Negaunee Music Institute
Education and Community Engagement at the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Music education transforms lives.
ABOUT THE NEGAUNEE MUSIC INSTITUTE
As the education and community engagement department of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Negaunee Music Institute transforms lives through active participation in music. Programming educates children, trains young musicians and engages diverse communities, across Chicago and around the world.
Negaunee Music Institute
At-a-Glance
Each season, the Negaunee Music Institute invests more than $5 MILLION in industry-leading programs that reach 200,000 PEOPLE across Chicago, around the world and online.
275+
CHICAGO-AREA SCHOOLS
22 ,000
STUDENTS
attend CSO for Kids concerts at Symphony Center. Two-thirds of attendees come from Chicago Public Schools.
500+ YOUNG MUSICIANS
participate in instrumental music training led by world-renowned coaches.
90+ COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
collaborate with the NMI on social impact programming.
125 CONCERTS
75% OF WHICH ARE FREE
— the others for a nominal fee — are presented at Symphony Center, in classrooms and in Chicago-area neighborhoods.
30 MUSICIANS from the CSO serve as Civic Orchestra coaches.
CSO for Kids
For over a century, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has presented programming for children. Today, CSO for Kids encompasses an array of live concerts and digital offerings that introduce young audiences to the magical world of symphonic music.
There are myriad ways to participate, from attending a concert or open rehearsal at Symphony Center, to exploring free content on CSOtv, to engaging in a partnership that brings interactive performances and other music education resources into the classroom.
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) receive free tickets and school bus transportation to Once Upon a Symphony and School Concerts. Over two-thirds of CSO for Kids concert attendees are from CPS.
CONCERTS
Once Upon a Symphony
Pre-K
Presented in Buntrock Hall, Once Upon a Symphony concerts last 40 minutes and weave chamber music performed by members of the CSO with storytelling, sets, costumes and multimedia.
20 concerts
5,000 children & adults
School Concerts
Grades K-12
These full orchestra performances take place in Orchestra Hall, last 50 minutes and often include elements of theater, dance or multimedia that complement the music.
10 concerts
20,000 children & adults
Family Matinees
Children ages 5-12
Family Matinees on Saturdays are the same concerts presented to school groups on Fridays. Educational pre- or postconcert Orchestra Explorers activities in the Rotunda are available for ticketholders.
6 concerts
6,000 children & adults
CSO FOR KIDS DIGITAL
Produced in partnership with Chicago Children’s Theatre, these educational videos bring music to life through song and the exploration of children’s literature. Performances by members of the CSO are paired with animation and narration.
Watch at cso.org/tv/kids
Photo by Elliot Mandel
SCHOOL CONCERTS IMPACT OVERVIEW*
Student Demographics
18 School Concerts for pre-K through grade 12
22,000+ students engaged each season
275+
schools attend CSO for Kids concerts at Symphony Center
30+
Chicago neighborhoods represented
60+
Chicago-area ZIP codes represented by participating schools
$100,000
spent on 300+ school buses for CPS
* Data includes Once Upon a Symphony chamber ensemble performances for pre-K school groups and full orchestra School Concerts for grades K-12.
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
To deepen student learning and expand access to music education, the NMI partners with 50 Chicago Public Schools each season. Partners receive tickets and transportation to CSO for Kids concerts, coaching and performances by musicians of the CSO and Civic Orchestra, workshops that support teachers’ professional development and more.
Ignite and Connect Partner Schools
Ignite Partners
25 schools
6,000 students
• Attend a CSO for Kids Concert
• Host an in-school CSO chamber ensemble performance
• Utilize preparatory resources that enrich student learning
Connect Partners
25 schools
1,500 students
Elementary Schools
Extensive resources that support arts integration and build music appreciation
• Engage in season-long teacher professional development
• Develop customized curriculum that aligns with CSO for Kids programming
• Host in-school performances and visits by Civic Fellows
• Participate in an end-of-season event showcasing student artwork
• Attend a CSO for Kids concert
High Schools
In-depth support of CPS band and orchestra programs and the teachers who lead them
• Receive over 250 in-school coachings by Civic Orchestra Mentors
• Host an in-school Civic chamber ensemble performance
• Participate in the Chicago Youth in Music Festival
• Attend a CSO Education Open Rehearsal
• Access teacher professional development
Musician Training
Training programs of the Negaunee Music Institute develop the next generation of instrumentalists, from beginning elementary school students through the most advanced earlycareer professionals. Participants receive coaching and mentorship by CSO artistic leadership and musicians, world-renowned guest artists and industry-leading guest clinicians.
CIVIC ORCHESTRA OF CHICAGO
The Civic Orchestra prepares young professionals for careers in orchestral music. From October through June, Civic Members receive rigorous training led by Principal Conductor Ken-David Masur, other luminary guest conductors and a faculty of coaches from the CSO.
The Orchestra also performs free concerts in Orchestra Hall and in communities across Greater Chicago, and anchors the annual Crain-Maling Foundation CSO Young Artists Competition and Chicago Youth in Music Festival.
Each Civic Member is awarded an annual stipend of $10,000, contingent upon completion of all required program activities. Select musicians can earn additional stipends by participating in the chamber music series and/or mentorship activities with Chicago Public Schools.
The Principal Conductor chair is endowed by a generous gift from Robert Kohl and Clark Pellett.
Photo by Elliot Mandel
90 regular members Up to 12 regular members are designated as Civic Fellows
7 mainstage concerts in Orchestra Hall
6 concerts in community venues
40 chamber music concerts in Chicago neighborhoods
10,000+ audience members engaged by concerts each season
CIVIC SESSIONS
The Civic Orchestra can also be heard online on CSOtv and YouTube through periodic releases of full orchestra concert clips and chamber music recording sessions. Watch at cso.org/tv/civic
Photo by Elliot Mandel
CIVIC FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The Civic Fellowship Program prepares select Civic Members for multifaceted careers in music. The program’s curriculum has four pillars: artistic planning, music education, social justice and project management. Fellows curate and perform concerts of music by living composers, collaborate with teachers to deliver interactive performances for Chicago Public Schools students, compose and perform for the Notes for Peace project and lead independent projects. Their work is guided by an esteemed faculty of guest clinicians, musicians from the CSO and CSO Association staff.
Up to 12 Civic Fellows are selected from the full Civic Orchestra membership each season following a rigorous interview and audition process. Fellows are awarded a stipend of $20,000, inclusive of their Civic Orchestra duties and contingent upon completion of all required program activity.
Major support for the Civic Fellowship Program is provided by the Julian Family Foundation.
Artistic Planning
Music Education
Social Justice
Project Management
Photo by Elliot Mandel
CHICAGO YOUTH IN MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Chicago Youth in Music Festival is an annual celebration of young people who are passionate about playing in symphony orchestras. The 2024/25 Festival takes place in April and includes:
• Two convenings of students from Chicago Public Schools bands and orchestras for side-by-side rehearsals with the Civic Orchestra, with preparatory visits to partner schools by Civic Mentors.
• A convening of community youth orchestras for sectionals and side-by-side rehearsals with the Civic Orchestra.
• The National Pathways Summit, co-presented by the Negaunee Music Institute and Equity Arc, which serves as a connector, convener and facilitator for classical music organizations and BIPOC instrumentalists. The 2025 Summit brings together over 250 students and administrators from across the country for a weekend of workshops, rehearsals and performances. The Equity Arc Pathways Orchestra performs its finale concert alongside musicians of the CSO and Civic Orchestra.
• As part of the Summit, the Civic Orchestra gives a special concert that includes select fellows representing diversity fellowship programs operated by several American orchestras including the CSO.
ORCHESTRAL EXCERPT INSIGHTS
In this educational video series, CSO musicians perform and teach masterworks of the symphonic repertoire. There are currently more than a dozen episodes available to watch for free on CSOtv and YouTube.
Watch at cso.org/tv/oei
“Civic was the first orchestra I played in that had a real sense of self. There was a heightened atmosphere of collective purpose and camaraderie. We expected each other to show up prepared and ready to put forth our best effort, and I felt strengthened knowing that we were all on the same journey of figuring out what our futures in music would look like. It was the environment that nurtured my love for orchestral playing.”
AMY HESS
CIVIC ORCHESTRA ALUMNA, CLASS OF 2015
VIOLA, LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO
YOUNG COMPOSERS INITIATIVE
With leadership from former CSO Mead Composerin-Residence Jessie Montgomery, the Young Composers Initiative engages youth from across the Chicago region and empowers them to create new pieces of chamber music. Following a competitive application process, five student composers are selected to work with Montgomery in private lessons throughout the season, as well as a daylong practicum. Each student’s piece is premiered and recorded at Symphony Center by musicians of the Civic Orchestra.
CHICAGO MUSICAL PATHWAYS INITIATIVE
A collaborative program led by the Merit School of Music, the mission of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative (CMPI) is to identify and develop gifted and motivated orchestral students from underrepresented backgrounds for acceptance into top-tier conservatory, college or university music programs. Now entering its fifth full year, the Initiative supports nearly 100 fellows in grades 6-12.
Students are admitted on the basis of musical aptitude and financial need. Select Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Civic Orchestra musicians are private teachers or mentors for CMPI Fellows in addition to leading audition preparation workshops, master classes and panel discussions. CMPI Fellows are invited to observe select Civic Orchestra activities led by CSO coaches and participate in the Chicago Youth in Music Festival.
Fellows and their families also receive over 1,000 complimentary tickets to CSO concerts throughout the season.
PERCUSSION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Founded in 1995, the Percussion Scholarship Program (PSP) offers intensive, weekly percussion instruction on a full scholarship basis to 15-20 Chicago youth in grades 3-12. Students are selected for the program through a competitive application process that includes a provisional period, followed by an invitation to participate through eighth grade. Select students are invited to continue through high school.
The program meets weekly on Saturdays year-round and provides each student with instruments, lesson books and materials at no cost. PSP members also perform as an ensemble twice per year in Buntrock Hall at Symphony Center, in addition to giving special concerts.
PSP boasts a roster of alumni who have gone on to some of the nation’s finest colleges, universities and conservatories, later assuming notable careers within and outside of music.
CRAIN-MALING FOUNDATION CSO YOUNG ARTISTS COMPETITION
The Young Artists Competition is a prestigious concerto competition for Illinois’ top young soloists. Applicants audition live at Symphony Center for a distinguished panel of judges. Following a preliminary round, up to four finalists are selected to perform in the final round in Orchestra Hall, accompanied by the Civic Orchestra. The winner is featured on the following season as soloist with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as part of CSO for Kids Concerts. Select applicants receive scholarships to attend summer music camps.
The YAC is presented jointly with the League of the CSOA and sponsored by Crain-Maling Foundation.
Community Engagement
At home and while on tour domestically and internationally, the CSO shares music with diverse cultural and socioeconomic groups. Programming enriches lives by facilitating artistic experiences and engages people in various settings including community and social service organizations.
NOTES FOR PEACE
In partnership with Purpose Over Pain, the Notes for Peace program uses the therapeutic benefits of music to support families who have lost loved ones to gun violence.
With guidance from the Civic Fellows, guest teaching artists from the U.K.-based Irene Taylor Trust and professional vocalists, parents compose, perform live and professionally record their music, which is then featured alongside family photos and lyrics on notesforpeace.org.
Learn more about Purpose Over Pain at purpose-over-pain.org
families have participated to date
Watch a short documentary about the project at notesforpeace.org/project. This documentary won a 2021 Chicago/Midwest Emmy®–Short Form Content.
Photo by Anne Ryan
“ It
was healing for
us.
I’m honored because Archie’s legacy is going to live on through this music… I’m not a grieving mother anymore, I’m a healing mother.”
ANTHANETTE MARSHBANKS
MIGRANT AND REFUGEE PARTNERSHIPS
The NMI’s programming uses the power of music to uplift, inspire and transform lives. In response to the migrant and refugee crisis in Chicago, the NMI piloted a new program during the 2023/24 Season in partnership with the Chicago Refugee Coalition.
In collaboration with the Civic Orchestra Fellows and mentors from the Irene Taylor Trust, migrants and refugees affiliated with the Coalition share and celebrate their cultural identities through music. Following interviews with program participants, the Fellows curate, arrange music for and perform a concert in Buntrock Hall at Symphony Center. The performance presents a positive and inspiring point of view on resilience, empathy, creativity and community.
Learn more about the Chicago Refugee Coalition at chicagorefugee.org
Photo by Elliot Mandel
Photo by Elliot Mandel
Photo by Elliot Mandel
NEGAUNEE MUSIC INSTITUTE ON TOUR
While on tour, CSO musicians offer master classes and perform chamber concerts that reach people in hospitals, social service organizations, schools, universities and conservatories across North America, Europe, Asia and Central America.
Follow along with CSO tours at cso.org/tour.
OPEN REHEARSALS
Each season the Chicago Symphony Orchestra opens several of its working rehearsals to select groups from across Greater Chicago.
Three rehearsals are open for groups of high school music students and their teachers to observe how a professional orchestra works behind the scenes and prepares for a concert. After the rehearsal, the audience participates in a Q&A session with musicians of the Orchestra. Three other rehearsals are opened to an audience of seniors and veterans, coordinated by members of the League of the CSOA.
ANNUAL CSO COMMUNITY CONCERT
As part of its mission to provide broad access, the CSO presents an annual free concert in a Chicago-area neighborhood venue. In recent years, performances have occurred at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn, Lane Tech High School in Roscoe Village, Millennium Park downtown and Morton East High School in Cicero, where the CSO performs for the third time in January 2025.
MAJOR DONORS*
Youth Education Program Sponsor Family Matinee Sponsor
$150,000 AND ABOVE
Lori Julian for The Julian Family Foundation
The Negaunee Foundation
$100,000-$149,999
Megan and Steve Shebik
$75,000-$99,999
John Hart and Carol Prins
Barbara and Barre Seid Foundation
$50,000-$$74,999
Anonymous BMO
Robert and Joanne Crown Income Charitable Fund
Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Judy and Scott McCue
Ms. Deborah K. McNeil
Polk Bros. Foundation
Michael and Linda Simon
Lisa and Paul Wiggin
$35,000-$49,999
Bowman C. Lingle Trust
National Endowment for the Arts
$25,000-$34,999
Anonymous
Carey and Brett August
Crain-Maling Foundation
Nancy Dehmlow
Kinder Morgan
Margo and Michael Oberman
Ms. Cecelia Samans
Shure Charitable Trust
Gene and Jean Stark
$20,000-$24,999
Anonymous
Mary and Lionel Go
Halasyamani/Davis Family
Illinois Arts Council Agency
Richard P. and Susan Kiphart Family
Mr. Philip Lumpkin
PNC
D. Elizabeth Price
Charles and M. R. Shapiro Foundation
The George L. Shields Foundation, Inc.
* As of September 1, 2024
View the complete listing of Negaunee Music Institute donors at cso.org/donorgallery
