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News from the IVSO

After 60 years of dedicated leadership, IVSO Manager Barbara Lukancic retires

Apr 27, 2025

After 60 years of dedicated leadership, IVSO Manager Barbara Lukancic retires

Apr 27, 2025

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Apr 27, 2025

A Dazzling Finale: A Music Director's Farewell

Apr 24, 2025

A Dazzling Finale: A Music Director's Farewell

Apr 24, 2025

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Apr 24, 2025

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Feb 16, 2024

New Time and Venue!

Feb 16, 2024

IVSO’s March 10 performance, Be Inspired by Story!, has been relocated to the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre at Illinois Valley Community College, and the performance time is now 3:30 p.m. Featuring the amazing talents of our Young Performers’ Competition winners, Senior Division Gabrielle Mosley and Junior Division Hallee Loza.

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Feb 16, 2024

Spring Spectacular! featuring Violinist Rachel Barton Pine

May 1, 2022

Spring Spectacular! featuring Violinist Rachel Barton Pine

May 1, 2022

We were honored to welcome back to the Illinois Valley world-renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine as she performed Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35.

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May 1, 2022

Program Notes for Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major, op. 35

Apr 27, 2022

Program Notes for Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major, op. 35

Apr 27, 2022

All program notes for the IVSO, unless otherwise noted, are written by Larry Ault, IVSO librarian and orchestra timpanist.

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Apr 27, 2022

Thrills and Chills, featuring the Winners of our 2022 Young Performers Concerto Competition

Mar 14, 2022

Thrills and Chills, featuring the Winners of our 2022 Young Performers Concerto Competition

Mar 14, 2022

On Sunday, March 13, the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra presented Thrills and Chills! which featured the winners of the Junior and Senior Divisions of the 2022 Young Performers’ Concerto Competition, as well as a lively introduction to the orchestra narrated by Roger Amm.

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Mar 14, 2022

2022 Young Performers Competition Award Recipients

Feb 5, 2022

2022 Young Performers Competition Award Recipients

Feb 5, 2022

The Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Music Director and Conductor Daniel Sommerville is pleased to announce the winners of its 2022 Young Performers Competition.

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Feb 5, 2022

A Holiday Concert, featuring Horn Tod Bowermaster and the Favorite Sounds of the Season

Dec 6, 2021

A Holiday Concert, featuring Horn Tod Bowermaster and the Favorite Sounds of the Season

Dec 6, 2021

On Sunday, December 5, the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra performed A Holiday Concert featuring horn soloist Tod Bowermaster on Reinhold Glière’s Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in B-flat major, Op. 91.

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Dec 6, 2021

IVSO for Students

Application for the 2024-25 Young Performers Concerto Competition

Sep 30, 2024

Application for the 2024-25 Young Performers Concerto Competition

Sep 30, 2024

The Young Performers Concerto Competition for the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at Ottawa High School Auditorium from 9:00am through 12:30pm. Winners will perform with the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra on Friday, February 28, 2025, at Ottawa High School at 9:30am and Streator High School at 1pm. Winners will also perform with the IVSO on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 7pm at Ottawa High School.

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Sep 30, 2024

Sep 9, 2022

It's time to apply yourself!

Sep 9, 2022

It’s not too early to dream about starring with the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra! All you need to do is apply yourself!

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Sep 9, 2022

Sharpen Your Skills and Flatten Your Nerves

Sep 10, 2021

Sharpen Your Skills and Flatten Your Nerves

Sep 10, 2021

As music students you’re all in the same boat: You focus on your fingers and fine-tune your phrasing, daring to hope that that this year you’ll be less nervous about performing than you were the year before.

Because you know that the more you confidently face this challenge, the stronger you’ll be.

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Sep 10, 2021

Oct 17, 2020

Did you fall for fall?

Oct 17, 2020

We fall for Vivaldi’s Concerto No. 3 in F major, Op. 8!

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Oct 17, 2020

Top 5 Free Music Notation Software Picks

Oct 1, 2020

Top 5 Free Music Notation Software Picks

Oct 1, 2020

This post is written by guest author Elliot Butler, a senior at Western Illinois University who will graduate in December of 2020 with a degree in music composition. He evaluated several free music notation software programs and reviewed five of them for us in this ranked list.

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Oct 1, 2020

Sep 14, 2020

Clarinet Coaching for ILMEA Auditions

Sep 14, 2020

Dr. Eric Ginsberg, WIU Professor of Clarinet, shares practice tips and performs ILMEA Set 2 audition music, Rose Étude #5: Adagio, and Rose Étude # 14, Tempo di Polacca.

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Sep 14, 2020

2021 Young Performers Concerto Competition Application Form

Aug 25, 2020

2021 Young Performers Concerto Competition Application Form

Aug 25, 2020

Who inspires you? Who’s inspired by you?

Be challenged and encouraged by other young musicians in the Illinois Valley as you prepare and audition for a solo spot with the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra!

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Aug 25, 2020

Aug 21, 2020

A Spoonful of Sugar for Your Scales

Aug 21, 2020

If some of us were to be honest, we’d secretly admit that practicing scales can be a little like taking medicine we didn’t know we needed! So what if playing scales could be little more… epic? Give it a try with this great soundtrack and let us know how it’s helping you in the comments below!