Elgin Symphony Young People’s Concerts

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra has a long-held commitment to promoting music education and learning to people of all ages.  Its oldest program is the Elgin Symphony Young People’s Concerts, formerly known as the Ainsworth Concerts for Youth and Kidz Konzertz, which began in 1987. Each season, the Elgin Symphony Young People’s Concerts are built around a unifying theme, with repertoire exploring the theme from different angles and perspectives. For example, the 2022 theme was “Blueprints: Music by Design,” and it taught students about the building blocks of composition, and, through the voices of composers Jennifer Higdon, William Grant Still, and Mozart, they learned how composers create symphonic music from simple four-note ideas, investigated the origins of orchestral music, and listened as the music grew into meaningful statements.

Thousands of area students come each year with their school to to hear the ESO in a 45-minute educational concert at The Hemmens Center.  Come and hear the four instrument families working together and learn how to tell a story with music. This program is intended for grades 3-7. Homeschool families are welcome, though we ask that parents do not bring children under the age of 5.