The International Institute for Young Musicians (IIYM) Summer Music Academy is an internationally recognized summer camp for young musicians.
Founded in 1990 by University of Kansas professor Scott McBride Smith, the IIYM has grown to become an internationally recognized summer camp for young musicians. Faculty members include and have included Vladimir Valjarevic, John McCarthy, Jack Winerock, and Fei Xu. IIYM includes an International Piano Competition each year. 14 semifinalists are chosen through prescreening rounds to compete in the live competition, with 6 contestants advancing into the finals. Prizes total up to $25,000. Many former prizewinners, such as Charlie Albright, have gone on to have major careers.
Former IIYM students have achieved recognition at the Van Cliburn Competition in Warsaw, International Tchaikovsky Competition, the Art Livre Competition in Brazil, the Hammamatsu Competition in Japan, Gina Bachauer Competition at Juilliard, the Chinese Arts Competition, and in contests sponsored by the American String Teachers Association and the Music Teachers National Association of the United States.
The summer camp takes place from 2–4 weeks at the University of Kansas each July, with over one hundred students in attendance.