Midwest Young Artists Conservatory (MYAC) is a youth music and jazz organization based near
Chicago, Illinois. It is the largest youth ensemble music program in the
Midwest.
MYAC was founded in 1993 in
Evanston, Illinois by Dr.
Allan Dennis and consisted of a single
orchestra. Since then, MYAC has grown considerably; it now includes six youth
symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning ...
orchestras, 65+ chamber ensembles, a jazz and big band program, four choral groups, and an entry level early childhood music program for very young children.
MYAC also has a sizable
chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...
program. The organization is based at the MYAC Center in
Fort Sheridan in
Highwood, Illinois
Highwood is a North Shore suburb of Chicago in Moraine Township, Lake County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,074. It is known for its entertainment, restaurants, bars, and festivals.
Geography
Highwood i ...
. Enrollment is around 1000 student musicians from 78 cities throughout the
Chicago metropolitan area
The Chicago metropolitan area, also colloquially referred to as Chicagoland, is a metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States. Encompassing 10,286 sq mi (28,120 km2), the metropolitan area includes the city of Chicago, its suburbs and hint ...
.
MYAC performances are held at
Harris Theater and
Jay Pritzker Pavilion in
Millennium Park,
Symphony Center
Symphony Center is a music complex located at 220 South Michigan Avenue in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Chicago Symphony Chorus; Civic Orchestra of Chicago; and the Institute for Learning, Access, ...
in Chicago, Pick-Staiger Auditorium at
Northwestern University, the
Ravinia Festival and the Hot House jazz facility. In 2007, Midwest Young Artists Conservatory became the first youth orchestra ever to perform at the
Civic Opera House
The Civic Opera House, also called Lyric Opera House is an opera house located at 20 North Wacker Drive in Chicago. The Civic's main performance space, named for Ardis Krainik, seats 3,563, making it the second-largest opera auditorium in Nort ...
in Chicago. Each year, Midwest Young Artists Conservatory hosts the Walgreens National Concerto Competition, for young soloists, and the Discover National Chamber Music Competition, for young string, brass, percussion and wind ensembles.
In March 2019, MYAC was named the 2019 Youth Orchestra of the Year by the
Illinois Council of Orchestras, the fourth time in the organization's 30-year history.
Ensembles
Midwest Young Artists Conservatory has six principal orchestras, ranked by skill level and age:
*Reading Orchestra
*Cadet Orchestra
*Concertino Orchestra
*Philharmonia Orchestra
*Concert Orchestra
*Symphony Orchestra
MYAC has four main jazz ensembles, as well as a number of smaller jazz combos.
*Big Band
*Jazz Orchestra
*Jazz Workshop
*Jazz Ensemble
MYAC has 4 choral ensembles
*Mini Maestros
*Mighty Maestros
*Voices Rising
*Vocal Point
External links
Midwest Young Artists ConservatoryMYAC Summer Music ProgramsMidwest Young Artists Conservatory NewsMidwest Young Artists Conservatory on YouTubeMidwest Young Artists Conservatory on SoundCloud
{{authority control
American youth orchestras
Classical music in the United States
Musical groups established in 1993
Music organizations based in the United States
Music schools in Illinois
Highwood, Illinois
Education in Evanston, Illinois
Orchestras based in Illinois
1993 establishments in Illinois
Youth organizations based in Illinois
Articles containing video clips