Audio Video News

In a move usually associated with large corporate entities with names like Sony or Bose, England's Cambridge Audio has announced that it will open its first U.S. retail store in Chicago later this year.

The 50-year-old British maker of hi-fidelity audio equipment also announced a long-term partnership with Chicago’s Merit School of Music to generate awareness for both companies. The effort is part of a larger strategic plan under which Cambridge partners with nonprofit groups to benefit their charitable causes as well as grow a grassroots consumer fan base for its products.

Such partnerships are not new to Cambridge Audio. The company has a long history of partnering with charitable organizations, especially those related to music.

“When I first visited Merit, I was struck by the photos lining the walls of so many young students that didn’t go on to become famous musicians, but likely went on to be leaders in other fields, drawing from their experiences at the school,” explained Gregg Chopper, director of the Americas. “I knew then that Cambridge and Merit speak the same language and have the same values. It’s about music being the continuation of our natural language, and spreading that language, whether it’s through studying music or listening to music through high-quality audio equipment, is a powerful thing to be a part of.”

To kick off the partnership, Cambridge is donating 50 percent of the proceeds it earns from the sales of its $50 SE-1 earphones — which were included in Sound & Vision’s 2017 Holiday Gift Guide — to Merit and its other U.S.-based charitable partner, Music Unites.

“We don’t want to just cut a check, though, we want to be involved,” Chopper said. “From co-hosting events to speaking to students about careers in audio equipment and offering internships, we are planting roots in Chicago and investing in the city’s future leaders. Of course, it helps our bottom line, but that’s not enough. We want to be a company that has a bigger footprint than the products we sell. Cambridge wants to help make the world a better place, and we think the shared love of music has that power.”

For its part, Merit is no stranger to a noble musical mission. For nearly 40 years, the school has been providing music education to Chicago youth against the backdrop of limited, inconsistent funding for arts education in the city’s schools. The programs of Merit — of which a significant portion are provided to students at little or no cost — provide a safe space for both musical and personal development. The school helps give rise to new generations of civic leaders, and in many cases, is keeping children off of the streets and away from potential danger.

Keeping current with the times, however, is a challenge for any organization that needs to stay relevant for multiple decades. While Merit’s curriculum is focused on classical and jazz, the school has been adapting its fundraising and publicity efforts to appeal to a new millennial generation of music education supporters. In 2017 Merit partnered with Hopewell Brewing Company for a full-day fundraiser, complete with DJ sets. It also teamed up with The JuJu Exchange, which features four Merit alums, including the Grammy-nominated Nico Segal, who is also a member of Chance the Rapper’s backup band, for a benefit concert at City Winery that featured several of the city’s up-and-coming music stars.

“We’re honored to partner with Cambridge Audio, not just for this SE-1 headphone campaign, but for a long-term partnership,” said Charles Grode, Merit’s president and executive director. “This new strategic relationship enables Merit to expand its publicity and fundraising efforts into new territory. We are exploring a variety of ways that Merit and Cambridge can join forces to expand the fascination and love of music among our youth, which helps them gain the self-confidence and other skills needed to be successful in music and in life.”

In another more modern bid, Merit has linked up with Kuma’s Corner, a chain of Chicago-based burger bars famous for playing ear-shattering heavy metal music in its dining rooms and naming all of its burgers after metal bands. It’s a far departure from the Bach, Beethoven and Monk that Merit is teaching its students, but the efforts should help Merit become a household name among the city’s millennial music fans.

“We know that a love for music is bigger than any one genre or age group, and that is why Merit is trying to engage music lovers across Chicago,” Grode explained. “We all have a vested interest in shaping the lives of our city’s citizens and future leaders, so whether it’s developing musical and personal skills by playing music together at a high level, listening to favorite albums through Cambridge’s premium audio equipment or enjoying a great burger to the sounds of thrashing metal, Merit will help lead the charge.”