IN RESIDENCE AT
ABOUT
IN RESIDENCE AT
OUR MISSION
The Midwest Philharmonic Orchestra ignites passion in music, delivering innovative world-class education while actively creating access to transformative experiences that inspire the next generation of leaders in music.
OUR ENSEMBLES
​​Midwest String Orchestra
Preparatory orchestra for beginners and intermediate-level string musicians. MSO introduces the foundation of orchestral training and importance of collaboration among musicians.
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Midwest Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphony orchestra for intermediate and advanced strings, winds, and percussion students.
Repertoire is selected from a wide range of mature, high-level pieces that require personal attention and self-discipline in each musician.
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Midwest Chamber Orchestra (Formerly "Core")
Chamber orchestra that includes the most advanced players of MPO. Performing pieces for symphonies of smaller scale, MCO focuses on individual preparedness and the clarity of the ensemble as a whole to produce the top quality of music-making possible as students.
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About the MPO Program
Established in 2007, the Midwest Philharmonic Orchestra has rapidly grown from a small group in the suburbs to one of the region’s premier youth orchestras, attracting students from all over Chicagoland. The MPO hosts up to four concerts per season on the campus of Elmhurst University and venues across the Chicagoland suburbs. Committed to diversity and accessibility of music education, the MPO is home to one of the lowest tuition costs among competing regional youth orchestras. As a result of the program’s attention to quality music-making and collaboration, alumni of the program have become global leaders in music education and performance. The orchestra has performed at numerous prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and Zankel Hall in New York City, Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles, Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center in Chicago, Peoria Civic Center as part of the 2022 Illinois All-State Conference (IMEC), the TODAY Show in New York City, Detroit’s “Summer in the Park,” and overseas in Austria in the cities of Vienna, Salzburg, and Hallstatt. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the orchestra was scheduled to embark on their second international tour through Prague, Budapest, and Bratislava, and host its first concert in Downtown Chicago at the Chicago Cultural Center. The group regathered in its 2021-2022 Season “Reimagined, Reignited” and presented its first community pop concert sponsored by Northern Trust Bank, which was featured in the Chicago Tribune. In April 2026, the MPO partnered with the Negaunee Music Institute of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to produce "In Our Hands", a ground-breaking joint initiative aimed at harnessing music education to build climate literacy and to explore the intersection of activism and music performance. Through rehearsals and workshops with musicians from the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and advocates from the Phoenix Sustainability Initiative of the University of Chicago, students researched and programmed engaging repertoire related to a climate topic of their choice, culminating in a performance at Symphony Center in Chicago. In 2019, the orchestra was selected as a winner of the American Prize in Orchestral Performance, establishing the MPO as a nationally recognized youth orchestra. Esteemed Music Director Taka Matsunaga is a winner of the 2019 and 2021 American Prize in Conducting as well as the 2021 Conductor of the Year Award by the Illinois Council of Orchestras. The MPO is also proud to be named the 2025 Youth Orchestra of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras for its unique, bold, and up-and-coming programming. From the 2026/27 Season, the MPO program will enter a strategic new partnership with the Elmhurst University Department of Music as Youth Orchestra In Residence.
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2019 American Prize in Orchestral Performance
2019 American Prize in Conducting
2021 Conductor of the Year, Illinois Council of Orchestras
2025 Youth Orchestra of the Year, Illinois Council of Orchestras
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The Midwest Philharmonic Orchestra is the Youth Orchestra In Residence at the
Elmhurst University Department of Music, and is operated by Midwest Fine Arts Society, a 501(c)(3) Non-profit Organization.
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The Midwest Fine Arts Society is partially supported by Northern Trust Bank.
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The Midwest Fine Arts Society acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
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COLLABORATE – We believe music is most powerful when shared. Our students, of all ages and skill levels, come together not only to create meaningful music but also to form lasting friendships and lifelong memories.
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INSPIRE – The joy and experiences gained through music-making spark inspiration that reaches far beyond the rehearsal room. Our students carry this passion forward, encouraging future generations to discover the transformative impact of youth music programs in their lives and communities.
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ACHIEVE – At the core of our mission is helping young people realize their potential. By building an inclusive musical community rooted in collaboration and inspiration, our students develop the confidence and skills to achieve great things—both in music and in life.