The Elgin Youth Symphony
Orchestra (EYSO), an In-Residence Ensemble of the Arts Center at Elgin
Community College, is home to five orchestras and a brass choir with 350
students from over 60 communities.
Founded in 1976, the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra's
mission is to create a community of young musicians, enriching their lives and
the lives of their families, schools, communities, and beyond, through the
study and performance of excellent music.
Under the leadership of
Artistic Director Randal Swiggum, now in his 17th season with the
organization, EYSO attracts a national reputation for providing not only an
engaging musical experience for its students, but also a comprehensive learning
environment which promotes curiosity, imagination, critical thinking, and
collaboration. EYSO auditions record
numbers of students each spring in addition to the many hundreds of musicians
who enjoy its rigorous methods of inquiry and "expert noticing."
EYSO is partially supported
by grants from the EFS Foundation, the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, the
Grand Victoria Foundation, the Hoffer Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council (a
state agency), and the Palmer Foundation.