Music Scholarships

Illinois Symphony Orchestra is fortunate to have supporters of the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestras program who provide scholarship funds to benefit ISYO musicians and families who need financial assistance to participate in ISYO programs. If you would like to make a donation to any of the scholarship funds below, please contact Jackie Mitra at [email protected] or 217-522-2838, ext. 6.

Ann Kramer Starter Strings Scholarship

The Ann Kramer Starter Strings Scholarship is provided through the generosity of Ann Kramer, who was a long-time employee of the Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony and continues to be a supporter of ISYO and the Starter Strings ensembles. Her scholarship is designated to support Starter Strings musicians who need financial assistance to participate in the first year ISYO Starter Strings class.

Helene Flint Goodman Memorial Scholarship

The Helene Flint Goodman Memorial Scholarship was started in the 2021-2022 season of ISYO and was established by Dr. Eli Goodman to provide private lessons to Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra musicians who would benefit from private lessons but would require financial assistance to do so. Dr. Goodman would like musicians who receive this scholarship to be motivated music students and to know about his mother, Helene Flint Goodman, who was a master pianist, piano instructor, and dedicated mother and grandmother to her beloved family. The scholarship is provided through the generosity of Eli Goodman, M.D. as well as other members of the Goodman family.

Illinois Symphony Guild of Springfield Scholarship

The Illinois Symphony Guild of Springfield Scholarship is provided by the generous Board of the ISGS and their fundraising efforts. The ISGS scholarship provides financial support for ISYO musicians and their families who need financial assistance for ISYO tuition, instrument rental, class items, concert attire, or other needs to participate in the ISYO program.

The Zachary Ryan Harris Foundation Starter Strings Scholarship

The Zachary Ryan Harris Foundation formed a scholarship for Starter Strings musicians in the 2025-2026 season of ISYO. Their mission is to harness the transformative power of arts and culture to serve as a catalyst for stronger community cohesion, connection, and collaboration while creating opportunities for artists and creatives of all kinds. They believe that access to arts and culture are a vital resource for happy, healthy, thriving communities and that there is no substitute for the power of live, shared, collective experience.