The strings program at Northside Prep seeks to offer students an opportunity to explore and refine musicianship skills through the study of the violin, viola, cello and bass. At an enrollment of only 62 students in 2000, the program currently serves 158 students, roughly 10% of the overall school population. Students participate in 1 of 4 curricular ensembles (Beginning Strings, Intermediate Strings, Concert Strings, Chamber Strings) offered at Northside Prep. From the novice who is seizing an opportunity presented to her for the very first time to the aspiring professional musician who has studied privately since the age of 3, the strings program at Northside Prep takes great pride in catering to the needs and desires of a musically, culturally and socioeconomically diverse student population.
Leo Park, Director
Leo Park has been the director of string ensembles at Northside Prep since 2001. A graduate of DePaul University's School of Music in Chicago, Illinois, Leo studied violin with Hilel Kagan, music education with Judy Bundra and MIchael Smith, chamber music with Chris Costanza, Bill Cernota, Roger Goodman and Stefan Hersh, and performed with the DePaul Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Cliff Colnot for 5 seasons. In 2007, Leo earned a Masters of Music Education Degree from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. His thesis, entitledHip Hop: An Entry Point into the Study of the World's Musics and Cultures, was presented as a lecture and demonstration to faculty and students on July 24th, 2007.
In addition to his position as director of string ensembles at Northside Prep, Leo also serves as an Arts Instruction Specialist for the Chicago Public Schools, District 1 Orchestra Representative of the Illinois Music Education Association, Board Member of the Illinois American Strings Teachers Association, and member of the national American String Teachers Association's Eclectic Styles Committee
Leo has previously served as instructor of string pedagogy and methods at Northeastern Illinois University and North Park University, and as instructor of secondary general music methods in the graduate studies program at VanderCook College of Music. Leo has presented several lectures and workshops on music and education at various institutions including VanderCook College of Music, Northwestern University, Lake Forest College, Northeastern Illinois University, the Music-in-Education National Conference at the New England Conservatory, the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education’s annual Convergence event, the Illinois Music Education Conference, the Texas Music Educators Association Conference, the American String Teachers Association National Conference, and the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. His article, Inside Out: Infusing Creative Practices into the Orchestra Classroom, was published in the March 2019 issue of the Music Educators Journal, a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing "scholarly and practical articles on music teaching approaches and philosophies, instructional techniques, current trends and issues in music education in schools and communities."
Leo is a 2018 Illinois Asian Pacific American Outstanding Commitment in Education award recipient, 2017 Grammy Music Educator nominee, 2016 Golden Apple Excellence in Teaching Fellow award recipient, and 2010 Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction award recipient. He is an Eastman Strings Artist/Clinician, Conn-Selmer VIP Music Educator, and member of the National Association for Music Education and American String Teachers Association.
Click here to read about Mr. Park's philosophy on the transformative power of teaching.