Mary Lyon Youth Orchestra
Mary Lyon Elementary School, located in the west side Chicago neighborhood of Belmont Cragin, is the home of the flagship ChiMOP program the Mary Lyon Youth Orchestra. MLYO started in the fall of 2013 and has since offered free youth music programming to more than 300 students over the last ten years.
MLYO provides high quality daily music training at the beginning to intermediate levels to sixty young musicians. In addition to instrument lessons, orchestra rehearsals, chamber music work, and other music electives such as choir, bucket band, or electronic music composition, students have many opportunities to learn about themselves and explore the human condition through our human values curriculum.
Musicians of the MLYO have performed more than a hundred concerts in the Belmont Cragin community and beyond. Part of the ChiMOP mission is to grow community through music and we believe it is essential to fill the halls of the school and the streets of the neighborhoods with frequent free concerts to which all are welcome.
Register for 2023-24 Programs!
Now is the time to sign up for ChiMOP’s tuition-free after school music program.
All students in the Mary Lyon Youth Orchestra will receive an instrument to use for free.
Parent Meeting
Thursday, September 28th
3:45pm | Lyon Auditorium
(Enter through Door 8 or 9)
Orchestra Explorers
1st and 2nd year students in 3rd or 4th Grade
Meets daily, 3:30-5pm
Orientation begins Tuesday, October 10th
Lyon String Orchestra
Returning students in 5th-8th grade
Meets Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 3:30-5pm
Orientation begins Monday, October 2nd
