Student Advisory Board
The Classical Youth Initiative is Ravinia's program aimed at giving high school
students in the Chicago area the opportunity to experience the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra and a chance to win money for their school's music program. To help create
and develop ideas that teenagers would be receptive to, Ravinia reached out to students
from Highland Park High School who met weekly with Ravinia staff members to develop
a way to promote classical music to their peers. The result of all their hard work
is the Classical Youth Initiative.
Ravinia has made lawn admissions to CSO concerts FREE for all high school and college
students with a valid student ID. In addition, the festival is holding a annual
competition to see which high school will have the most kids attend Ravinia CSO
concerts. Ravinia will record every student who shows their ID at the box office
with points based on the schools distance from Ravinia, and the school with the
most total points by the end of the CSO residency will be awarded a grant from Ravinia
Festival towards their music programs.