, so we were able to get all our children started at a cost that didn't break the bank or prevent us from doing other family activities. We will miss our lessons this summer, but everyone is taking their instruments with them on vacation so they can be ready to start back up again in the fall. We could not be happier that we found Chicago Music Teachers.

    Tracy Poe
    Lincoln Park, IL

  • "We contacted Eli in January 2010 after giving my daughter a guitar for Christmas and seeing a Chicago Music Teachers flyer in our mailbox. He has been working with both of my children once a week ever since. Eli began by asking what musicians and bands they liked and went from there. He creates lessons based on their interests (which is continually changing and requires a great deal of patience!). He teaches them how to read music and challenges them with new knowledge. They look forward to their weekly lessons and are quite proud of their progress. My daughter was even able to performed one of the songs she learned with Eli at her 8th grade graduation this month. Eli does his best to be flexible in dealing with our crazy schedule. Eli is all that is kind and encouraging to both children. We could not be more pleased with their lessons and progress. We hope to continue working with Eli for the foreseeable future."

    Caitlyn N.
    Wilmette, IL

  • "What I like about Eli is that he pretty much teaches you the music you're interested in which makes it fun. He can also listen to a piece of music and figure out how to play it without looking up the notes. That's cool!"

    Zachary N. (age 12)
    Wilmette, IL