Support Ted Sirota's Drum Studio

Hi everyone, I'm a self-employed musician - a drummer to be precise. I've been playing the drums since 1980 and teaching since 1994. My life has revolved around playing and teaching music. Many people know me around Chicago from my bands - Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls and Heavyweight Dub, as well as many other projects I've played with over the past few decades.

I founded Ted Sirota Drum Studio in 2000 in Evanston, IL. Since that time I've taught hundreds of students, and the older I get, the more I enjoy the process of teaching. Unfortunately I've never owned property and have found myself at the mercy of many landlords and the laws of capitalism over the years. Currently I'm in my 13 location since I started teaching. The past seven years have been especially challenging. Due to divorce, the pandemic, and a number of other unfortunate circumstances beyond my control, my studio and my living situation were set into a disruptive cycle which has forced me to move the studio 8 times since 2017. All of this moving and instability took quite a toll on me physically, mentally, and financially. Despite it all, I have a dedicated core of students and parents who have stuck with me through every move. I will be sharing more of my story, but the best news is that after a few weeks of thinking I was going to have to live out of my car, as of 5/1/24 I am living in a new apartment/studio that I absolutely love. I signed a year lease and I'm hoping to stay here for the long haul. After a month this new situation feels very stable and basically perfect for me. I feel so grateful to have found this place but I'm not quite out of the woods yet. I'm still in the woods, just in a great apartment. I'm reaching out for support here to help pay for bills, car repairs, rent, drum sticks, heads, and food, while I get my self situated and rebuild my business to pre-pandemic levels. I've struggled through a long, crazy stretch of life with the support of my community. However, the reality is that with inflation, wages, and everything else working against working people I do need some more support while I continue to get my feet back on the ground, and my head above water.

Best,

Ted