EYSO Chamber Ensembles and EMC Children's Chorus at the Norris Cultural Arts Center

The Elgin Youth Symphony Honors Chamber Ensembles offer an unparalleled opportunity for advanced musicians (high school and college age) to play chamber music at the highest level and work with some of the finest artist-educators and chamber music coaches in the nation. As premier ensembles and ambassadors of the EYSO, the Maud Powell String Quartet and Earl Clemens Wind Quintet maintain active and high-profile performing schedules.

MAUD POWELL STRING QUARTET (MPSQ) Named for Maud Powell (1867-1920), America's first international violin superstar (who, we're proud to say, grew up in Aurora, Illinois), this premier string quartet is coached by Gina DiBello, violinist, Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Each year, the quartet works with a star-studded list of guest artists and coaches which have included Midori, Rachel Barton Pine, Jaime Laredo, Isabella Lippi, Roland Vamos, Brant Taylor, Matthew Agnew and members of the Pacifica Quartet. With an active rehearsal and performance schedule, the quartet has in recent years explored the quartets of Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Dvořák, Ravel, and Shostakovich, and newer works, as well as String Quartet No. 3 by renowned composer Daniel Brewbaker, written for and premiered by the MPSQ. The MSPQ is offered tuition free each year since it was founded in 2007 through the generosity of EYSO patrons Ed and Joyce McFarland Dlugopolski.

EARL CLEMENS WIND QUINTET (CQ) Created in 2016, The Earl Clemens Wind Quintet is named after Earl L. Clemens, oboist and professor of music education at Northern Illinois University for 36 years. Earl Clemens was a founding member and four-term President of the International Double Reed Society and spent his summers teaching double-reed students at the International Music Camp on the US/Canadian border. He authored the book "Practical Hints on Playing the Oboe", and arranged oboe solos for Junior High School students. Earl played with several groups for enjoyment, including the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Kishwaukee Concert Band. The quintet includes flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon. CQ is offered tuition free thanks to the generous sponsorship of Drs. Jeffrey and Leslie Hecht.

The Elgin Master Chorale Children's Chorus, conducted by Becky Narofsky, made it's debut in 2016. The Elgin Master Chorale is a cultural cornerstone of Elgin and the Fox Valley creating a thrilling, emotional experience for audiences at each performance by achieving an overall level of excellence in singing, presentation and production.