​The Nancy Denton Memorial Scholarship

The family of Nancy Denton has started a memorial fund in her name. The Nancy Denton Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to a musician who has been accepted into MYSO via audition but has demonstrated the need for financial assistance for the annual membership fees.

The scholarship is also intended to help a musician to attend a music camp of their choice. The musician must be returning to MYSO in the fall and attend the camp for the instrument they play in MYSO.

Donations to this memorial fund can be made at anytime.

If you would like your donation to specifically support this program, simply add “Nancy Denton” in PayPal’s special instructions box, or send your check payable to MYSO/Nancy Denton Scholarship Fund to:
Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra
c/o Audra Sybert
655 Wooley Rd.
Oswego, IL 60543

The Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible up to the amount of the donation. For further information or questions, please contact Audra Sybert, MYSO Executive Director. For more information on how to support MYSO, visit our Giving Opportunities page

​Nancy Lynn Denton

​Nancy was born and raised in the farming communities of Mahomet and Mansfield in Central Illinois. After high school graduation, she studied at the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana, pursuing degree in Home Economics and Agricultural Science. She met and married her husband, Dennis, in her Junior year and moved to the Joliet Area in 1971. She completed her bachelor of science degree at Lewis University in 1976. At this time, Nancy made a decision to devote her time and energy to raising and educating her children, which eventually totaled five. denton2During those growing up years, Nancy kept busy with activities that involved the children. She helped with 4-H, she was a cub scout leader and Assistant Scout Master for Boy Scouts, Sunday school teacher, PTO president , school tutor, and Orchestra Parents Board member during grade school, and home school teacher for her two sons. One common thread that drew the family together was a love of music. Everyone played an instrument of some kind, cello, piano, guitars, drums, violin and accordion. Nancy always told the kids that music would bring them joy and pleasure all their lives. Heather, the oldest daughter, got Nancy involved with MYSO when she auditioned for the orchestra in 8th grade as a cellist. At first, Nancy’s involvement was to share the task of driving her to orchestra practice on Saturday morning at the Fine Arts Building on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. Eventually, she took a position on the MYSO board. Soon after that, MYSO went through a dormant stage and was seriously considering dissolution. Junior High and High Schools in the area were cutting back on music education and Nancy was determined to save MYSO and resurrect it in the Will County/Joliet area to give area youth an opportunity to participate in orchestra music . The process took almost a year to complete. Nancy sought the help of people like Mel Gray, Jim Sheppard and Judge Michael Orenic. Their support for the project and their influence paid off and Nancy’s dream was becoming a reality. MYSO held auditions in May of 1991. Out of 50 auditions, 37 young musicians were chosen . In June, auditions for a new conductor were held and Dr. Larry Sisk was selected. On October 19, 1991, the revived MYSO held its first concert at the grand opening of Joliet’s Union Station. Dream had become reality and the rest, as they say is history.