In Thursday’s (8/23) Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois), Dan Craft writes, “A new era for the Illinois Symphony Orchestra officially begins over the Labor Day weekend with an expanded series of free ‘Pops in the Park’ concerts led by freshly installed music director Alastair Willis—only the third holder of the baton in the ISO’s 20-year history. After his two ‘tryout’ assignments over the 2011-12 ISO season, Willis’ trio of concerts will mark the 41-year-old Massachusetts native’s first public performances in his new position. Willis was one of five finalists in the search for a music director to succeed Karen Lynne Deal, whose 11-year tenure ended in June 2011. Her predecessor, Kenneth Kiesler, was the orchestra’s first conductor. Traditionally, the ISO’s first performance of the season would have been at the Illinois State Fair. Instead, this year’s debut occurs over the Labor Day weekend with an expanded regimen of pops concerts: Sept. 1 on the south lawn of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Sept. 2 at Peterson Park in Mattoon and Sept. 3 at the Corn Crib in Normal. … Then it’s back inside for the season proper, which is comprised of five ISO concerts and a trio of performances by Illinois Chamber Orchestra.”
Posted August 24, 2012
