Past David & Kay Williams Music Education Grant Recipients
The Williams Music Education Grant program supports music as a life-long pursuit in the McLean County and surrounding community for traditional music education activities as well as less-formal, participatory music activities that have an education mission. The grants are possible thanks to distributions from the David & Kay Williams Music Education Endowed Fund.
6 Williams Music Education Grants totaling $9,920 awarded in 2026
Freedom Sings USA – $1,050
“Freedom Sings USA Central Illinois Chapter” to support veterans’ mental health by providing a healthy path to recovery through music-arts therapy; grant will fund a visiting artist to help veterans create a song about their experiences.
Lifelong Access – $1,500
“Lifelong Friends Music Equipment Initiative” to purchase an electric piano for music education program for intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Lincoln Community High School – $2,000
“Lincoln Music Collective Band for All” to remove financial barriers and ensure full participation in band for all interested students of Lincoln Community High School and its feeder schools; grant to purchase and repair instruments.
Prairie Fire Theatre – $2,600
“Quack-A-Doodle-Doo! Children’s Opera Tour” to tour central Illinois in May with a one act, children's opera with a libretto by Nancy Steele Brokaw, free of charge to area schools, libraries and organizations. (A portion of this grant funded by the Jerome Mirza Arts & Culture Fund)
pt.fwd – $2,000
“2027 Collaborative Concert with ISU Creative Technologies” to provide an opportunity for high school and college-age musicians and practitioners to interact with an experience experimental musician about the specific circumstances and challenges of improvisatory or exploratory music performance.
Share the Music - $1,370
“Share the Music Instrument Lending Project” to remove the financial barrier for low-income students to participate in organized music programs at school; instruments are provided to students who cannot afford the rental fees.
4 Williams Music Education Grants totaling $8,111 awarded in 2025
Board of Trustees of Illinois State University – $2,586
“Suzuki Strings Festival” to attract students and teachers from throughout Illinois to the ISU campus in the fall of 2025; festival is led by clinicians who are national leaders in Suzuki pedagogy.
Prairie Fire Theatre – $2,750
“The Ghost in the Opera House (Touring Children’s Opera)” to produce a free professional one-act children's opera which will be performed at area elementary schools, libraries, churches and organizations throughout central Illinois from May 1-24, 2025, with 6 singers and a pianist.
pt.fwd – $2,000
“Collaborative Concert with ISU Creative Technologies 2026” to produce a highly successful 2025 concert/residency with a visiting artist, in collaboration with the Illinois State School of Creative Technologies.
Ridgeview CUSD #19 – $775
“Ridgeview Elementary – Access for All” to provide the necessary accommodations for students with disabilities, ensuring they have equal access to music education programs and activities, fostering an inclusive learning environment that supports the needs of all students and encourages their meaningful and equal participation.
3 Williams Music Education Grants totaling $7,548 awarded in 2024
City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department - $4,048
“SOARing with Music" – To provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to engage in music making through movement, song writing, interactive instrument play and relaxation strategies.
Cruisin’ Outta Poverty Services (C.O.P.S.) - $1,000
“Creativity Showcase with C.O.P.S.” – To create a weekly talk show with members of the community, including those who are homeless.
Share the Music - $2,500
“Share the Music” – To provide instruments to low-income students in grades 4-12 who want to participate in band and orchestra programs or music lessons, but whose families cannot afford to rent or purchase an instrument.
2 Williams Music Education Grants totaling $6,524 awarded in 2023
BCAI Cultural Arts & Humanities - $3,024
"Hip Hop Elemental Arts: Session 6" - To connect local youth with music industry professionals and professional artists to co-create a published song and complimentary music video from scratch, providing youth a unique, constructive avenue and outlet to explore and express their emotions, thoughts, desires and calls to action.
Olympia CUSD 16 - $3,500
"Breaking the Barriers: Music for All" - To remove systemic barriers for rural, low-income students so that they can reap the benefits of music education starting in elementary school, thus leading to increased numbers in the program.
2 Williams Music Education Grants totaling $8,200 awarded in 2022
Community Concert Band - $4,000
"New Music for the People" - To bring a new, original piece of concert band music to as many people as possible, including both musicians and audience members.
Music Connections Foundation - $4,200
"Niños y Música" - To develop English language skills in parents and children, educate parents on how to interact actively with their children through music and promote positive parenting behaviors to foster optimal child development at home.
1 Williams Music Education Grant totaling $1,809 awarded in 2021
Share the Music - $1,809
"Instrument Lending Program" - To enable participation in music programs at schools, by making instruments available to those who cannot afford them.
1 Williams Music Education Grant totaling $2,696 awarded in 2020
Mt. Pulaski CUSD 23 Music Department - $2,696
"Risers for Mt. Pulaski Concerts and Logan County Music Festival" to purchase risers, providing ample room and a safe place for students to perform.
1 Williams Music Education Grant totaling $1,986 awarded in 2019
Prairie Central Elementary School CUSD #8 - $1,985
"General Music" to get students to move, create, think, dance and make music using a combination of instruments and method music learning; grant will purchase instruments.
2 Williams Music Education Grant totaling $5,700 awarded in 2018
Sheridan School - $700
"Bum-Bah, Bum-Bah, Bum, Bum, Bum … Drumming Resources for Rhythmic Competency" to purchase supplies for 30 can drum kits for classroom and resources for teaching the rhythm material to students.
Illinois Symphony Orchestra Inc. - $5,000
"Illinois Symphony Orchestra's Concerts for Kids - Peter and the Wolf with the Magic Circle Mime Company" to provide more than 800 free tickets to Concert for Kids to McLean County elementary students from low-income neighborhoods.