CYSO students come from schools and communities all across the Chicagoland area, united in their love of music and their passion for exploring the limits of what is possible. Whether they are seasoned performers or just beginning to explore their instrument, CYSO students are dedicated to growth and to supporting one another in a team environment. CYSO is committed to investing in young musicians so they can reach their full potential musically, personally, and academically.
“CYSO gave me confidence and a learning environment where every year I was challenged to grow in ways I never thought would be possible. I look back on my CYSO experience and am so grateful for the skills I gained and the community that supported me.”
Oliver Talukder, CYSO Class of 2020
Meet the Musicians
CYSO students come from more than 146 different zip codes across 104 towns and cities and 4 states.
Grade Level
Race/Ethnicity
Gender
of CYSO students graduate high school, going on to college, attending some of the top conservatories, colleges, universities in the world
number of languages spoken in the homes of CYSO students
of CYSO students volunteer regularly, giving approximately 1,000 hours in service each month
Student Spotlights
’66 Alum Sheila Johnson on CBS Sunday Morning
Entrepreneur Sheila Johnson, a 1966 CYSO alum, recently released her autobiography, Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph, and has been making the rounds speaking with the…
Alumni Spotlight: Allison Brady, ’95 & Dean Brady, ’19
It’s not uncommon to see CYSO alumni passing on the love of music to their kids, and that’s definitely the case with 1995 alum Allison Brady and 2019 alum Dean…
Get to Know CYSO’s Class of 2023
Congratulations to CYSO’s class of 2023! The end of the season is always bittersweet as we celebrate the achievements of our seniors and send them off into the world for…
Meet Orchestra Hall Concert Soloist Henry Auxenfans
As we gear up for Symphony Orchestra’s spring concert at Orchestra Hall this Sunday, May 21, Social Media Team member Abigail AuYeung sat down with concert soloist Henry Auxenfans. Henry…
Meet Austen Wu, Philharmonic Orchestra Soloist
In anticipation of Philharmonic Orchestra’s spring concert on May 20, Social Media Team member Laney Kang sat down with Austen Wu, who won Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2022 Concerto Competition and will…
Zachary Allen Reflects on Preparation for Conducting Debut
At Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming spring performance at Orchestra Hall, we have a unique opportunity to feature a student conductor: CYSO oboist Zachary Allen. Selected by Maestro Tinkham for his dedication…
2023 Student & Teacher Award Winners
Each year, CYSO presents awards to two stand-out students who have demonstrated exemplary dedication to CYSO and a drive for personal excellence. We also recognize a music educator who has…
Reflections on Tchaikovsky Discovers America
CYSO partners regularly with Classical Kids LIVE! to present their family-friendly productions of stories from the history of classical music. Told with live actors acting in front of an accompanying…
NYO Accepts Two CYSO Students
Every Summer, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI) brings together talented pre-college music students to form the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America. These students, selected after…
Student Feature: Dean Barrow
Our past Student Features have introduced readers to CYSO musicians who are active in the performing arts including theatre, dance, and even composition. This month’s Student Feature showcases something a…
