About Youth Music Illinois
Youth Music Illinois (then called the Central Illinois Youth Symphony) was founded in 1965 by a group of music educators as a way to showcase the best players in the Peoria District 150 high school orchestras. Since then, it's grown to include two string ensembles, two full orchestras, two jazz ensembles, a percussion ensemble, and a Suzuki School of Music. No longer serving only Peoria, our students come from 30 communities in Central Illinois - often from as far away as Bloomington or Galesburg. Alumni from Youth Music Illinois have gone on to become musicians in some of the nation's top orchestras, but also work in a whole host of other career paths all over the world. Some even return to direct ensembles and teach Suzuki lessons at YMI! Our mission is to mentor area youth to develop a repertoire of skills for both music and life through the power of live performance, and as such, we have formal concerts at the end of each semester, as well as smaller, more informal concerts throughout the year.
We are thrilled to be able to offer the programs that we do, and hope that the founders would be proud of the way we carry on their legacy to serve student musicians in Central Illinois.
We are thrilled to be able to offer the programs that we do, and hope that the founders would be proud of the way we carry on their legacy to serve student musicians in Central Illinois.