CHICAGO (CBS) — The Old Town School of Folk Music announced Friday that it has named senior director of education Troy Anderson as its new director and CEO, replacing the former CEO of the Ravinia Festival Welz Kauffmanwho left the post after less than two months.
Anderson has served as senior director of education at Old Town School since July 2023. The music school credited Anderson with advancing its goals in educational programs, building strong relationships with Old Town School faculty and staff, and developing strong programming while overseeing school operations. relationships with the Chicago Public Schools and other community partners.
Before joining Old Town School, Anderson served as director of the Chicago Center for Music Education (ChiME) in the West Town neighborhood for more than a decade. In that role, Anderson was credited with consistently growing the school after a long period of decline before he arrived.
Anderson developed a diversity, equity and inclusion framework at ChiME and led the development of a formalized music curriculum, the Old Town School said.
Anderson previously held leadership positions at the West Loop-based Merit School of Music and the David Adler Music and Arts Center in Libertyville.
The jazz musician earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Texas, where he played with the One O’Clock Lab Band, and earned his Master of Music degree from DePaul University while working as a freelance trombonist.
“Throughout my career in community music schools, I have long admired the history, talent and sense of community that make Old Town School so unique,” Anderson said in an Old Town School news release. “I’m eager to get started, working with our incredible faculty and staff, as we lead the evolution of this legendary organization to bring people together to learn, create, perform and enjoy music and dance enjoy.”
In the lead role at Old Town School, Anderson replaces Kauffman, who has stepped down for personal family reasons, according to the Old Town School press release. Kauffman did not start in the role until September 30.
“On behalf of the board, we support Welz’s decision to focus on his family, and we wish him all the best for the future,” Kate Tomford, chair of the Old Town School board of directors, said in the news release. “We are grateful and pleased that Troy has agreed to take on this new role. His extensive experience and his familiarity and commitment to our community will allow for a smooth transition.”
Kauffman was appointed to the position earlier this year after a national search. He served as CEO of the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park from 2000 to 2020, and most recently headed the Tucson Festival of Books in Arizona before returning to Chicago to take over at Old Town.
The Old Town School of Folk Music was founded in 1957 by folk musicians Win Stracke and Frank Hamilton. The first location for the music school was in Old Town, at 333 W. North Ave.
In 1968 — when its North Avenue headquarters was about to be demolished — the Old Town School moved to The Aldine Hall, a 13,000-square-foot Romanesque Revival building on W. Armitage Ave. 909 in Lincoln Park that the school still uses as a school building. secondary location.
In 1998, Old Town School opened its current headquarters in the old Hild Library building at 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., a 4,000-square-foot building with a 400-seat concert hall and enormous additional classroom space. The Old City School expanded an additional building across the street at 4545 N. Lincoln Ave. in 2012.
Currently, the Old Town School of Folk Music has almost 6,600 students, 2,700 of whom are children. It offers 700 accredited weekly classes, private lessons and more than 400 concerts and community events.
