music in residence ■

Bringing Music and Community Home

Music in Residence exists to deepen well-being through human connection. We bring neighbors and music artists together in homes, creating spaces that nurture community and sustain the artists who sustain us.

Everything we need is right here — we just need something to bring us together.

Today, many people in our community face a growing sense of alienation, anxiety, and isolation. Loneliness is a declared epidemic that directly threatens our individual and collective health.Simultaneously, local artists navigate a broken system that rewards fame over community service, forcing them to compete for attention online to survive. Artists often lack the essential community, space, and economic support needed to sustain their creative work.Our communities lose their artists, and our artists lose their communities.

Music in Residence is the bridge. By connecting neighbors in local homes through music, we create an upward spiral: artists earn a living wage for meaningful work, while residents find the healing and human connection that can mend our social fabric.We do this through a tradition as old as time: people in a room with music.A host opens their home — for an evening with friends and neighbors.
A local artist performs — paid a sustainable wage for meaningful work.
Community is deepened — people connect to each other and themselves.We call them soirées — and we envision a world where they're commonplace. Where artists succeed not through luck or fame, but through the mutual support of community.

"Although I have been a working classical cellist for more than half my life, I did not identify as an artist. It was that room full of people who invited me to ask, 'what if I did?' That simple seed meant I would start composing, curate music for a ballet, and organize a social chamber music series with the Oak Park Park District. Music in Residence cared for me in a way no one or nothing else ever has, and I'll never be the same because of it."— Jean, classical cellist and Music in Residence artist

"I couldn't think of a more meaningful and fun way to start the year than by hosting a local artist in our home with friends and neighbors. Experiencing music together like this fed our souls."— Music in Residence host

Founders Nathan and Heather Peterson built the foundation from their Oak Park home in 2023, establishing Music in Residence as a 501(c)(3) in 2025.Since 2023, from one Oak Park living room:

25 soirées

35 artist gatherings

Hundreds of people connected

In 2026, we're growing from one home to many.

Founder's Story

Several years ago, during the height of covid and in the throes of grief after the loss of a child, I found myself in a Target parking lot.
Like many during that time, I was in a fog of uncertainty and anxiety. I felt disconnected from myself and others.As I left the store and reached my car, the sound of a violin came from across the parking lot. Like a light, it broke through the fog and reached my heart. Tears and months of emotions flowed to the surface. As I listened to the music, I started to feel reconnected.I never did see the player of that violin — but I like to imagine that whoever it was woke up that morning, said to themselves, "that's enough," and — despite feeling the same anxiety and uncertainty so many of us felt — got up, picked up their instrument, walked out into the world, and played.

Fast-forward three years to last November...I was drinking a coffee and checking my phone when I had the sudden realization that I could no longer tell if what I was seeing on the screen was real. My immediate response was to call up all the local musicians I knew and invite them to our home.Many artists came. I asked them what they needed most to keep doing their creative work. Their top three needs: community, space, and business support.The next morning, on my walk through Oak Park, I realized something: these artists' biggest needs are three of the most abundant resources in our community. And what these artists have to share has the potential to revitalize our community from the inside out.Everything we need is right here — we just need something to bring us together.That realization led me and my wife Heather to found Music in Residence.— Nathan Peterson, founder and executive director


Read more about the vision behind Music in Residence →

Our Artists

Here is a list of some local artists (more to come) who would love to partner with you to create an unforgettable experience for your friends and neighbors.If you're interested in working with one of these artists, reach out via email and we'll make an introduction.

Jean Hatmaker, Classical Cellist

As a classically trained cellist, my primary desire as a musician is to serve as a conduit between the gorgeous art I admire and the lovely souls who trust me with their attention, one concert at a time. I believe that classical music belongs to everyone, can and should meet them on their terms, and requires no amount of initiation to embrace. I’m curious about how different pieces of music make people feel, the conversations they inspire, and the passions they can ignite. I live in Oak Park with my husband, my cat, and my dog, and enjoy a robust performance career with several regional orchestras along with my chamber music enterprises: Kontras Quartet, and Merida Trio. I also teach privately in my home and at Grace Lutheran School in River Forest. I’m an emerging composer with a few pieces under my belt, including a ballet I just premiered in Boulder in the spring of 2025. Outside of my musical pursuits, I’m a “retired” amateur ballerina, and am dabbling with reading tarot.Favorite store in Oak Park: Village and Vessel
Favorite OP restaurant: Citrine
Favorite book read in 2025: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Ask me about: the story behind Janacek’s String Quartet #2Instagram: @cellogenie84Listen to Jean's music →
Learn more about Jean on her website →

Constance Volk, Flutes and Art

Learn more about Constance on her website →

Sara Beth Thomas, Singer-Songwriter

Sara Beth Thomas is a rising jazz vocalist based in the vibrant Chicago music scene. Born and raised in Mexico and Portland, her unique cross-cultural background infuses her music with a rich blend of influences, from Latin rhythms to jazz standards. As a passionate storyteller, her love for music blossomed into a career as both a jazz vocalist and singer-songwriter. Whether through her soulful melodies or her heartfelt lyrics, Sara Beth captures the essence of emotion and experience, weaving tales that resonate with audiences across diverse genres, cultures, and ages. Find her performing in Chicago jazz clubs such as Le Piano and Clara.Listen to Sara Beth's music →
Learn more about Sara Beth on her website →

Graham Scott, Composer and Pianist

Learn more about Graham on his website →

Nathan Peterson, Singer-Songwriter

From Nathan:
I've been singing and songwriting for over 26 years. My songs are my way to try to make sense of life. I write about what is most deeply personal, and find that those are the things that resonate most with others. I played with a band for the first 18 years of my career, and became solo 10 years ago during the incredibly painful and beautiful experience of my 4th child's life and death. I've since also written a couple of books on living fully amidst uncertainty, and I often speak at events—helping groups calm their nervous system and connect more deeply with each other and themselves. To me, music is a powerful energy—a vibration that can break down walls and heal hearts. In addition to making music, I love to support others in find and share their own creative, authentic voice.Listen to Nathan's music on Spotify →
Learn more about Nathan on his website →

Donny Mahlmeister, Electronic Musician

Listen to Donny's music →

Our Board and Staff

Get Involved

This vision needs you.Ireland's Basic Income for the Arts (2022–2025) supported 2,000 artists and generated €1.39 return for every €1 invested. Artists spent more time creating, experienced less financial stress, and reported improved wellbeing. The program is now permanent. Oak Park equivalent: ~20 artists — close to the scale we're building toward.Here's how to join us:

Become a Host
Open your home for a soirée. We connect you with a local artist and support you the whole way. Learn more about hosting here.

Become a Sponsor
$3,000 funds one soirée. Your investment goes directly to artists and community. Learn more about hosting here.

Become a Donor
Donations fund the operations and programming core that makes everything else possible. Learn more about giving here. Click the donate button below to jump in!

Join Our Board
Help build a strong foundation for the organization and its mission.

Our vision is to support 1% of the homes in our community to become Music in Residence homes. We're starting in Oak Park with the intention of supporting more communities in the future.We'd love for you to join us at our next founder-hosted soirée — a great way to experience what we're all about.Reach out at [email protected].

Music in Residence
Oak Park, Illinois
email us: [email protected]
EIN: 33−4802640