The Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Taichi Fukumura. Photo by David Fitch.
In Sunday’s (3/22) Springfield State Journal-Register (Illinois), Janis Reeser writes, “The Illinois Symphony Orchestra will perform a program featuring three notable works at two concerts April 10-11. The concerts will take place at First Presbyterian Church, Springfield, and … Second Presbyterian Church, Bloomington…. The program will begin with George Walker’s ‘Lyric for Strings.’ This piece is known for its emotional clarity and serves as a meditation that transitions from sorrow to warmth…. Following Walker’s piece will be Ernest Bloch’s Concerto Grosso No. 1. This work [blends] Baroque-inspired structure with modern boldness. Written for string orchestra and piano obbligato, the concerto features a dynamic interaction between the soloist and ensemble [and] highlights the joy of collaborative music-making. The concert will conclude with Aaron Copland’s ‘Appalachian Spring,’ a piece that captures the essence of American possibility…. The Illinois Symphony Chamber Orchestra will be led by music director Taichi Fukumura. Fukumura [won] second prize at The Mahler Competition 2023 and multiple Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Awards from 2021 to 2024…. In addition to symphony, pop and chamber performances, the orchestra offers educational programs … In 2020, the ISO expanded its mission by acquiring the Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony, now known as the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestras.”
