A northern Illinois youth orchestra was recently recognized for its work in the community.
The Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras received the 2025 Community Relations of the Year Award from the Illinois Council of Orchestras.
Matthew Sheppard, the artistic director of the EYSO, said there was a need to offer music education for students who couldn’t afford it. So, the orchestra came up with a plan.
“And the board of directors read it," Sheppard explained, "and said, ‘We don't have the funds to do this right now. We don't know where they'll come from, and we don't care, because this matters to us.’ And so, the board of directors said, 'full steam ahead, let's make this happen.'”
He said that is where the idea for EYSO’s Starter Strings came from. It was launched in 2021. This program gives eligible students access to free violin and viola lessons in Elgin School District U-46.
Tracy Dullea, the director of Starter Strings, said in a press release that they are in the business of nurturing intentional participation.
“Maybe the students help one another by playing with increased confidence,” Dullea said, “by sitting next to a peer who needs a couple more demos or Spanish translations, or by just showing up ready and eager to learn and grow. It is truly an expression of joy where the culture of a helpful community is always present.”
Sheppard said the arts are a necessity.
“They are far from being a luxury, particularly in challenging times,” he said. “They are a part of the air that we breathe and the food that we eat that nourishes us. So, we're just so grateful to everybody for helping enable this.”
Many organizations are dealing with government funding cuts. This is what Sheppard was referring to when he said, “challenging times.” He said the orchestra isn’t having a major issue.
“There are some grants that we had expected to apply for that would have either been directly beneficial to Starter Strings, "he said, "or because this is a program that we pay for, EYSO, we don't ask for a penny from our school district partners. It would have been grants that would have offset other costs that enable us to put more funding towards Starter Springs, and those have been eliminated."
Starter Strings is currently partnering with Oakhill Elementary and Ronald D. O’Neal Elementary schools.
Sheppard said the orchestra is looking to expand to other schools in Elgin School District U-46.
