Student Life
During their time at Illinois Summer Youth Music, participants will have the opportunity to explore campus life at the University of Illinois. Students live and eat in Illinois Street Residence Hall, gaining the same dorm experience as U of I students. In the evenings, students engage in a variety of activities that allow them to explore campus life. Students are sure to enjoy all the perks of Illinois’ beautiful Big10 campus.
In addition to music-making at the highest level, ISYM is centered around community. Through numerous community-building activities, our counselor staff helps participants cultivate friendships that often last far beyond their short time on our campus.
Illinois Summer Youth Music regards diversity, equity, and access as core values integral to guiding our progress toward excellence. We embrace a broad and comprehensive concept of diversity that serves as a springboard toward mutual understanding. We appreciate diversity as a strength and intentionally cultivate an inclusive climate in our daily endeavors as faculty, staff, and students. We are committed to respecting differences; accepting multiple perspectives; and striving to identify, disrupt, and rectify bias, prejudice, and oppression in our classrooms and community.
Student safety is our highest priority. While in classes during the day, students are supervised by ISYM faculty and staff. During meals and in the evenings, our ISYM counselor staff provides supervision. All ISYM counselors are music educators from around the country. Most are also enrolled as students in our Summers-Only Masters of Music Education program. All counselors participate in a week-long training that covers campus and community safety, community building, emergency procedures, and first aid training. All ISYM counselors are Red Cross Certified to administer emergency first aid (CPR, Epi Pen, Defibrilator), as well as other first aid procedures.
ISYM’s focus on a fun, inclusive, and safe community ensures an impactful and transformative experience for all participants!