Mary Beth McCarthy, Director of the Fox Valley Festival Chorus and Instrumental Music Director at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, will be inducted into the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame Friday, March 27 at Eagle Brook Country Club in Geneva.

According to a news release, McCarthy has been the conductor and artistic director of the Fox Valley Festival Chorus for over 25 years. One of Chicagoland’s oldest community choruses, the Fox Valley Festival Chorus was founded in 1950 with primary leadership from the late Sten Halfvarson, who is also a FVAHF inductee.

McCarthy also serves as the Director of Instrumental Music at Illinois Math & Science Academy, which includes Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Pep Band, Chamber Strings, String Orchestra and the Strolling Strings. The Strolling Strings perform annually at the Paramount Theatre and the Wind Ensemble was honored to perform The Stars and Stripes Forever on the steps of Congress. Prior to her position at IMSA, she held faculty positions at Aurora University and Rosary High School, creating and directing both instrumental and vocal ensembles.

At Aurora University, McCarthy developed a music minor, taught music appreciation and cinematic music and also created the Madrigal Choir and Pop Singers. At Rosary, she created Illinois’ first all-girls symphony orchestra.

McCarthy has been teaching, conducting and performing in the Fox Valley area for over 35 years. She is dedicated to making music accessible to diverse audiences, and in 2003 she founded LIVfE Music, an organization created to bring hope and healing to hospital patients through music. This project was eventually taken over and expanded by the Fox Valley Festival Chorus and performing ensembles at IMSA and Rosary to include multiple community venues.

The Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame recognizes artists associated with the Fox Valley by birth, education, residence or service, who have achieved international or national acclaim.

The FVAHF Class of 2026 also includes Kelly Barr, classical music; Denise Crosby, journalism; Leslie Hunt, popular and progressive music; Stanley Konopka, classical music; Courtney Reed, theatre; and Juel Ulven, folk music.

Susan S. Starrett will receive the inaugural Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tickets are $75 and a portion of the proceeds will be used to promote the arts in the Fox Valley with a free event for children and the community.

For more information, email info@fvahf.org, visit Facebook, and Instagram, or FVAHF.org.