Help Your Child Find Their Voice This Summer at Songwriting Camp

An inspiring summer experience for kids ages 8–15

Looking for a creative, confidence-building camp experience for your child this summer? Songwriting Camp might be just what you're looking for.

At its heart, songwriting is storytelling—and every child has a story to tell. Our camp helps young writers unlock their creativity through music, whether they’re experienced musicians or just getting started. We believe songwriting is a natural skill that anyone can learn, and we’ll guide your child every step of the way.

🎶 What Makes This Camp Unique? Songwriting Camp gives kids the opportunity to write, perform, and record their own original songs in a supportive, small-group setting. Campers will work both independently and in collaboration with peers as they explore songwriting through fun writing exercises, group games, and creative challenges.

Each day is structured, engaging, and developmentally appropriate for ages 8–15. And by the end of the week, every camper will leave with a simple recording of their original song—a tangible reminder of what they’ve created and accomplished.

🎹 No Musical Experience Required Campers don’t need to play an instrument to participate! All that’s needed is curiosity and a willingness to try something new. If your child does play an instrument, we’ll show them how to incorporate it into their songwriting. All campers are encouraged to bring a laptop or iPad to help create digital beats and backtracks.

For those students who do play an instrument: Pianos will be provided. Students are welcome to bring other instruments to camp as well.

🗓️ Camp Details:

• Ages: 8–15

• Location: St. Luke Church (home of LMK Studios piano lessons)

• Schedule: 6 weekly sessions throughout the summer

• Hours: Monday–Friday, 9am–12pm

• Technology: Campers should bring an iPad or laptop for music creation

• Tuition: $150/1-week session.

  
  

👩‍🏫 Led by Trusted EducatorsCamp will be led by professional songwriters and educators Louise Kelly and Sara Richert, both of whom are experienced music teachers at LMK Studios. They’re passionate about helping kids grow through music—building confidence, creativity, and a strong sense of self-expression.

✨ Why Parents Love This Camp:

• Led by experienced educators with a heart for kids and music

• Creative, structured, and fun environment

• Small group size means personalized attention

• Fosters creativity, collaboration, and communication

• Encourages self-confidence through original expression

  
  

  💰Fees

  The cost of the camp is $150/session. Each session lasts one week.

  
  

🎤 Ready to Sign Up? Click here to learn more and register:

Give your child a summer they’ll never forget—where music, creativity, and confidence come together!

LMK Studios Presents: Monthly Open Mic!!!

What is an open mic? 

An open mic (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue usually taking place at night, in which audience members may perform on stage. Performers can be students, amateurs or professionals: it’s open to all! As the name suggests, performers are usually provided with a microphone plugged into a sound system so that they can be heard by the audience.

LMK Studios Open Mic at St. Luke’s

This family-friendly event is open to performers of all ages and members of the community (not just LMK Studios students). In addition to solo acts, we are imagining collaborative performances - parents and children, siblings, youth with their friends, etc. LMK students are invited to work with their teachers on songs of their choice for these events. Participating students should prepare two songs (although in some cases there may only be time for one song, depending on how many people sign up for each open mic). We ask that all singers perform with an accompaniment instrument: piano, guitar, or other. In other words, this is not a space for karaoke. This is, however, a great space to try out that new song you just wrote!

These are very relaxed events, and far less formal than our LMK Studios piano recitals. Performers determine what songs they play and how they play them. One caveat: all performers are expected to keep their songs family-friendly.

Our open mic will take place in Fellowship Hall, at St. Luke Church. In this lower level gymnasium, there is a stage! And lights! And a sound system! Louise Kelly, studio director and lead teacher, will co-host this event alongside local musician, Tim Molsky. 

Performers will sign up in advance (or in person) online at lmkpianostudios.com/events.

There will be a $10 entry fee for all performers and audience members over the age of 10. Cash, Zelle, and Venmo are all acceptable payment forms. 

LMK Studios would like to thank their co-sponsors of these monthly events: 

• St. Luke Church is home to a friendly and caring congregation of 160 members. For those seeking God's blessing, comfort and love, we welcome you to St. Luke. Find out more at their website, here. 

• Nick Savage is a local piano tuner, technician, and dealer of new and used pianos. He is providing a baby grand piano for our open mic nights.

Spring Recitals at LMK Studios

LMK Studios 1:30 PM Spring Recital

We are happy to announce the success of our annual LMK Studios Spring Recitals which took place on Sunday, May 19th, 2024. We hosted two recitals, the first at 1:30 pm (see image above) and second at 3:30 pm (see image below). Our recitals featured over 50 dedicated students who have studied piano for more than 6 months. Each student performed two, memorized pieces of their choice that were both challenging and fostered development of a new technical skill.

LMK Studios 3:30 PM Spring Recital

A variety of performances included solo works, duets, and even collaborations with fellow musicians. Megan McSweeney played an arrangement of the Beatles' "Let it Be" alongside her friend, Sophia Overstreet, on guitar. Nile Lowrey partnered with his dad to produce an audio drumbeat track that accompanied his live piano performance of "Sunflower" by Post Malone. It was wonderful to witness the variety of artistry and genres presented at these celebrations of students' music.

We also recognized students from our studio who participated in the annual Downers Grove Music Club Piano Festival, which took place on March 3, 2024. We distributed certificates to all of those who took on this challenge, which consisted of memorizing selected pieces and scales as well as performing for an adjudicator. Among the sixteen students who participated, three LMK Studios students received the highest scores in their levels: Cooper Phillips, Kayden Bacigalupo, and Keegan Bacigalupo. They were selected to perform in the DGMC Piano Festival Honors Recital at the Downers Grove Public Library on March 10th.

1:30 pm Recital Students received certificates for participating in the DGMC Piano Festival

3:30 pm Recital Students received certificates for participating in the DGMC Piano Festival

At the end of each recital, we said goodbye to and recognized the unique contribution of our beloved piano teacher of 2 years, Ellie Stankiewicz! We are very grateful for her leadership and artistry at LMK Studios as both a piano teacher and co-founder of the Taylor Swift Children’s Choir, The T. Swizzle Singers. She will definitely be missed in our studio and we wish her the best on her next career adventure as an archeologist!

The Summer Piano Lessons schedule is currently underway at LMK Studios. The new fall schedule begins the week of August 20th. Our next studio recital is slated for December of 2024.