Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra to present “Go West, Young America!” pops concert Sept. 27
OGLESBY, Ill. — The Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra will open its season Sept. 27 with “Go West, Young America!”, a pops concert celebrating the spirit of the American frontier. The concert starts at 7 p.m. in the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre at Illinois Valley Community College.
Guest conductor Stephen Squires will lead the orchestra in a program featuring western-inspired classics like Aaron Copland’s “Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo,” John Williams’ “The Cowboys,” and the Overture to Oklahoma!.
Recently retired from university teaching, Squires was named professor emeritus of conducting in the Music Conservatory of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, where he conducted the symphony orchestra and wind ensemble. Before joining Roosevelt, he served on the artist faculty of the Northern Illinois School of Music, where he received the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.
The concert is part of the orchestra’s 76th season, titled “Flight,” a five-cycle series. Inspired by the concept of a wine or coffee flight, the season offers a tasting-style experience with five distinct, soaring musical programs. Each cycle features a different conductor, providing audiences a varied and curated orchestral journey throughout the year.
To accompany the five concerts, the IVSO is offering a limited-edition Coffee Quintet Flight ticket, sponsored by Bean Box Espresso. This $30 ticket includes one admission to any single IVSO performance and five custom-composed coffee/concert pairings. Among the five drinks, beverages in the tasting include: Spicy Dirty Chai, Sugar Cookie Latte, and—the beverage with western notes—the “Go West, Young Americano!” Only 100 Coffee Quintet punch cards are available; they can be purchased in advance online or during intermission at concerts until they’re gone. More information, including the drink descriptions, is available at ivso.org/coffee.
Regular admission tickets are $22 for adults, $10 for college students with ID, and students through 12th grade are free. Season subscriptions, Coffee Quintet punch cards, regular-admission tickets and details for “Go West, Young America!” are available at ivso.org.
This program is partially supported by the Illinois Arts Council. This IVSO concert is sponsored by Maze Lumber. The IVSO thanks season sponsor Miller Group Charitable Trust for their generous support. All IVSO venues are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act; questions about accommodations can be sent to accessibility@ivso.org.
