Educators

Supporting School Music Education Programs

The mission of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras is to create a community of young musicians, and to enrich their lives and communities through music. We know that we aren’t alone in that mission — we are a part of an entire ecosystem

We aim to be a partner with school music educators, providing additional opportunities for your students to develop their talent, grow as leaders, and bring those skills back to your classroom. We want to help you, too, by providing resources and support to make the ever more challenging job of school music educator easier. Below you can find information about specific ways we can support your students in the classroom, resources, and answers to questions we commonly get from educators.

School Visits

Explore opportunities to bring EYSO into your classroom

School Day Tours

Each year, EYSO’s Honors Chamber Ensembles visit local music classrooms with Artistic Director Matthew Sheppard to perform, teach, and share EYSO’s unique teaching style with other young musicians. Students get to hear 1-2 pieces performed by EYSO’s top students, while Artistic Director Matthew Sheppard peels back the layers of the music and shows students to listen and engage in new ways.

Interested in hosting an Honors Chamber Ensemble at your school? Email Anaka Riani, Chamber Music Operations Coordinator, at arriani@eyso.org.

Clinics

Artistic Director Matthew Sheppard and other members of EYSO’s conducting team regularly visit area schools to work with students in a clinic setting. Looking for a second set of ears as you prepare for a concert? New ideas to reengage your students? An opportunity to sit back and observe rather than be front and center?

Email Josie Benedetti, Marketing & Communications Manager, at jbenedetti@eyso.org to request a visit.

Informational Visit

Want to share EYSO with your students and ways they can be involved? Invite us to your classroom for an informational visit! A member of the EYSO team will come to your classroom with informational materials (and all-important swag).

Email Josie Benedetti, Marketing & Communications Manager, at jbenedetti@eyso.org to request a visit.

Resources

Managing a classroom full of students can be challenging enough. Repertoire and lesson plans don’t need to add to that challenge. Here, we’re sharing some of our tools and resources with the hope it makes your job a little easier.

Music Library

Review EYSO’s music databases to see what repertoire is in our library and it’s performance history. We are happy to lend out scores and parts that we own, and if you have questions about a particular piece, we invite you to reach out to the conductor or coach that last taught it.

Please email office@eyso.org to connect with a conductor or request to view a score and/or parts.

FAQs

1Who can be in EYSO?

Any string student grades 4-12 or wind student grades 8-12 with 2+ years of experience playing an orchestral instrument is invited to join EYSO. Students enrolled at Elgin Community College are eligible to participate, as well. Between 3 symphony orchestras, 2 string orchestras, chamber music opportunities, and specialized ensembles for flutes, brass, and percussion, we strive to find a place for all students.

2Do you require students to participate in their school orchestra/band?

We expect that all students enrolled in EYSO will participate in their school's ensemble program, if it has one. When students apply to audition, they are asked if their school has a band and/or orchestra program and whether they are or plan to enroll in it.

If a student tells us they do not plan to participate in their school program, EYSO's Director of Membership & Operations begins a conversation with them and their parents to understand why and to try to find a solution that allows the student to participate in both.

3What program opportunities do you offer?

EYSO offers three full symphony orchestras for intermediate to advanced players and two string orchestras for younger musicians. In addition, all brass and percussion students participate in Brass Choir and Percussion Ensemble (respectively), and flute students in Sinfonia and Philharmonia participate in Flute Choir.

EYSO also hosts a Chamber Music Institute that offers students the opportunity to perform in small ensembles, learning to play leaders and collaborators. EYSO's Honors Chamber Ensembles (string quartets, brass quintet, and woodwind quintet) are auditioned ensembles providing pre-professional opportunities for the most advanced students. HCEs have weekly coachings with professional musicians from across the region and additional performance opportunities with community partners.

To learn more about all of EYSO's opportunities for students, visit the Programs & Ensembles page.

4Do you provide scholarships or financial aid?

Yes, EYSO provides tuition assistance to all students who request. All tuition at EYSO is subsidized through community support, allowing us to cap tuition at one-third of the total cost per student.

We don't ever want cost to be a barrier, and additional assistance is available by request. On average, students with Tuition Assistance receive a 50% reduction in costs. About 20% of EYSO students receive some amount of assistance or scholarship. Learn more about Tuition & Scholarships here.

5Can students get credit for participating in EYSO?

Yes! As an In-Residence-Ensemble at Elgin Community College, students aged 16 and older participating in Sinfonia, Philharmonia, or Youth Symphony are eligible to receive college credit.

Students DO NOT receive high-school credit for their participation in EYSO. We expect students to participate in their school ensemble programs.

6Where are rehearsals?

Rehearsals are held weekly on Sundays from September through May (break between Thanksgiving and New Year's) in Elgin Community College's state of the art Arts Center.

7How much is tuition?

Tuition in EYSO's ensembles and programs is generously subsidized by grants and community support, allowing us to limit tuition to 1/3 of the total cost per student to offer these programs. Tuition varies by ensemble, from $590 for the entry Primo orchestra to $1,210 for Youth Symphony.

Learn more about Tuition & Scholarships here.

8How do students join EYSO?

All students new to EYSO, as well as current students interested in changing ensembles, are required to complete an audition application and perform a placement audition at the end of May. Students who miss the May audition deadline may request a late audition by emailing office@eyso.org. Mid-season auditions may be held for select instruments in November and December, as well.

98% of students are offered a placement into an EYSO ensemble following their audition. The rare exception is very beginning students who have been playing for less than two years. Visit the Audition Information page to learn more about auditions and requirements.

9When are auditions?

Placement auditions for EYSO's ensembles are typically held the last weekend in May. Students who miss the May audition deadline may request a late audition by emailing office@eyso.org. Mid-season auditions may be held for select instruments in November and December, as well.

Visit the Audition Information page to learn more about auditions and requirements.